The restaurant’s buffet courses through a culinary adventure, lined with different hot and cold items, a teeming Japanese station, dimsum and Chinese roasts, cook-to-order pastas and pizzas, a carving station, plus a counter of desserts that look as good as they taste. Staying at one station alone can fulfill any taste bud’s hankering and guarantees that you’ll be feasting for hours.

However, with the introduction of a new executive sous chef, expect delving into and savoring the buffet to get much longer than that. Chef Nurul Huda Bin Mohammed Radzi, or simply Chef Nurul, is the hotel’s new asset. With a new chef comes a new outlook, and Chef Nurul’s leans heavily on fusion cuisine.

"Fusion concept is a trendy international kind of cuisine that I plan to implement here," said Chef Nurul when asked about his plans for the culinary department. "This is a technique that I have mastered through my work experiences outside Asia and now that I am back in the region, I’m excited to apply this style in Manila Pavilion."

The Malaysian-born chef has experiences in various cuisines such as Chinese, Malaysian, Japanese, Thai, Continental, and French. He is exceptionally skilled in open concept kitchen live cooking.

This, however, comes as no surprise as under Chef Nurul’s belt is nearly 18 years of culinary experience. He has worked in numerous hotel chains and up-scale restaurants from around the world, in countries such as Egypt, Ukraine, Ireland, Greece, Brunei, and the Caribbean.

Before, Chef Nurul was Chef De Cuisine of Little Buddha & Sushi Bar in Sharm El Sheikh at Naama Bay Hotel, Egypt – a famous international French and Pacific Rim fusion restaurant chain based in Paris.

As the new Executive Sous Chef of Manila Pavilion Hotel, he is to plan, organize, align and control kitchen operations and production. He is responsible for the planning, control and administration of the overall kitchen operations in terms of productivity, product development, quality and resource management. This gives Chef Nurul control over the hotel’s different restaurant outlets (Seasons, Boulvar, and Rotisserie) where he plans to inject pieces of his expertise. However, save for the Rotisserie, where the chef plans only to tweak the restaurant’s plating or presentation.

In the coming months, expect the buffet restaurant to feature fusion themes, such as Pacific Rim and Italian.

But for those who can’t wait, the new chef has these recipes one can to try at home.

****

Thai Green Beef Curry

Manila Pavilion’s new Executive Sous Chef Nurul Huda Bin Mohammed Radzi at work plating his Thai Green Beef Curry

Ingredients:

160 gms. Beef (cubed)
30 gms. Garlic
30 gms. Onion
30 gms. Coconut Powder
30 gms. Curry Powder
20 gms. Turmeric Spice
20 gms. Cayenne Pepper
10 gms. Basil Leaves
10 gms. Coriander
30 ml. Cooking Oil
Salt and White Pepper (to taste)
1 pc. Papadum
10 gms. Fried Onions

Procedure:

- Heat casserole pan with cooking oil. Sauté garlic, onion, beef and then add beef stock. Cook until the beef is tender.

- Add curry powder, turmeric, cayenne, basil and coriander. Simmer for 20 minutes then add the coconut powder, salt and pepper to taste.

- Plate the dish with steamed rice garnish with Papadum and fried onions.

- Serves 1

****

Season’s Green Salad

50ml Italian Vinaigrette

20gms Cherry Tomatoes

20 gms Black Olives

5 gms. Fresh Parmesan

20 gms. Walnuts

60 gms. Iceberg Lettuce

60 gms. Romaine Lettuce

5 gms. Julienne Carrots

2 pcs. Lavosh Bread

Procedure:

- Wash and clean iceberg and romaine lettuce then put in a mixing bowl. Add all ingredients and toss with Italian Vinaigrette Dressing.

- Plate salad nicely.

- Garnish with julienne carrots and fresh grated parmesan on top. Place Lavosh bread on the side.

****

Seafood Salad

Ingredients:

60 gms. Shrimp

80 gms. Squid (sliced)

60 gms. Mixed Capsicums (red, green and yellow)

30 gms. Onion

1 gm Salt

1 gm White Pepper

1 pc. Crostini Bread Basket

50 ml Balsamic Dressing

Procedure:

- Boil squid with salt and pepper.

- Mix all ingredients with balsamic vinegar.

- Arrange the salad nicely in the crostini bread basket. Place shrimp and twisted American lemon on top.

- Serves 1

****

Shrimp Tempura

Ingredients:

80 gms Frozen Shrimp (with tail)

250 gms. Tempura Batter

1 L Cooking Oil

3 gms. Nori Sheet

30 gms. Takuan

80 gms. Japanese Rice

40 gms. Wasabi

30 gms. Pickled Ginger

40 ml Teriyaki Sauce

Procedure:

- Coat shrimp in tempura batter. Fry until golden brown. Set aside.

- Arrange nicely on a plate with Japanese rice, Takuan, Wasabi, pickled ginger and Nori Sheet on top of Shrimp Tempura.

- Place Teriyaki sauce on the side or drizzle on top of Shrimp Tempura.