Northmin Food & Wine Festival
By Tito Mike
On March 20, we were most fortunate to have a first hand experience of the Mother-Daughter Four Hands Degustation by Chef Candy Lu and Chef Chloe Lu at Candy’s Café and Restaurant at Ayala Centrio Garden.
Their Four Hands Degustation was one of the kick-off events of the maiden edition of the Normin Food and Wine Festival organized by Professional Organizers Unlimited Inc. from March 20 to 27 at various venues around Cagayan de Oro City.
Inspired by the Cebu Food and Wine Festival, the eight-day gathering aims to highlight the region’s food culture through collaborations, tastings and dining experiences featuring local and visiting chefs.
The festival coincides with Ayala Malls Centrio’s annual Big Bite Festival, which showcases micro, small and medium enterprise (MSME) food entrepreneurs. Organizers said the parallel events are designed to offer a broader look at Northern Mindanao’s culinary landscape, from grassroots producers to established chefs.
Among the highlights are a series of “four-hands” dining collaborations with the Mother-Daughter Four Hands Degustation by Chef Candy Lu and Chef Chloe Lu on March 20 and 21 at Candy’s Café and Restaurant at Ayala Centrio Garden. Both chefs hold Grand Diplôme credentials in pâtisserie and cuisine from Le Cordon Bleu Paris and Le Cordon Bleu London.
“They asked us if we’re interested to join the Grand Tasting on March 25 at Tres Marias’ in Chali Resort with twelve other chefs from Northern Mindanao. I said why don’t we do a Four Hands as well. And that’s how it came about,” Candy said.
A Four-Hands Degustation is an exclusive culinary collaboration where two chefs (often with different backgrounds, specialties, or from different restaurants) join up to create a one-off menu, showcasing their signature styles in a collaborative setting.
“We’ve been wanting to do this mother-daughter venture since last year. We came up with that idea a few months ago because it’s not easy. We subdivided the dishes so they don’t clash but rather complement each other. We do a lot of tasting, a lot of kitchen together to come up with the idea for the final dish. These ideas we get sometimes through our travels, we incorporate everything.”
For example the Pistache et trois Fromages (Pistachio with Three Cheese Pasta) was a dish created by Chloe while the main course Canard et fruits (Duck with Fruits) was created by Candy.
“We prepared the ingredients weeks ahead since it’s not easy to source some ingredients locally. Like, even the herbs on the table are carefully choreographed so they are not mere herbs, but rather herbs that we use for the menu that we prepared.”
“Cooking’s a huge part of who I am – it’s where I get creative and bring my own dishes to life. I am also thrilled to share this passion with my daughter, who shares my enthusiasm for the culinary arts, and together we are forging lasting memories and potentially making history in the kitchen,” Candy said of their joint experience.
“I’ve personally been wanting to do a degustation menu, and having this opportunity to collaborate with my mom is an extraordinary experience,” Chloe shared. “My passion for culinary made the preparation process rewarding, despite the challenges we faced. It was really a roller coaster but I truly enjoyed the thrill of doing it. I’m happy we got to show and serve our creativity through the degustation.”
For a quick tour of their five course French dinner, we sought the opinion of Dr Maxine Monasterio-Mejia, one of our foremost event hosts and digital influencers, who was seated next to us.
For beginners, we were served brown bread with honey butter and amuse bouche, a savory choux with chives and garlic infused cheese (Yay! I told Chloe she should make this a regular item in her shops, it tastes wonderful!)
“The honey brown bread had a comforting malty sweetness paired with light and airy butter which melted right into the bread, while the amuse bouche was a flavor bomb: sharp rich filling balanced by its buttery shell, a great way to kick off a meal!” opined Doc Maxine.
But the serious starters began rolling out with LÉGUMES VERT (mixed greens, mulberry vinaigrette, mulberries, pine nuts, caramelized sweet potato, feta cheese, cranberries) followed by POMME DE TERRE (potato pavé , garlic & chives cream, grilled bell pepper, boquerones,).
“The balance of salty, sweet, and zesty did it for me,” Doc Maxine enthused over the former. “Probably my favorite dish of the night, and we were just getting started!”
Thin layers of potato slices with crispy edges and a soft center paired with the acidity and ocean flavor of boquerones and smoky grilled pepper reminds me of Spanish tapas,” she noted on the latter.
Boquerones are white anchovy fillets marinated in vinegar, olive oil, and garlic. They’re a classic Spanish tapa known for their fresh, tangy flavor and soft texture.
After a bit, PISTACHE ET TROIS FROMAGES (hand-rolled pasta filled with three types of cheese and walnuts, pistachio cream sauce, pistachio nuts, pancetta crisps) started off the Mains and Doc Maxine commented, “Silky, nutty, and indulgent! Perfectly al dente with an added crunch from the toasted pancetta and pistachio nuts.”
And then the pièce de resistance of Candy’s glorious CANARD ET FRUITS (duck confit, reduced red wine infused with orange, pear and mulberries, cauliflower) took center stage. Such a beautiful work of art in the presentation and the taste was even better!
A reduction is a culinary technique of simmering or boiling a liquid (sauces, stocks, wine, or juices) to evaporate water content, resulting in a thicker, concentrated, and more intense-flavored sauce. It is used to enhance flavor, create luxurious textures, and develop glazes, typically by boiling until the volume is reduced by half or more. Candy reduced port infused with orange which required a six hour reduction but it was well worth it!
“A Heavy Hitter!” Doc Maxine exclaimed. “The duck literally falls off the bone and melts in your mouth. The wine and fruits give it a citrusy zing and the cauliflower adds a nutty crunch. Definitely made sure I got all the elements in every bite!”
And definitely not the least, for dessert, they served MANGUE (mango, caramel cream, mixed berries, dacquoise, almond crumble) which I was enjoying so much that I forgot I was watching my sugar levels!
“A tropical delight!” Doc Maxine declared. Light, sandy, and buttery. A great way to end a night filled with a lot of Mmmmmmms!”
I just had plain water to wash my mouth after every course so I could do proper justice to each individual dish of such a glorious meal, but my wife Gardy had the Mixed Berries Smash mocktail (with lychee and raspberry sans the gin) while Maxine’s hubby Daniel had the sinfully named P
RNSTAR MARTINI with passion fruit and vodka.
Normin Wine & Food Festival
Aside from the Mother-Daughter Four Hands Degustation by Chefs Candy and Chloe Lu, two other Four Hands Degustations followed: March 24 with chef and restaurateur Myke “Tatung” Sarthou with VIP Hotel head chef Isidro “Titing” Sobriano for a dinner buffet at the hotel’s Casa Real Ballroom, and on March 27 at H Proper Coffee Roasters with chef Miguel Cabel Moreno and executive chef Chino Mempin for a six-course menu focused on Mindanaoan cuisine.
The Grand Tasting on March 25 at Tres Marias’ in Chali Resort will feature participating chefs from local restaurants and food businesses such as Chali Resort and Conference Center, Ribs & Bibs, Balay Kagayan, Ricardo’s by Cucina Higala, VIP Hotel, Candy’s Café and Restaurant, Khanasutra Indian Cuisine, Demetrio’s Pizzeria and Kumaykay River Farms. Chefs Sarthou and Moreno will also share insights on their careers and experiences in the restaurant industry during this event.
Organizers said the festival seeks to position Northern Mindanao as an emerging food destination while fostering collaboration within the local culinary community.
