First honors: Clint Holton Potestas

CEBU, Philippines - “The eyes eat first,” says Ritchie Loteria—so never mind what your nose smells.

“First thing, I hated durian,” Loteria goes on. “But when I was here in Davao for the first time, I have to try it. When I tasted it, I realized that I just have to remove the odor, and everything about it is so delicious.”

Born to Filipino parents but raised in Italy, the chef at the newly opened RBG Bar and Grill in Park Inn by Radisson in Davao has found a pleasing way to introduce the durian to first-timers: by turning it into a cheesecake.

“A lot of diners have been converted. First, they eat the durian cheesecake and then next, they’d go out to look for the fruit. I’ve also been converted. Before, I cannot stand the smell of it in the kitchen; now, it smells normal to us,” Loteria, who completed his degree in Italian Culinary at Rome’s Fontana de Papa, recalls his first few weeks in Davao.

For 21 years in Italy, he has served dishes for Blessed John Paul II, Michael Jackson, and Beyonce (who just ordered salad for dinner). He started out as a dish washer in a Franciscan monastery before working as executive chef at a luxurious Italian hotel and ultimately, coming home to the Philippines. While no doors are shut down for show business, he’s happy with his regular appearance on GMA 7’s Unang Hirit’s cooking session.

In the dwindling lot of local flavors, Loteria introduces Davao’s many firsts. Only the hotel has Angus beef flew in from the United States, which on the other hand, he has made a local counterpart—the Bukidnon Wagyu beef. Pasta de Davao—who could blame him for his Italian devotion?—is another culinary invention: linguine pasta, assorted sea foods, marinara sauce, and “bagaybay” or fish egg.

Just enough to excite you with subtle spice, the secret lies in the mixture of wasabi and pepper found in the Blackened Gensan Tuna. Or perhaps, some other secrets lie on how he grills the tuna, or on how he can keep it unfrozen for a soiree.

“When the management asked me about the concept of the restaurant, I said grill—sugba in Visayan. Filipinos love to grill,” he says. “I see to it that our menu is balanced. But we would like to push the local dishes with a touch of Japanese, American, and Italian—or whatever that comes to mind. I am also very particular about presentation. The eyes eat first. If the food doesn’t look good, I wouldn’t bother eating it.”

But if Loteria’s sales talk about eating durian for the first time is measured by the increasing number of tourists who carry it in boxes going back to their homes, then he has succeeded tremendously.