Le Cordon Bleu chef takes Tivoli diners on a gastronomic journey

The talk around the table during the press lunch for the Mandarin Oriental, Manila’s ongoing Journées Gastronomiques was that there is no longer an authentic French restaurant in Metro Manila. Sure, one five-star hotel boasts a French chef at its more popular outlet, but for real French cooking, foodies are at a loss for recommendations.

Perhaps that was the reason why we were all excited about Le Cordon Bleu chef Bernard Guilhaudin’s two-week stint at The Tivoli, part of the ongoing French Spring in Manila 2003 arts festival. After sampling all sorts of fusion cooking around Metro Manila, we were finally going to taste real French cooking.

For the past four years, chef Bernard has been busy teaching Japanese ladies how to cook French food for their husbands. The admission sends titters of surprise around the table, but the Frenchman admits he has found paradise.

"I always told myself one day I will retire and be surrounded by women," he says. "My dream has finally come true."

Chef Bernard had the good fortune of learning from some of the best French chefs who had ever cooked. At 17, he apprenticed under three-star Guide Michelin chef Alain Chapel, working at his Restaurant Alain Chapel for four years and rising through the ranks as assistant chef. Thereafter, he had a colorful career, including: A stint in the military as chef to the military governor of the fifth district of Lyon; pastry chef and chef at the three-star Guide Michelin Restaurant Vivarois; private chef to famous millionaire, art dealer and horseman Daniel Wildenstein; chef and owner of the Guide Michelin-rated Restaurant Le Chat Grippe; chef at the two-star Guide Michelin Restaurant Laurent; chef of Restaurant Oreade; executive chef of Restaurant Le Jardin of Hotel Royal Monceau; culinary counselor to the Hotel Mamounia in Marrakech, Morocco; and executive chef at the two-star Guide Michelin Restaurant La Tour d’Argent.

All that may be gobbledygook for most readers, but gourmets who value their Guide Michelin know that chef Bernard’s pedigree is impeccable.

The chef himself admits that his good fortune translates to his fluency in cooking.

"If you are lucky to learn from the best French cooks, then you are sure to have the best training ever. I was lucky to have studied with Alain Chapel. He is my idol," he says.

However, he admits that his travels around the world has led him to be more open-minded when it comes to food.

"Everywhere I go, I always want to know what the food there tastes like," he declares. "I want to know what Filipino food tastes like. For sure, I will not find it in the restaurants. I will have to discover it in the homes of your country."

Some may consider chef Bernard’s touches to his dishes to seem to be on the side of fusion cooking. However, the way he handles flavors is robust. With each bite of his cooking, you taste the distinct flavor of each ingredient. It is like he is playing with your tongue, forcing you with each mouthful to discern the myriad of tastes in a dish.

Lunch started with a special aperitif of puff pastry filled with a light creamy spinach filling. The puff pastry literally melted in the mouth (and in the hand). A bite sent bits of the pastry into the air; at the same time, the bitten portion filled the palate with the delicate flavor of spinach and butter.

As we were exchanging notes about the pastry, out came the crispy shrimp with Bahiannaise sauce. Generous slivers of king prawns were wrapped in a light wrapper and fried to a crisp. The whole thing looked like lumpia, which prompted one guest to exclaim, "I didn’t know the French had lumpia." But all our misgivings were silenced after we started munching on those prawns. Each bite was heavy with giant shrimp. Each dip into the Bahiannaise sauce only complemented the tropical character of the prawns.

The soup course, gratinated cream of leeks with orange, was a downer after the shrimps. It was thin like water, but fragrant with the scent of orange. We were all wondering what was the best way to enjoy this soup: With a soup spoon or with a straw?

The entrée, roasted chicken breast with spring onions and caramelized vegetables, was a delight for the tongue. The flavors of the vegetables were gently highlighted, while the chicken, although a bit on the dry side, was tasty. I particularly liked the roughness of the salt used to season the chicken. After so much daintily flavored dishes, the salt was like a jolt back to reality. The presentation, though, could also be a little prettier.

Dessert was a light champagne jelly with citrus fruits and basil sherbet. The basil sherbet left us guessing what this course would taste like. What a surprise we all had! The champagne jelly was sweet, and the basil sherbet was reassuring in its forthrightness. It was sweet and cool, and at a loss for words, just plain weird. But taken together, the basil’s sharp flavor contrasted wonderfully with the acid of the citrus fruits.

Apart from chef Bernard’s stint at The Tivoli, he will also be holding cooking classes today and on June 12 at the Nash and Fontaine rooms, respectively. Each class is priced at P1,500++ and is inclusive of a three-course lunch at The Tivoli. Likewise, he will offer a Gastronomie Gala Dinner at The Tivoli on June 10, priced at P2,900++ per person.

The Mandarin Deli also has a display of Le Cordon Bleu products, from aprons to books, and cookware. The items are available until June 17.

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For inquiries and reservations, call The Tivoli at 750-8888 local 2422 or 2433. For inquiries on the cooking classes, call 750-8888 local 2401.