SOFITEL Executive Chef Denis Vecchiato told me that a huge fortune was invested in Spiral and that no other property can compare to it in the Southeast Asian region.
I could not agree more. I still remember how our family was overwhelmed during the breakfast buffet we had when we were billeted at the hotel earlier in the year to celebrate our daughter’s birthday.
It was a planned staycation, our first time checking in at Sofitel, after we managed to save a bit for our baby princess birthday.
During the breakfast, we really could not decide what to have first. There was so much food all around us. Deciding where to start then was tough. The wife and me were lost for words, while the kids felt like they were in fantasy land.
You have to understand that finding new dining places is one of the things that we enjoy doing as a family. While going to those fancy restaurants is out of reach, we have managed to at least taste food from hole-in-the-wall places to some of the more popular restos around.
Anyway, since then, I have been to Spiral a few more instances, and each time, I still get astounded by the gastronomic feast that is all around me.
Just consider these facts coming from Chef Denis. Spiral has 21 dining stations, including the cheese room. It offers Filipino, Korean, Thai, Japanese, Chinese, Indian, French and Italian cuisines. Every day, there are over 200 dishes to choose from. On a daily basis, over 1,000 individuals go there to fill up their hungry stomach.
Spiral has changed the eating habits of a lot of Filipinos, as it regularly introduced new dishes to the public.
Chef Denis cited as an example their huge cheese selection which then their diners never really appreciated. But over time, it has become one of the most popular stations in Spiral. Trust me here, beyond your cheeseburger and pasta, there is whole universe of pairings you can do with various cheeses that can completely satisfy your pallet.
The same case could be made with its Indian station which nobody then dared approach. But look at it now and you will see a large number of guests continuously filling their plates with food from that station.
Chef Denis said they are lucky enough that whatever dish they propose, their customers readily try, at least once.
But being the biggest and one of the most popular buffet destinations does not, in any way, make Sofitel complacent. In fact, Chef Denis said they value the competition offered by other hotels because it always keeps them on their toes.
One of the secrets that keep Sofitel and its Spiral ahead of the competition is the fact that they hold an exchange program among their chefs from different properties in the Asian region.
Think of it this way, while offices send their people for training or short-term duties in their offices abroad or educational institutions swapping students, Sofitel is exchanging chefs for customers in different locations in the region to taste something new and different.
The program that was started last year already saw a Korean and a Japanese chef taking time to prepare and introduce new dishes in Spiral.
At the same time, there were also Filipinos working in Spiral who also have worked their kitchen magic in Acor Properties in China and Malaysia. This meant guests in those properties were able to taste a few of the best Filipino dishes. I guess you can call them Philippine ambassadors for introducing Filipino food in the international scene.
The latest to arrive in Spiral is Vietnamese Chef Le Minh Quang, who will be cooking and introducing authentic Vietnamese dishes until November 16. That is another station to add in Spiral. It will carry at least 20 new dishes. Spiral just keeps growing and growing.
I personally had the chance to taste some of Chef Le’s creations, and if you are health conscious, these are the food you should be eating.
Arriving just 24 hours before I met him, Chef Le prepared four dishes, including fresh spring roll with prawn and herb; green mango salad with char grilled calamari; Vietnamese pancake with pork and prawn; and braised snapper in caly pot.
Chef Le, who, at that time, was clearly still trying to find his way around Spiral, then showed to a select group the actual process in creating the dishes he prepared.
They were, indeed, simple enough to make and I was thinking to myself at that time that I can do them at home. Their ingredients are easy enough to find in your regular wet market or grocery and are not hard on the pockets.
At the same time, what I loved about them is that the dishes uses a lot of greens and needs very limited oil to cook. For those who have been accustomed to meat and greasy food, this is a great alternative, especially if you want to start living a healthy lifestyle.
Chef Le finished a cooking course at the Da Nang City Vocational School of Tourism and Hotel. He specializes in carving fruits, and in cooking healthy dishes that have an assortment of spices and condiments.
He started his career at the Hoi An at Ba Loc Restaurant in 2008. Since then, he has taken his talent to the Aribank Resort, The Red Star Restaurant and Nam Hai Resort. Currently, he is working at the Hotel Royal Hoi An-MGallery Collection.
The wife has already dared me to recreate Chef Le’s creations at home. Hmmm. Well, challenge accepted. Here is to good and healthy dishes.
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Image credits: Rodel Alzona