FOR the longest time, Luigi Muhlach had to live under the shadows of his famous parents, Aga Muhlach and Janice de Belen. He was torn between following in the footsteps of his parents, with a showbiz career waiting in the wings for him had he wanted to be part of the entertainment world, and following the dictates of his own heart. But even this – the dictates of his own heart, that is – wasn’t so clear either. He was confused. He took up interior design, shifted to another course, and then, finally, decided to enroll in culinary school “just to finish a course right away.” He wasn’t too sold on it back then. But when he started working – and he worked for such well-known and prestigious restaurants as Tim Yap’s Robot, Le Souffle and Chef Jessie, and The Bellevue Manila – he realized how much he enjoyed working in the kitchen. He loved cooking so much that he even spent his break times playing with ingredients to come up with new, creative and delicious dishes.
Finally finding his passion, Chef Luigi Muhlach now comes into his own as a celebrity chef.
Now a family man and building his own name in the culinary industry, Chef Luigi is deservingly getting the big breaks that he needs, and one of the biggest breaks in his culinary career came this weekend with his Cook Out with Chef Luigi Muhlach hotel hopping series with The Bellevue Hotels & Resorts.
The series, which involves all three properties of The Bellevue Hotels & Resorts, began last Friday (May 17, 2013) with Cool Out with Chef Luigi Muhlach at Prime Café of B Hotel in Alabang, continued with Cook Out with Chef Luigi Muhlach at the Tower Poolside of The Bellevue Hotel Manila, also in Alabang, yesterday (Saturday, May 18, 2013), and culminates with Special Sunset with Chef Luigi Muhlach at The Beachfront of The Bellevue Resort in Bohol on June 21, 2013.
My husband Raff and I were at the Cook Out with Chef Luigi Muhlach at the Poolside of The Bellevue Hotel Manila’s posh Tower Wing, where we had lunch and dinner and a whole lot of fun conversation with publicist Suzette Morelos (of Jayelle’s Holdings) and The Bellevue’s very own Jehn Domingo. Also had a chat with Chef Luigi’s good friend Mark Salunga of High Fantasy Records, who put together the event concept and organized the whole Cook Out series for Chef Luigi and The Bellevue Hotels & Resorts.
The whole afternoon affair began with a lunch buffet spread of all-American and Mexican grill items. There was Nachos with all the works for appetizer, plus Fish & Chips, Seafood Kebabs, Buffalo Wings, Honey Oyster Chicken, Java Rice, Spinach and Cream Cheese Lasagna, Sweet Barbecue Ribs, Potato Salad and Grilled Corn on the buffet. Chef Luigi himself, with the chefs of The Bellevue Manila, slapped mini burgers on the grill and assembled Pulled Pork open sandwiches for guests, who also had unlimited drinks to go with their food. There was music, kiddie activities and swimming in the afternoon.
Members of Chef Luigi’s family trickled in, and towards the evening, his ever-supportive mom, Janice de Belen, herself a chef, arrived and joined Chef Luigi’s guests at the Poolside. She was clearly enjoying the dinner buffet, which was also prepared by Chef Luigi and the The Bellevue Manila’s kitchen team.
The main dishes, such as Seafood Kebabs, Fish & Chips, Honey Oyster Chicken, Sweet Barbecue Ribs, and Spinach and Cream Cheese Lasagna, were still on the buffet spread, with additional items such as Coleslaw Salad, mini pizzas and Mexican wraps. Drinks were still flowing, and there was live entertainment, plus gifts and raffle prizes for lucky diners.
Other showbiz personalities arrived to show support for Chef Luigi, including celebrity couple Oyo Boy Sotto and Kristine Hermosa and their two kids. Chef Luigi’s grandfather, Cheng Muhlach, also joined his grandson at the Poolside until the event was over. So with Chef Luigi’s aunts Arlene Muhlach and Liezl Martinez.
The Bellevue Hotels & Resorts’ chairman, Johnny Chan, also graced the event along with marketing and communications director Ryan Chan and The Bellevue Resort Bohol’s deputy GM Dustin Chan.
Two successful events of the three-part hotel-hopping series down. One to go in June.
