NORA DAZA is a true gem in the culinary world. She is a highly successful restaurateur, cookbook author and was the host of the popular TV shows At Home with Nora and Cooking It Up with Nora that ran for several years, helping make her a household name long before the advent of celebrity chefs who are now making their rounds on TV and the Internet.

Thus, it was more than fitting that the great lady was feted at a dinner tribute organized by the Philippines’ top culinary school, the Center for Culinary Arts (CCA) Manila, which was recently held at the C3 Events Place in Greenhills in San Juan. In honor of Daza, the students of CCA prepared a special menu composed of her favorites, such as French Onion Gratinee; Spinach and Cheese Soufflé with Caesar Salad; Daza’s signature Chateaubriand with Bearnaise Sauce Cabernet Sauvignon Reduction; Potato Duchesse and Vegetable Anglaise; and Almond Mousse with Valrhona Chocolate Crème.  In addition to the commemorative dishes, many touching messages were offered to Daza by her guests, including her children Bong and Sandy; Cely Corpuz of Cooking with Nora Batch ’65; Nancy Reyes Lumen of Cook Magazine and the BusinessMirror; and Michaela Macabenta of Food Magazine, to name a few.

Daza was the first to establish an authentic, fine-dining French restaurant in Manila, Au Bon Vivant, in 1965. Daza had always wanted to bring Filipino food abroad so in 1972, she opened Aux Iles Philippines (In the Philippine Islands) in Paris, which became one of the favorite restaurants of France’s crème de la crème, as well as one of the top three Asian restaurants in Paris, and was given a high rating of three forks in the French guides Gault-Millau and Guide Michelin.

The kitchen guru recalled that she once cooked escargot in coconut cream (ginataang kuhol) and served it at Aux Iles and although the French people ate snails as a delicacy, “it was the first time they tasted escargot prepared in that manner and they flipped for it,” she said.

Her success as an author of cookbooks, such as Lets Cook with Nora, A Culinary Life and Philippine Cuisine, inspired generations of Filipino chefs and cooks throughout the country. Daza continues to encourage the younger generation, as well as old “foodies,” to appreciate Filipino dishes through her books, which continue to be reprinted and sold in bookstores across the country.

Though exposed to the best of the world, Daza continues to raise the bar of Philippine cuisine, re-imagining simple Filipino dishes such as chicken relleno, adobo, lumpia, chicken binakol, etc., and elevating these to world standards. Even then, Daza always has the simple Filipino housewife in mind by making sure that the recipes she presents in her books are not only easy to do but tasteful as well.

Daza obtained her Bachelor of Science in Home Economics from the University of the Philippines in 1952. She then attended Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, from 1955 to 1956, earning a Master of Science major in Restaurant and Institution Management. Daza was awarded by Cornell her membership to the Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society. She has held positions in different associations and organizations. She also headed the Manila Gas Cooking School and started writing her own cookbooks. Daza has also written for several newspapers and magazines.

She was also very active in the social scene having headed or been part of various socio-civic organizations, such as the Philippine Association of Nutrition, Hotel and Restaurant Association of the Philippines, Hotel and Tourist Industries of the Philippines, and Philippine Home Economists in Business, among others. Daza is a true lady who has dedicated her life in helping the Philippine cuisine reach out to the world.

Inside the cooking laboratory of CCA, a commemorative marker with a huge portrait of the culinary icon will be placed. It says: “This room is dedicated to the training of young men and women who shall uphold and promote Filipino Cuisine to the world. This dedication honors Ms. Nora Daza for her advocacy in promoting Filipino Cuisine in the international market and serving as a model and inspiration to fellow culinarians.”

“Nora Daza is an inspiration not just to homemakers but also to our students, our chef-instructors and culinarians today. She recently celebrated her 82nd birthday and the best way to recognize a renowned icon like her is for our school to pay tribute and honor her for all her contributions,” said Dr. Veritas F. Luna, managing director of CCA, Manila.

At the dinner tribute, Daza advised the CCA students: “When you cook, you need a good palate. Be creative, use your own judgment; you should create your own recipes and understand the dishes, the ingredients and what complements the food you make. Try having four to five recipes that you can call your own.”