Nomnomnom, Eat, Nomnomnom, Eat, Nomnomnom

SM Master Chefs‘ Cooking Marathon will run every week for three (3) months in different SM Hypermarket branches! In fact, it runs not once, but twice a week!

Happening from 3 to 5pm all Tuesdays and Thursdays from July to September,the cooking marathon will also host different well-known Chefs in the country today using products from the event sponsors.

Check out the schedule below for the listings of SM Hypermarket branches where the Cooking Marathon will be happening:

SM Master Chefs 2011 Cooking Marathon Schedule: (as of July 3, 2011. Schedule may change without prior notice)

Cooking Marathon

See you at the SM Master Chefs‘ Cooking Marathon! So, which SM Hypermarket is nearest you?

On its 10th anniversary, SM Hypermarket sets its sights on creating milestones with its SM Master Chefs 2011 program.

Together with 19 master brands, SM Hypermarket will enliven the culinary world’s insatiable hunger for innovation with the launch of the SM Master Chefs. It will be a composite event made up of three components:

• A Grand Cooking Demo & Cooking Marathons
• A Supersized Cook Off Series
• Kitchen Makeovers

The nineteen master brands are Knorr, Nestle All Purpose Cream, Unilever Food Solutions, Tabasco, Lee Kum Kee, Lady’s Choice, Maggi, Clara Ole, Kikkoman Soy Sauce, San Remo, McCormick, Bounty Fresh Chicken, CDO, Purefoods Tender Juicy Hotdog, Purefoods Star Hotdog, Magnolia Cheeze spread, Magnolia Purefresh, Magnolia All Purpose Cream and Magnolia Dari Crème. Each a familiar staple in today’s Filipino kitchen who joins SM Hypermarket to feed the culinary world’s insatiable hunger for innovation.

Cooking Marathon

From July to September, every week in three months, SM Master Chefs will conduct a marathon of cooking demos that will tour SM Hypermarket branches all over the nation, showcasing innovations in culinary products and cooking aids.

More than just a source of entertainment for the onlookers, the Cooking Demos will also be a venue of culinary discovery for people who are passionate about cooking.

SM Hypermarket

Supersized Cook Off

Furthermore, a Supersized Cook Off series will also tour selected branches in the country by October.

We’ll go around the country like SM Hypermarket in Cubao, Batangas, Pampanga, and Cebu, among others!

Kitchen Makeover

Lastly, the Kitchen Makeover will be more hands on with the kiychens of five lucky SM Hypermarket customers who will get their kitchen upgraded by soome of the best interior designers in the country for free!

Their kitchens will be redesigned and furnished in partnership with established designers from the Philippine School of Interior Design (PSID).

Exciting times ahead indeed! Schedules for the Cooking Marathons, Supesized Cook Off Series, and mechanics for the Kitchen Makeovers will be announced soon!

SM Master Chefs

It’s going to be a hyper season with SM Hypermarket so watch out this coming July until October at your favorite SM Hypermarket brances!

Remember the “However-You-Want-It Frappuccino Blended Beverage” article two months ago which showed ways to create blended beverages with a variety of syrups, toppings and intensities? Well, here’s some newer flavors Starbucks came up with which will be offered starting tomorrow, June 28!

Black Sesame Green Tea Cream Frappuccino

Introducing the new Black Sesame Green Tea Cream Frappuccino and Soy Strawberries and Cream Frappuccino blended beverages!

The Black Sesame Green Tea Cream Frappuccino blended beverage is a mix of  “matcha powder and black sesame powder, blended with ice and topped with whipped cream and black sesame seeds” while Soy Strawberries and Cream Frappucino is made with “soy milk blended with ice, infused with strawberry sauce and topped with whipped cream.”

Want to create something uniquely yours? Here’s how to create your however you want it Frappuccino blended beverages:

Request any milk:

• Nonfat, whole or soy

Choose the coffee intensity:

• Regular, double, triple, decaf

Or choose “cream” for a coffee-free beverage:

• Strawberries & Cream
• Vanilla Cream
• Caramel Cream
• Chocolate Cream
• Chai Cream
• Green Tea Cream
• Chocolate Chip Cream

Soy Strawberries and Cream Frappuccino

Select your syrup or blend of syrups:

• Mocha
• White Mocha
• Mint
• Raspberry
• Vanilla
• Caramel
• Hazelnut
• Classic
• Sugar-free Vanilla

Choose whipped cream, light on the whip or no whip

• Add a topping:
• Mocha drizzle
• Caramel drizzle

I’ve tried and I’ve discovered that I’m lousy at experimenting with my Starbucks concoctions so I guess I’ll settle with trying out the new Starbucks Black Sesame Green Tea Cream Frappuccino and Soy Strawberries and Cream Frappuccino blended beverages first! 😛

MAFBEX Registration / Entrance Ticket Fee

I think my window shopping skills in large scale food business-related exhibits and expositions like the recent MAFBEX has already matured.

Before, it used to take me several hours as I visit each one of them.

Nnow, it’s down to two hours include watching whatever show or seminar that is going on during my visit; in this case – Flair Cup 2011.

MAFBEX's Flair Cup 2011

Flair Cup is a flairing competition among students of competing colleges and universities which usually offer HRM-related courses.

Here are photos of other exhibitors which I found is of interest.

Coke - Shakey's Bus

Yummy Magazine and Enderun in MAFBEX 2011

There were also international booths including USA, Korea, Europe, and others.

International Booths in MAFBEX - USA, Europe, Kore, et al

GONegosyo Booth

Of the foods that I have bought and tasted, it was the Korean Egg Cake which hit the mark. It’s very similar to French Toast but the egg is ‘cooked’ on top of the bread using a special machine similar to one used in making Japanese cakes.

Korean Egg Cake

Lambanog in Attractive Bottles!

There was also the P10 Halo-halo which is obviously a gave-away. This was a good marketing strategy by the merchant who sells halo-halo ingredients so he can have the people taste her products without the freeloaders. 😛

‘Til next year’s MAFBEX!

It’s Dad’s turn! After Mother’s Day last month, wives, children, and families are thinking of places this weekend where to spend time with their Dads on Father’s Day!

Aside from home, you may choose to catch the special offers by these restaurants specially for Father’s Day:

Corniche (in Diamond Hotel)

Corniche in Diamond Hotel will serve a Father’s Day special buffet called “Celebration of Filipino Flavors” by Chefs Roland and Jackie Laudico of Bistro Filipino at P1,588 net per person or P1,888 with unlimited beer, house wine or any standard drink of your choice.

22 Prime

Father’s Day brunch at 22 Prime will be a feast on cold appetizers, salads and soups, entrees, and Prime Rib Carving at P1,295+ per person, available from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Dads get special souvenir items like men’s fragrances from Hayden Paris Fragrances, gifts, products from Belo For Men, and selected men’s wear from Gold Toe.

Café d’Asie (The Bellevue Hotel)

Marriott Café (Marriott Hotel Manila)

Brunch or dinner seafood buffet with Asian and Western favorites, fresh seafood, carving station, and desserts at P2,000 net per person.

Dine at Marriott Café, Cru Steakhouse or The Lounge on Father’s Day and get a chance to take home a mini cooper and drive it to anywhere for three days.

 

Bizu Chocolate Cigars

Astralis (by Diamond Hotel)

Astralis in Power Plant Mall offers brunch buffet for P758 net per person featuring one signature dish plus salad and dessert buffets.

Dine in a group of 5 and Dad dines for free plus a surprise giveaway!

Bizu Chess Cake

Bizu Patisserie

Get free items upon purchase of Sugar-free Chocolate Cigars and Checkmate Cake in Bizu. The former is a premium handmade gourmet chocolate cigars made with sugar-free milk chocolate and croquantine wafers in a piano finished cigar box. The latter are made of layers of Almond Dacquoise, Italian Gianduja Ganache, Feulletine Wafer and Lime White Chocolate Mousseline.

Serye’s Cafe

Free gift for Dad when you dine in. You can also get a special Serye mug & Barako Coffee with P2,500 purchase

CAV

Free set menu for dads with a reservation for 6 or more persons in CAV.

Father's Day at CAV

Agave Mexican Cantina

Get a chance to win a free dinner for two or a bottle of wine in Agave Mexican Cantina. Father’s Day coloring pages for kids will also be given away.

Café d’Asie (The Bellevue Hotel)

Fathers get special gifts (Men’s Health and Top Gear magazines) from The Bellevue Hotel and Summit Media

What a huge set of choices, and there are more as restaurants take the opportunity in this family affair. Happy Father’s Day to your Dad wherever he may be!

Figaro has always strike me as the coffee shop where you can have something more than coffee – a full meal, in fact. A place where one can more than just hang out and actually fill a hungry stomach.

Filipino coffee shop Figaro unveils a new concept in its line of meals – the ‘Spoon Meals.’ In particular, the first two meals they introduced are the Chicken A La King and Chicken Thyme.

The Chicken Ala King is the Chicken Ala King we are used to. Diced marinated chicken is spread in special creamy sauce with vegetables and buttered corn and carrots. It’s the classic creamy combination of chicken, peppers and mushrooms served with steamed rice and your choice of iced or brewed coffee or iced tea to complete the meal.

Figaro Coffee's Chicken Thyme

Figaro Spoon Meals

The Chicken Thyme is a 4-piece deep fried coated chicken fillet poured with creamy cheese sauce all-over.

It is served with buttered corn and carrots as side dish and steamed rice, plus your choice of beverage (iced or brewed coffee or iced tea).

I got to try both a few weeks ago and it was satisfactory. Both set meal priced at P215, I just think the price point should be pegged at not more than P200.

Check out Figaro‘s official website at http://www.figarocoffee.com/ and Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/figarocoffeecompany. It’s your turn to try Figaro’s Chicken ‘Spoon Meals.’

MAFBEX 2011 will take you around the world in 5 days with one of the biggest showcase of the year at World Trade Center Manila (WTC) this June 15-19, 2011 10am to 8pm.

Organized by Worldbex, it follows the success of the Manila Food and Beverage Exposition 2010. MAFBEX 2011 offers to take every foodie’s palate around the world  through a 5-day food fest while drawing in all sectors of the food and beverage industry.

It will feature a diverse array of food and beverage products and categories, innovative technologies, latest supplies, original and competitive services, and modern formulations from all over the globe. Get to explore the different tastes the Chefs of the World parade have to offer and the diverse showcases at the International Pavilion while standing to benefit ABS-CBN Foundation Inc.

“MAFBEX is committed to impart a comprehensive access to excellent food and beverage products, events, newsworthy information as we showcase a host of food services and products from every corner of the world,” Mr. Joseph Ang, WSI Founding Chairman says.

Aside from its varied list of cooking demos, MAFBEX also has free seminars for food enthusiasts, culinary students and professionals.

These educational sessions include the following:

• ON NEWS WORTHY INFO / HEALTH:
o Mananging Diabetes Nekkutus through Diet
o Updates on Philippine Food Safety Framework
o You Are What You Eat – a walk through on the effects of foods to health
o Dietary Management for Cardiovascular Disease

• ON BUSINESS:
o Eventology 101: Basic Event Management

Controlling Buffet Cost
How to start your own Beverages Catering Business
Branding 101: How to make your product standout in the market
Handling Guest Complaints
Basic Rules for Selling: Finding Success in Sales
Unstoppable Sales: The Need for Growing Profits in Events

• ON HOW TOs:
o Competitive Baking and Pastry
o Kitchen Chemistry: A Peek into Modernist Cuisine
o Junkfood Substitute
o Cruisin’ 101
o Food Styling
o Italian 101
o Cooking with your five senses

NAFBEX 2011 - Manila Food And Beverage Exposition

There are also interschool competitions co-organized by De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde School of Hotel Restaurant and Institution Management (SHRIM). Moreover, there is also the Flair Cup 2011 and MAFBEX Singing Idol where MAFBEX features the Young Hoteliers Exposition (YHE).

Now on its 5th year, MAFBEX aims to serve as an avenue for food enthusiasts and  small to large-scale food businesses. For more event information, you can visit www.worldbex.com or contact Worldbex Services International at (632) 531-6350/ 74; (632) 534- 1334; (632) 534- 3615.

With about 400 booths of both foreign and local exhibitors on the show floor, MAFBEX 2011 be one of the biggest and most awaited food show of the year.

Yes, it’s back! Max’s Restaurant Chicken All You Can will again fulfill its clients’ long-time wish to have the unlimited Chicken Offering “Chicken All You Can” promo again in all of its Max’s restaurant branches nationwide.

Max's Fried Chicken

Duration

Starting June 10, 2011, an unlimited home-cooked style Max’s fried chicken will be served from 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm daily until July 10, 2011.

Max’s Chicken lovers should work up their biggest appetite starting today.

Package and Price

Packaged with a glass of Pepsi soda this time, Max’s Restaurant customers can bite into their favorite Max’s fried chicken for P199. You can also upgrade to a bottomless drink for an additional P28.

More to Expect

As part of drumming up its marketing, diners can also watch out for a performance by Max’s employees every 6:00 pm daily to signal the start of the promo.

Max's Chicken All You Can

Bonus Coupons

Max’s is also giving away free P 20 money coupons for every P200 spent during the Chicken-All-You-Can promotion. A maximum of three accumulated coupons per transaction may be used to “purchase” any Max’s products within a year after issuance. You can use this coupons after July 10, 2011.

First Dibs

Food bloggers were invited last night in the Max’s Restaurant Chicken All You Can launch. I was able to consume 4 quarter chicken, or basically a whole chicken. Gulp, that’s out little secret, ok. Here’s the proof from my three other tablemates. 😛

Max's Restaurant Chicken All You Can bone leftovers

Check out more details at their website http://www.maxschicken.com/ and Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/maxsrestaurant .

Currently holding the record for the biggest eat-all-you-can promotion ever launched by a single fast-casual dining restaurant in the Philippines, you can expect a beeline at all Max’s Restaurant for this Max’s Chicken All You Can promo this coming Friday.