Korean BBQ, US Rib Eye At Marriott’s Korean Food Fest

MANILA, Philippines - You don’t have to be a diehard K-pop fan to enjoy the Korean Food Festival, ongoing until July 31 at the Marriott Cafe in Manila. In partnership with the Korean Cultural Center, Marriott flew in a team of four Korean chefs from one of the largest and most famous resorts in Seoul, Elysian Gangchon: chief cook, chef Jeun Gi Nyeo, chef Byung Eok An, chef Lee Youn Chui, and chef Lee Yong Taek took to their wok and grill to whip up authentic Korean dishes.

At the sumptuous buffet spread, you will find all-time favorites such as the familiar bibimbap, bulgogi, kalbijim, japchae, and the ubiquitous kimchi, as well as less familiar dishes such as Haemul Pajeon (seafood and vegetable pancake), Daeha Susam Nengeha (prawn and ginseng salad), and  Sugogi Buchu (salad with rib eye and chives).

Try the Bossam Kimchi (wrapped kimchi with a variety of fresh ingredients). From the barbecue grill, there’s Yang Nyeom Salchisal Gui (marinated and grilled beef), as well as Yangnyeom Dak Gui (grilled chicken with spicy sauce).

“Filipinos like Korean barbecue, which is similar to many of your barbeque dishes such as inasal (marinated roast chicken),” says Brendan Mahoney, Marriott director of food and beverage. “There are also a lot of side dishes, a lot of variety.”

He thinks there is a big interest in the Philippines about Korean cooking and Korean culture. “Philippine culture is more about sharing, sitting down together, and talking, like in a party. It’s the same in Korea,” says Mahoney, who lived for two years in Korea, where he was a chef at one of the big hotels there.

In addition to presenting an exciting Korean culinary journey, “we brought in the Korean chefs also to train our chefs who are all Filipinos, so when they leave I still have some Korean dishes to show in the future,” says Meik Brammer, Marriott Hotel Manila executive chef.

Chef Meik welcomed the press for a brief tour of the kitchen, “the hottest part

of the hotel and the heart of Marriott Hotel Manila,” he says. The only non-Filipino among the kitchen staff, chef Meik, who is German says, “Filipino chefs are fantastic. My job is to keep the high standards of the Marriott kitchen.” 

Chef Meik says what will attract Filipinos to the Korean Food Festival at Marriott Café are the diversity of Korean food, the other cuisines he will be presenting (US choice prime rib eye is also available at the buffet, among others), and the high standard of the food. “The flavors are intense, and that is what I love,” he says.