(from top, clockwise) Pako Salad with Duck Egg and White Cheese, Kinilaw na Tanguigue sa Gata, Ubod Salad with Pomelo and Shrimp, Lumpiang Prito, and Shrimp Okoy. (Photo by RUDY LIWANAG)

The laughter and light banter emanating from the Farenheit Room of Edsa Shangri-La, Manila’s Heat restaurant could only mean one thing — the three inimitable lady chefs were in the house. The celebrated trio of Glenda Barretto, Myrna Segismundo, and Jill Sandique held court at the opening of the hotel’s Filipino food festival inspired by “Kulinarya”. From June 10 to 24, 2010 for lunch and dinner, guests can re-discover Filipino favorites presented in a new and innovative light. And at the opening day of the festival, media friends were given a patikim, a taste of what was to come.

Philippine cuisine’s grand doyenne Glenda Barretto, has been the country’s indefatigable ambassador when it comes to promotiong Filipino food to the international community. Since opening her first restaurant Via Mare Seafood Specialty in 1975, Chef Barretto has worked tirelessly to put the country’s cuisine on the global culinary map.

Aside from being the director of Restaurant 9501, the corporate dining outlet of ABS-CBN, Myrna Segismundo wears many toques. She is also a food writer and editor, a television program host, a book author, and an organizer of culinary related events.

Jill Sandique is a pastry chef, food consultant, and television show host. Chef Sandique’s television show, “Kusinabilidad,” also has a loyal following of Filipino housewives and homemakers who watch her dispense tips and recipes.

Fresh from an Italian tour with other lady chefs, the culinary trio had plenty of colorful and hilarious travel tales to tell. Yet in between private jokes about pizzas, train rides, and chestnuts made public, they were veritable walking enycylopedias about Filipino cuisine. Chef Sandique even recalled truckloads of fresh fruits in Cagayan de Oro, and how Mindanao is indeed the melting pot of Filipino food because of the presence of Batanguenos, Ilokanos, and Visayans in that area. Just like typical Pinoys partaking of a meal, the topic of conversation on the table naturally gravitated to food. And right in the middle of all that talk, the food arrived.

While barong-clad waiters passed crunchy starters of Lumpia Prito and Shrimp Okoy, an array of appetizers beckoned from the table. The Kinilaw na Tanguigue sa Gata, Pako Salad with Duck Egg and White Cheese, and Ubod Salad with Pomelo and Shrimp signaled the start of a rather delightful meal.

A soothing concoction of chilled creamy Buko-Pandan with sago was immediately consumed. Seeing the empty glasses, gracious host Edsa Shangri-La’s HR director Wilma Estaura quickly motioned for refills. And fresh drinks miraculously appeared, to the delight of the guests.

Next up was a trio of sinigang soups - Beef with Sampalok, Pork Ribs with Guava, and Bangus Belly with Miso. Seated beside Edsa Shangri-La’s general manager Sinan Yilmaz, Chef Segismundo explained the Filipinos' penchant for sour broths, and the nuances of flavor when cooking with varying degrees of sourness using ingredients like sampaloc (tamarind), guava, and miso. Curious, Yilmaz took tentative sample sips. And his smile got wider and wider as he proclaimed his approval for the soups.

With understated aplomb, chef Raul Ramos presented the Lechon Paella, a roasted baby pig with crispy crackling skin on the outside, its tender flesh within enhanced with a paella filling. Occupying equal space on the plate were Lechnon Manok, Adobong Batangas, and Sinanglay na Apahap (fish fillets and shrimps wrapped in taro leaves and cooked in coconut milk).

Somewhere between the lechon and the adobo, Chef Jill quietly made a mad dash for the kitchen. A few minutes later, her disappearing act was explained by a parade of luscious desserts. Apparently, Chef Jill was busily orchestrating the sweet endings to the luncheon. Vying for temptation of the year were a fluffy light-as-air Canonigo with its complementary custard sauce, a heavenly Tocino del Cielo peeping from between pandan leaves, and Mango Walnut Torte, sweet mango slices topping a nutty tart.

Guests lingered even after the last cups of Batangas barako and salabat (ginger tea) were consumed. Perhaps it was the homey atmosphere brought about by food reminiscent of familiar family favorites. Or maybe the three lady chefs shared so much of their skills, their experiences, and themselves, which made the luncheon so cozy and comfortable. Or even still, it could be the relaxed ambience of Heat, which has been hosting such remarkable food festivals for years. But really, good food is reason enough to check out a culinary event. So in commemoration of the country’s independence month, it may be good to bite into “Kulinarya”. And maybe, the three lady chefs will be there to share more tasty foodie stories.

For restaurant reservations at Heat’s “Kulinarya”, please call (63 2) 633 8888 local 2741.