Event Geek

A truly pinoy Christmas is never complete until you've walked home on a frigid morning after dawn mass and stopped to sample a warm bibingka from a small stall by the road. Naturally, with Christmas being so close, SM Hypermarket chooses to cap their quarter-long Master Chefs extravaganza with a celebration of one of the most iconic of holiday treats, the bibingka. And where better to do it than in the home of the biggest `ibingka in the world, Mandaue City, Cebu.

SM Hypermarket: 10 Years of Food celebrates through activities and events paying tribute to its customers. The newly opened SM Hypermarket in Cebu City created milestones by organizing the SM Master Chefs program where sponsoring brands co-implement the program which is made up of three components: a grand cooking demo, kitchen makeovers and a set of cook-offs that are set to make foodie history.

From July to September, every week in three months, SM Master Chefs will conduct a marathon of cooking demos that will tour all SM Hypermarket branches all over the country, showcasing innovations in culinary products and cooking aids. Not only will these demos serve as a source of entertainment for the onlookers, but also as a venue of culinary discovery for people who are passionate about cooking.

Alongside SM Master Chefs Cooking Marathon, two other monumental events will take place. One is the Kitchen Makeover, where five lucky shoppers will get the chance to have their kitchen redesigned and furnished. This project will be done in partnership with established designers from the Philippine School of Interior Design (PSID).

Last but not the least, SM Hypermarket will also launch a series of Supersized Cook-off events set to make culinary records. Set in five different locations, each cook off will feature a regional dish and will be undertaken with the help of the local government units and the community.

SM Hypermarket seeks to unite diverse sects of foodies, chefs and onlookers as the store that has it all brings the message of attainable culinary excellence to every corner of the country.

THE owners the San Remigio Beach Club Sports and Leisure Resort and San RemigioPensionne Suites expressed optimism on Metro Cebu’s domestic and tourism market as they launched Café Gloria last Saturday.

Mark Anthony Ynoc, general manager of the three sister companies, said Café Gloria is designed to be a destination for Cebuanos and tourists who prefer fusion of local and international cuisine in their quest for a distinct “taste-perience.”

The success of San Remigio Beach Club Sports and Leisure Resort in San Remigio town and the San Remigio Pension Suites in Mabolo, Cebu City, rested on the strong local market and the huge tourist population in Cebu, he said.

“We are eyeing not only the big Korean population in Cebu, but also the return of the Japanese tourists, the emerging Russian tourists and the expats. This fun place is also something Cebuanos and visiting Filipinos would enjoy,” he said.

Located at the Roof Deck of San Remigio Pensionne Suites, Mr. Ynoc said Café Gloria provides locals and visitors alike with both a fun place for the gang and a romantic hideaway for love birds rolled into one.

“At Café Gloria, lovers and those who just want a place to chill out have a view of Metro Cebu’s harbor area and SM City as well as the Cebu Business Park. Those who want to sing privately can do so in our two karaoke rooms. We have live entertainment for guests who prefer to listen to great music or even dance,” said Ynoc.

Meet Poh Ling Yeow, artist ingénue and now TV personality chef with a passion for unique, experimental flavours that taste great! Join Poh and her chef friends on TLC’s brand new series POH’S KITCHEN as she whips up original recipes, and explores the culture and tradition behind some of the world's favourite dishes. Poh also embarks on a journey to discover her Malaysian roots, tracing her family ties and sharing time-honoured family cooking secrets. POH’S KITCHEN premieres every Monday at 1900 hrs (7:00 pm SIN/HK). Encores the following Mondays at 1300 hrs (1:00 pm SIN/HK).

Poh Ling Yeow was born in Malaysia and she spent much of her childhood in Kuala Lumpur. Her family then migrated to South Australia, where she now lives and works.

For Poh, cooking is all about nurturing and sharing, and she loves inviting friends into her kitchen to play, experiment, and help her refine her unique cooking style. Catch the enigmatic Poh as she injects a personal twist into some of the world’s most popular dishes, and exchanges recipes and tips with famous chefs such as Neil Perry, David Thompson, and Emmanuel Mollois.

Poh has always sought to explore notions of belonging and origin, and her interest in cooking sparked her desire to reconcile her heritage with her Western identity. Later in the series, Poh heads off overseas - to Malaysia on a three week trip to find out more about her lineage and the traditional dishes that come from Malaysia.

With a pinch of curiosity, a splash of audacity, and a whole lot of laughter on the side, step into POH’S KITCHEN and awaken your tastebuds to a plethora of flavours and ideas.

About POH LING YEOW:

Poh Ling Yeow was born in Malaysia in 1973, spending the first nine years of her life in Kuala Lumpur. Her family then migrated to South Australia where she now lives and works. After completing a Bachelor of Design specialising in illustration at the University of South Australia, Poh freelanced as a graphic designer and illustrator and then began painting full-time in 2002. She now has over 20 highly successful exhibitions under her belt including nine solos, and a client list that boasts major corporate collectors.

Just as Poh's art explores notions of belonging and origin, so do her intentions with food. As a fifth-generation Chinese Malaysian, Poh's interest in cooking began as an attempt at reconciling this heritage with her Western identity.

“Desperately wanting to assimilate as a child migrant, I shed everything that made me feel different in my new country. In my 30s I suddenly realised that food is the vehicle that can help me keep in touch with my past, the history of my ancestors. It is a way I can still bond with the generations before me, even with the loss of traditional values and language.”

In the last two years, Poh found her interest in food intensifying to a point where she could no longer deny she wanted to pursue it as a career. So when a friend suggested she enter MasterChef, she saw a rare window of opportunity. Always thinking outside the square with her artistic sensibilities and paying homage to the traditional cooking she grew up with, Poh secured herself a position in the finale, placing as runner-up.

It was during the final weeks of MasterChef on air that she was approached with an offer to present her own show, now known as POH’S KITCHEN.