Alma Aznar

HAUTE cuisine inspired by haute couture was the theme of the recent formal dinner of La Chaine des Rotisseur’s Cebu chapter. It was held at the Waterfront Cebu City Hotel, presided by Michel Lhuillier, who heads La Chaine in the Philippines, and his wife Amparito Llamas Lhuillier who is at the helm of the Cebu bailiwick.

Amparito was the best exponent of the theme, having approved the excellent menu (and tasted it), and having been draped in yards of silvery silk by Cebu’s fashion ace, Philip Rodriguez. Jewelers at the M.L. Workbench had created for her a magnificent necklace of green tourmalines that glowed like emeralds.

More than 100 signed up for the dinner and turned up in tip-top togs, the ladies in gem-colored gowns (black was discouraged for such occasion), and the men either in tux or barong.

The ballroom had an area enfolded in white silk to achieve a wintry scene. Guests sat in gilt chairs with tables draped with satin. On a stage lit by crystal chandeliers were mannequins in gowns inspired by fashion icons and interpreted by Cebu’s style gurus. They also designed how the menu was plated.

Thus we have OJ Hofer for Balenciaga, Jun Escario for Yves Saint Laurent (YSL), Arcy Gayatin for Chanel, Philip R for Valentino, Albert Arriba for Dior and Cary Santiago for Lacroix. You may wonder how they did it, and there was a pamphlet for guidance.

Balenciaga’s blacks and browns were featured on the first course of caviar and foie gras on pumpernickel bread. YSL’s frothiness was in the scallop and lobster chaudiere, with a touch of cognac. The quilted Chanel 2.55 handbag was reproduced in puff pastry stuffed with duck maigret.

Valentino red was all over the rose-flavored sorbet, and Dior’s medallion evoked his golden era of the 1940s in the main course. The Angus beef was cut that way and wrapped in Parma ham. Lacroix’s “Couleurs d’Arles” came in four dessert tidbits of as many colors.

Picture of bliss

Hotel GM Marco Protacio was the picture of bliss, as all night people sent kudos for a successful affair. He sat with Michel and Amparito at Table No. 1 along with Josephine and Federico Borromeo who heads La Chaine in Manila.

Here for the occasion was Philippine Ambassador to Italy Philippe Lhuillier with his lovely wife Edna Diago Lhuillier. They were with their children Martin and Angie (nee Lhuillier) Miranda, Michael and Joana Lhuillier, and Martin Klieger from the Hong Kong office of the Union Bank of Switzerland.

Rafaelita Pelaez came from Cagayan for the occasion. Her table was most animated what with Dr. Nestor Alonso, Dr. Tacky and Generosa Efthimiou, Alice Plaza, Vikki Hermosisima and Judge Romulo Senining.

Margie Lhuillier wore a Cary Santiago gown. She had worn it in Dubai and caused a sensation. Chef Dietmar Dietrich was at her table with Mariter Klepp, Loveth Abad, Grace Colmenares escorted by Haakon Kjoesnes, and his parents Per Thormod and Synnoeve Kjoesnes, here on holiday from Norway.

Manny Gonzales, whose family owns Plantation Bay resort in Mactan Island, was congratulated for its citation of excellence by Conde Nast travel magazine. That was one of the topics at our table, where repartee was witty and informative with Johnny and Anna Marie Dizon, architect Tessie Javier, Ricky Dakay, Ruby Guinto, and Gabriel Palmer whose Wine Shop tapas bar is packed nightly.

Lydia Aznar Alfonso came with her daughter Alma Mia Aznar Alfonso Garcia.
Fr. Ernesto Javier, SJ, charmed his tablemates, among them Angie Mathieu, Marissa Fernan, Jaime Chua, Winglip and Pinky Chang.

Dr. Vivina Chiu Yrastorza sat with top hoteliers such as the Marco Polo’s Hans Hauri and Shangri-La Mactan’s Raymund and Susan Bragg. Other hotel general managers were the Marriott’s Roy Abraham and Plantation Bay’s Efren Belarmino. They were seated with top Cebu La Chaine officer Teresin Mendezona, Rosebud Sala, Annabelle Lu Ym, Honey Loop, and Tony Lozada.

The evening did not end with cigars and cognac. Acrobats in the style of “Lido de Paris” slid from the ceiling and clambered back in folds of silken cloth. And then there was dancing.

Next event for La Chaine is another evening of formal dining when new members are inducted come March.