Belmont Hotel Manila spotlights Batangas cuisine with 2 new dishes

MANILA — Belmont Hotel Manila is highlighting the culinary traditions of Batangas with two Filipino-inspired dishes created by chefs Grant Zuniga and Aaron Valeroso as part of its 11th anniversary celebration.

The dishes, offered under the hotel’s PAMANA: Taal, Reimagined culinary collaboration, combine regional ingredients with contemporary cooking techniques. They are available at Café Belmont until December 31 for P1,200 each.

The menu features Sinigang Risotto with Grilled Maliputo, which combines the tangy flavors of sinigang with the creamy texture of Italian risotto. Grilled maliputo, a fish associated with Taal Lake, adds a smoky, savory flavor.

The second dish, Adobo sa Dilaw Chicken Confit, takes inspiration from a Batangueño specialty made with luyang dilaw, or turmeric. Coconut milk, locally known as gata, adds richness to the dish, while the chicken is slow-cooked in fat using the French confit technique to achieve a tender texture.

The two dishes offer contemporary interpretations of regional Filipino cuisine while drawing on Batangas’ culinary traditions.

PAMANA, which means heritage or inheritance, is Belmont Hotel Manila’s program celebrating Filipino cuisine and the people who preserve its traditions. Through collaborations with local culinary talents, the program aims to introduce regional specialties to a wider audience.

“Through PAMANA, we want to share the richness of Filipino cuisine with our guests and introduce them to the stories and traditions behind every dish. Working with Filipino chefs also allows us to celebrate their creativity and show how familiar flavors can be presented in new ways while remaining connected to their roots,” said Mayann Malapote, hotel manager of Belmont Hotel Manila.

Zuniga and Valeroso began their culinary business during the pandemic with an online kitchen, which eventually grew into a restaurant venture in Lipa, Batangas.

Both chefs studied in Italy. Zuniga later gained experience working at hotels and award-winning restaurants in the United States, while Valeroso worked at five-star hotels in the Philippines.

For the Taal, Reimagined collaboration, the chefs draw on Batangas’ culinary traditions and their respective experiences to reinterpret familiar Filipino dishes.