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Le Cordon Bleu joins Cebu Food and Wine Festival 2025 festivities at JPark

Article (news)

Jeeves De Veyra

CEBU -- This year’s Cebu Food and Wine Festival (CFWF) explores the academic side of gastronomy with the participation of global culinary and hospitality school Le Cordon Bleu in its Grand Tasting opening dinner.Le Cordon Bleu Ateneo De Manila Institute instructor-chefs and students led by executive chef Cyrille Soenen, pastry chef Julien Bispo, Le Cordon Bleu director Liza Hernandez-Morales and a team of eight students flew in from Manila for the much-awaited gastronomy event.<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/175014642641420250617070628_CEBU 1.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/>Le Cordon Bleu executive chef Cyrille Soenen and pastry chef Julien Bispo. Jeeves de Veyra </div>Morales said that it wasn’t only for JPark and the CFWF participants, but also for the students. They tried out Cebuano specialties such as tuslob buwa, a bubbling stew made from pork brain, to expand their palates on Filipino cuisine. Additionally, this was a chance to check out the hotels and restaurants of Cebu for the students to “stage” rather than flying out to Hong Kong, Singapore, and beyond. <div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/175014640163620250617070628_CEBU 2.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/>Galo at JPark Tower. Jeeves de Veyra </div>JPark Island Resort hosted the Grand Tasting that opens the Cebu Food and Wine Festival at the new Galo rooftop bar and grill atop the JPark Tower, the newest building on the property.<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/175014637287420250617070628_CEBU 3.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/>Le Cordon Bleu executive chef Cyrille Soenen gives a demonstration. Jeeves de Veyra </div>Prior to the Grand Tasting, Soenen did a cooking demo using premium ingredients and French cooking techniques for Filipino fare. For his two dishes, he basted a pair of Canadian AAA ribeye steaks in butter and herbs.For one steak, he came up with a traditional French Périgueux sauce with cream, butter and truffles.<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/175014634685420250617070628_CEBU 4.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/>Pulutan a la Cicou. Jeeves de Veyra </div>The other one was what he called Pulutan a la Cicou where he cut up the steak into bite sized pieces then browned then in a mix of tomato, onions, and Cebu vinegar. The fat from the steak’s marbling together with the acidity of the vinegar with the crunch of the tomatoes, onions, and Carcar chicharon made this a very expensive plate of bar chow that would really go well with bottles of ice-cold beer.<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/175014631711520250617070628_CEBU 5.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/>The official ribbon cutting was led by Department of Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco. Jeeves de Veyra </div>The official ribbon cutting was led by Department of Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco, CFWF chairperson Kate Dychiaco-Anzani, JPark Island Resort owner Justin Uy, and JPark Island Resort general manager Brian Connelly. In her opening remarks, Frasco lauded the CFWF and how it fits the gastronomy initiatives in the current administration’s tourism framework.The dishes from the Le Cordon Bleu team were front and center at the Grand Tasting. Soenen used Cebuano ingredients for his savory dishes, like the blood sausage, which was made with lechon blood, chopped up meat topped with a piece of Carcar chicharon, dried mango cream puff, and a tart with chopped up lechon.<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/175014629319520250617070616_03219449276afd653a84a24e04221295e3b6cb7a98205d231a5f8d6e6914fabf.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/>Desserts from Le Cordon Bleu. Jeeves de Veyra </div>Dessert chef Bispo incorporated Cebu mangos and passion fruit in his Verrine Exotique, Cebuano chocolate in the mousse, ube in the crème brulée, and calamansi in the tart.JPark showcased all of its outlets including the new Galo bar and grill, beachside restaurant Coral, all-day dining restaurant The Abalone, Chinese outlet Ching Hai, and Korean restaurant Maru where Korean executive chef Taehyun Oh was supervising the spread of Korean fried chicken, jigae, pajeon, among his specialties.<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/175014625405320250617070628_CEBU 6.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/>Pastry Guild of Cebu led by JPark pastry chef Ramjie Antimaro with Souffle Cake’s Marvin Concha. Jeeves de Veyre </div>The Pastry Guild of Cebu led by JPark’s very own pastry chef Ramjie Antimaro who will be going with Souffle Cake’s Marvin Concha to Rome for the Federezione Internationale di Pasteleria, Gelateria (FIPGC) cake decorating competition, delighted those with a sweet tooth that night with their creations.<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/175014623087220250617070628_CEBU 7.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/>Pedro Farms promotes its tours. Jeeves de Veyra </div>The CFWF is a great way for suppliers to meet with customers. Silang-based hydroponics farm Pedro Farms provided all the roughage for the dishes on the spread. The young farmers were at the launch not only to talk show of their green vegetables and edible flowers, but also invite guests to the farm which has recently opened up for tours.Restaurants who are in the events calendar of the CFWF also participated in the Grand Tasting. Black Smokehouse, which will be running a promo all throughout the two weeks of the festival, had a booth to serve sausage, pork ribs, and beef belly paired with its Carolina vinegar and homemade barbecue sauce.<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/175014620783320250617070628_CEBU 8.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/>Proucts from Uy Masuy Wine Factory. Jeeves de Veyra </div>Uy Masuy Wine Factory showed how a century-old Cebuano company making Fighter Wine can move forward into the digital age with its premium line composed of the Drunk Barista Coffee Vodka, Ceb Mango Rum and Zing Ginger Liqueur. Best drunk neat to appreciate them at full strength, then in a cocktail to taste what kind of concoctions are possible with these spirits.<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/175014618647720250617070628_CEBU 9.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/>Rose Hudson with her Bandila bonbon. Jeeves de Veyra </div>Tokyo-based chocolatier Rose Hudson of Victoria Amores chocolates who made her debut CFWF event at Crimson last year showed off a “Bandila” bonbon with pineapple, mango, and a base of coconut crisp to represent the three major islands of the Philippines. Together with Bisaya Brew which she met at last year’s CFWF, she held a chocolate-beer pairing session and launched a new chocolate beer collaboration with Boholano cacao.The wine cruise by AWC and Shangri-La Mactan completed the opening weekend. The cruise just  keeps on getting better and better each year. For this iteration, they limited the number of guests on board and had a more chilled playlist that made cruising the cool waters east of Mactan a truly relaxing experience. For this cruise, they had a selection of a Bordeux, a rose, a white, and a blended red bottled specially for Shangri-La Mactan by Clarendelle.<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/175014613955120250617070628_CEBU 10.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/>Wine cruise by AWC and Shangri-La Mactan. Chickoy Cordova </div>After the boat docked at dusk, the hotel prepared a top-tier beach barbecue featuring the food of hotel executive chef William Tan and executive sous chef Nathan Griffin. Unlimited foie gras, finger lime ceviche along with lobsters, chicken, lamb and beef fresh off the grill were paired with more Clanderelle including amberwine dessert wine to finish off the night.For this year, the Cebu Food and Wine will have two weeks of culinary events both in Mactan and Cebu City. It will include food market crawls, the kitchen takeover of Frances Tariga of New York Michelin Guide-featured Filipino restaurant Tadhana, and a farm-to-table event in Lakeview Le Jardin up in the central mountains of Cebu. The festival will have its closing event at the Marco Polo Hotel on June 28.<div> </div><div>Here are some of the CFWC 2025 events, as of June 17:</div>Black Smokehaus product selling and premium discounts up to 10% at Black Smokehaus Restaurant, Mandaue City. June 15-28OmAKAase 6-CXourse, 4-Hands Dinner with Naoki Eguchi and Masahiro Kinoshita at AKA By Naoki Eguchi, Crimson Resort and Spa Mactan. P6,000 for food only. June 20, 6:30 p.m.Azure After Party for unlimited drinks with AKA reservation at Azure Beach Club. P2,000 (unlimited drinks). June 20, 10:30 p.m. to 1 a.m.Rose Tapas &amp; Wine Pairing Menu at Run Sardine Run. Glass of rosé and flight of five tapas (P650), Francesinha with a glass of Long Barn (P2,200), Empanada with a glass of Montecampo Prosecco (P880), and Polpo with a glass of Muros Antigos (P1,100. June 22, 12 noon to 3 p.m. and 5-9 p.m.Indian Street Food Thali at Goa Nights. Set of vada pav, pav bhaji, smashed samosas, sev puri, and pani puri for P880. June 22, 12 noon to 10:30 p.m.4-course Pizza Omakase at Minante Pizzeria. Pizza A la Vodka Martini with Dry Sparkling; Carmosa with Pinot Noir; Bruciato with Pinot Grigio; Formaggio e Campari with Sauvignon Blanc; and Helo, Mango! With Prosecco. P4,000 per couple (minimum of 2) + P2,000 for wine pairing. June 24, 7- 9 p.m.Chef Frances Tariga (of New York City Michelin Guide restaurant Tadhana) Restaurant Takeover at Anzani Restaurant im Nivel Hills Lahug. P6,490 per person (inclusive of service charge). June 24 and 25, 6 p.m.Javier Garcia and Lyma&#x27;s Marc Silvestre 6-Course, 4-Hands Dinner at Enye by Chele Gonzalez in Crimson Mactan Resort and Spa. June 25, 6:30 p.m.PUSO Lasa Pilipinas: A Fashion, Culture, and Food Event at Quest Hotel. P1,500 net per person (50% off for children ages 6-12 years old / 5+1 promo for travel agencies and tour groups / 20% off for senior citizens. Fashion show at 5 p.m. and dinner buffet at 6 p.m. on June 27 and 28.Farmer’s Market Food Crawl at Marco Polo Plaza Cebu. June 28Lakeview presents Saka Sutokil at Lakeview Le Jardin. Six-hands collab by Wild Siargao owner Andrew Malarrky and executive chef EJ Perez with Cebuano food content creator Arion Marrin. Late lunch sunset session to the chilled beats of the Cradio Radio DJ group (P2,490+) June 28, 2 p.m to 7 p.m.Cebu Food and Wine Festival 2025 Closing: Brunch and Splash at Café Marco and El Viento, Marco Polo Hotel. 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. lunch buffet and 2:30-6:30 p.m. pool, DJ and drinks. Ticket price for buffet and pool access is P2,400 per person; Unlimited drinks package at P1,500 per person. June 28

This year’s Cebu Food and Wine Festival explores the academic side of gastronomy with the participation of global culinary and hospitality school Le Cordon Bleu in its Grand Tasting opening dinner.

This year’s Cebu Food and Wine Festival explores the academic side of gastronomy with the participation of global culinary and hospitality school Le Cordon Bleu in its Grand Tasting opening dinner.