Dusit Thani Mactan explores new sets of Benjarong’s distinctive Thai dishes

 MACTAN, Cebu – Dusit Thani Mactan Cebu hosted the “Four Hands, Two Minds, One Flavor”- a wine pairing dinner of five sets of new dishes with two of Dusit Thani's distinguished Thai chefs, Chef Ja and Chef Than from Benjarong Manila for that special dinner for some social media influencers and bloggers on February 24 tasting the new special authentic Thai menu for pre-arranged formal dinner at Benjarong Mactan.

Dusit Thani Mactan general manager Michael Kempf said, Benjarong has been the top restaurant in NCR, in Mactan and in the Philippines for some consecutive years and it is the only restaurant serving authentic Thai cuisine.

Chef Ravi, the hotel’s executive chef bared that he has been the hotel’s chef for 16 years and it is his passion to always be creative in the kitchen, explore local materials by supporting local produce.

“I go to the local market early morning to get the fleshiest fish, greens, herbs and all other ingredients I need at the kitchen.  I’d like to explore local materials which are really at par with the hotel’s quality standards.  We are now exploring new Asian cuisine, authentic Thai, which is the signature cuisine of Dusit Thani,” Chef Ravi shared with this writer.

 Myla Muhammad, director of sales and marketing calls on foodies and everyone to begin a gastronomic journey with Benjarong's distinctive dishes, complemented by a wine combination that is carefully selected. Dinner is at Php 5,000+ + per person, only at Dusit Thani Mactan.

So, we begin our gastronomic fill of new created menu and wine pairing with the newly-selected Thai dishes brought to the table by Chef Ja and Chef Than.  Here are the five arrays of dishes for the “Four Hands, Two Minds, One Flavor” dinner only at Dusit Thani Mactan. The new sets of menu will be launched soon, according to Myla.

 

Appetizer 1: Homemade chicken dumpling mixed with blue ternate flower, glutinous rice and strips of chicken. 

Appetizer 2: Yum Nuea Yang by Chef Than. Wagyu beef salad, Garlic Chili Lime Sauce paired with Mulderbosch Rose Sparkling Wine. 

Soup: Tom yum Pu Ma Prao On by Chef Ja. Shrimp and Crab balls, Tom yum coconut Crab Broth, in coconut shell paired with Alkoom Riesling wine from Australia.

3.    Main Dish: (a) Goong Maung Kron Tord Ka Tiem Prink Tai by Chef Than. Crispy Fried Lobster, garlic, Black Pepper paired with Trinity Hill Chardonnay wine.

4.    Main Dish: (b) Panaeng See Krong Kae by Chef Ja.  Rack of Lamb, Red Curry, Kaffir Lime, Coconut, Rice noodles, Basil Wine paired with Te Mata Gamay wine from from New Zealand Vintage 2021.

5.    Dessert/Mixed Dessert: Khanom Tom Coconut dumpling, Khanom Touy or coconut pudding, Khao Niew Mamuang or Mango/Sticky Rice paired with Deakin Moscato wine from Australia.

It was indeed a dinner to remember with the hotel’s chefs and officials, media friends and with the happy faces serving the group as each dish is introduced and ushered in to the table!

 

 

 

CCCI inducts 14 new members, signs MOA with PICPA, CONPC for future projects

CEBU CITY – The Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI) inducted 14 new members to the fold bringing its total membership to 930 as of February 23, during the Chamber’s General Membership Meeting (GMM), induction of new members and signing of memorandum of agreement (MOA) with the PICPA and with the Cebu Online News Press Corps (CONPC) for the Chamber’s future projects, on February 23 at the Mediterranean Room, Waterfront Cebu.

“The Road to 1000”, Melanie Ng, director, Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) who inducted the new members, posed this challenge to CCCI to recruit more members to the Chamber.

CCCI president, Kenneth Co bared that membership to CCCI are mostly micro and small enterprises with 534, medium business at 200 and 182 for large business groups.  With the addition of 14 new members, that brings its total membership to 930.

“As a Chamber, we would like to be relevant to the business community and to nation building,” Co said as he welcome Ng’s challenge to “Road to 1000” and began his report on the Chamber’s various activities to help and support the various concerns and causes of the business sector in Cebu.

Co highlighted the Chamber’s forums that tackled on the Fire Code of the Philippines, the Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA) and its urgent appeal with other Chambers like the Cebu Filipino-Chinese Chamber (CFCC) and the Philippine Retailers Association (PRA) on the modernization of Cebu City’s Carbon District, among other things.

Chamber signs MOA with PICPA and CONPC

In the same event, CCCI also signed memorandum of agreement (MOA) with the Philippine Institute of Certified Public Accountants (PICPA)-Cebu Chapter for a more transparent and efficient business transactions among its members especially in capacitating business owners and bookkeepers in the tax and accounting procedures not only for compliance but also for good business practice.

To strengthen this joint venture, the Chamber has inked an agreement with PICPA Cebu Chapter to vitally collaborate in re-opening the ‘Tax and Accounting Business Cliniquing Program’.

Another MOA was signed between the CCCI led by its President Charles Kenneth Co and CONPC represented by its Founder Robby Mongaya Alugar for the project “ENTREPRENEUR OF THE DAY” and to promote responsible use of both social media and traditional media through the sharing of accurate information, CONPC being CCCI’s partner in communicating its various advocacies and activities.

The Project “ENTREPRENEUR OF THE DAY” starts in April 2023 where one Chamber member per day is featured from Monday to Friday.  The MOA also states that the Cebu Online News Press Corps, through its members, will disseminate Chamber-related articles such as but not limited to Press Releases, Trainings, Projects and advocacy initiatives through all their media platforms.

CCCI recognizes the value of fostering strong business and social relationships in order to enhance the overall interest of Cebu particularly the Cebu Chamber and its members through this partnership agreement with the CONPC.

By embracing digitalization through an aggrupation of social and traditional media practitioners, CCCI aims to provide an effective and efficient way of promoting its members and the Chamber and its interests as a whole.

After the MOA signing, the new members of the Cebu Online News Press Corps (CONPC) was also inducted by CCCI President Charles Kenneth Co. CONPC aims to promote responsible use of both social media and traditional media through the sharing of accurate information and it envisions to provide only factual and verified information through social media, websites and the like.

Cebu Online News Press Corps Signature Video was also launched during the induction ceremony. As of press time, the organization has 46 members. (Photos: MBCNewman/CCCI)