International Chefs Day Dinner - A Recap

On October 28, the LTB Philippines gathered at Kusina Sea Kitchens in Hilton Manila Newport World Resorts for our International Chefs Day celebration. This wasn't just another formal dinner, it was a genuine tribute to Filipino farmers and the ingredients they grow.

The guests arrived to a grazing table with Filipino-inspired charcuterie, which set the tone of the evening. Chef Margarita Marty served as the hostess of the program and introduced LTB Philippines President Chef JA Ventura to deliver the opening remarks. Chef JA highlighted the origins and importance of International Chefs Day for Filipino culinary professionals. He then gave a toast to all the chefs in recognition of their hardwork and dedication to the profession. He also honored two of our tireless and dedicated suppliers with plaques to symbolize our immense gratitude for their years of service and partnership. These suppliers were Hightower, Inc., represented by Princess Ann Garcia, and MIDA Food Distributor, represented by Mildred Damole.

Chef JA then introduced Chef Lord Carlo Bayaban, Executive Chef at Hilton Manila, who discussed sustainability, seasonality, and the importance of partnering and helping our Benguet Province farmers.

A group photo of all the professional members in chefs jackets followed, before the dinner service began.

Chef Lord’s menu reflected his straightforward approach: work with local farmers and use what's actually in season. The meal opened with Mankayan arugula salad featuring Benguet heirloom tomatoes, followed by Benguet rice with pani-puri pork sisig as the hot appetizer. Pan-seared Norwegian salmon came next, then tamarind sour soup with fresh pandesal. The main course paired Australian Black Angus tenderloin with herb-roasted root vegetables and subtle adobo sauce. Dessert deconstructed the traditional ginataang bilo-bilo, showing how Filipino dishes can adapt without losing their identity.

By evening's end, guests left with renewed appreciation for the farmers whose names we rarely know but whose work makes everything possible. That's what "Ani" was really about: not just the harvest, but the people behind it and the chefs who know enough to let good ingredients be good ingredients.