Tagaytay Food Festival 2025 Day 2: Unveiling The Food That Binds At The Fatted Calf x Restaurant Fiz Singapore Dinner Collaboration

The rich, diverse and multi-colored tapestry of Southeast Asian cuisine with distinct threads of culinary traditions paint a vivid palette of bold flavors that define the region in the global table. Yet behind all the complex blend of spices, aromatics and indigenous ingredients lies a subtle even nuanced and seemingly invisible weave that ties and links our unique culinary cultures in a much larger more complex quilt. This is the food that binds, masterfully executed with each exquisite course at The Fatted Calf x Restaurant Fiz collab...

Chefs JajJay Sycip and Rhea Castro Sycip of The Fatted Calf and Hafizzul Hashim of Singapore's Restaurant Fiz take us on a deep and immersive exploration with Malaysian and Filipino cuisine finding common threads in an exquisite collaboration for the recent Tagaytay Food Festival. In a lavish multi-course feast, the chefs revealed threads of shared ingredients, techniques and flavors that ties Malaysian and Filipino cuisine together in a mutual homage and respect for tradition. Read on and find your seat for a unique one-time only dining experience at The Fatted Calf...

Drawing inspiration from his culinary roots and heritage, the Michelin starred Restaurant Fiz helmed by Chef Hafizzul Hashim pushes creative boundaries in a continuous exploration of culinary expressions anchored on traditional ingredients for a fresh and contemporary take on Malaysian flavors. At Restaurant Fiz, diners embark on a flavorful journey not only with familiar Malaysian cuisine but through the expansive Southeast Asian region. At The Fatted Calf, the harmonious weave of Malaysian and Filipino flavors are intricately threaded Chefs JayJay Sycip, Rhea Castro Sycip and Hafizzul Hashim with novel and even pleasantly surprising renditions. 

The constant rains and fog that memorable weekend in Tagaytay couldn't restrain our excitement for the much anticipated dinner of The Fatted Calf x Restaurant Fiz Singapore collab. In fact, it added to the vibe warmed by the gathering of old and new friends for the Tagaytay Food Festival. Inside the open kitchen, Chef Fiz and the team of The Fatted Calf led by Chefs JayJay and Rhea fired up the complex choreography for a performance that's become a part of The Fatted Calf experience (for more on The Fatted Calf, see my post Feast And Celebrate Once More, The Fatted Calf Farmhouse Kitchen Re-Opens At Its New Location In Tagaytay from 2023). 

Chef JayJay welcomed guests that rainy evening, providing a short brief on the creative process behind the collaborative effort and what to expect from the unique menu...

...as Chef Rhea shared how the Tagaytay Food Festival's multiple layers of activities like the special collab showcased the creative culinary potential of the southern dining destination as it progressively moves forward in elevating the restaurant landscape. 

Chef Fiz retraced his own own culinary journey with extensive research diving deeper into Malaysia's indigenous ingredients and traditional cuisine for his repertoire of modern renditions at Restaurant Fiz. In the next few courses at The Fatted Calf, Chefs JayJay, Rhea and Fiz show how surprisingly linked we are with the "food that binds."

Back inside the open kitchen at The Fatted Calf, the flurry of activity becomes a blur of multiple yet precise movements...

...yet each course is expedited with flawless efficiency. It's always amazing to witness the magic behind each dish, building both your anticipation and appetite for the coming feast. 

From the bar, a soothing G&T teases the palate with each soothing sip. And the sound of the persistent rains becomes part of the evening's exciting rhythm. 

Chef Rhea adds the final finishing touches to the first course...

Our feast began with kudapan, the Malay term for snacks or small portions of food reimagined by Chefs JayJay, Rhea and Fiz consisting of four tasty and intricate bites starting with Fried Siopao, Fish Tartlet, Kaya Toast with Caviar and Crispy Fish Skin. Off the bat, the quartet of indulgent savory nibbles reflected elements from traditional Malay and Filipino cuisine elegantly executed for an impressive start. 

The chefs drew heavily on both tradition deeply rooted in regional flavors and popular cuisine enhanced with meticulously refined techniques. The Chinese-Filipino staple influenced by the Shanghai style bun is transformed with a savory chicken asado filling, chili relish, turmeric oil and fermented black garlic sambal tumis for a more pronounced yet flavorful depth in the reimagined Fried Siopao. The fresh and clean notes of the Fish Tartlet is given a complex character with its medley of dry-aged local sea bream using traditional fish curing techniques with Weaver Ant Salt, kinilaw na papaya, house pineapple vinegar and Kaffir lime oil. Singapore's enduring and ubiquitous kaya toast is taken up a decadent notch with Oscietra Caviar and century egg on a crisp brioche toast with the Kaya Toast with Caviar. The influence of French techniques shines with the modern mousse textures of the Crispy Fish Skin with smoked milkfish mousse, torched ginger gelee, pickled red onion and chili salt. Many of the flavorful notes are comfortingly familiar yet each bite is refreshingly new and different in an elegant and seamless weave of Filipino and Malay flavors. And that's just the tasty bites or the kudapan before the mains...

The evening's first course is an homage to the local guinataang alimango and relleno traditions with the beautifully plated Rellenong Alimasag. The dish becomes a creative expression linking both Filipino traditions with the Malay custard technique for an indulgent reinterpretation of a local classic. 

The succulent lumps of soft 7-Hectare Blue Swimmer Crab draped in turmeric custard, crab fat "gulai" or Malay curry and lemon basil oil served on the shell delivers both contrasting notes and textures in a refined balance. Each distinct ingredient comes through with each bite, complementing the other without overpowering it from the delicate briny sweetness of the crab and the sinful richness of the crab fat perfectly tempered by the turmeric custard, curry and lemon basil oil. 

But Chefs JayJay, Rhea and Fiz continue to impress with the next course...

Dubbed Earth, Sea and Fire, the Nasi Lemak combines Malay grilling techniques with Filipino rice craft represented with plump wild-caught Tiger Prawn, Coconut Rice Espuma, Sambal Tumis and Crispy Onion Cucur or fritter. The fresh snap of the prawn followed by a lingering sweetness and fragrant hint of smoke romanced by the grill comes together in a flavorful burst. The silky and creamy coconut rice and the soothing heat from the Sambal Tumis completes the flavors for that elegant finish. 

Broth and Bounty celebrates the timeless local sinigang in a harmonious blend of chilies and sour broth using indigenous Malay forest leaves. The Padas Sinigang with dry-aged sea bream, balimbing or star fruit, Benguet tomatoes, alibangbang or butterfly-shaped leaves from the Bauhina tree, calamansi, pancit-pancitan and ginger torch flower is served in a bowl...

...which is then poured with the sour broth. The sourness and mild spicy heat of the broth opens up the palate and the bite of the sea bream releases a lingering sweetness for contrasting flavors. They say freshness is flavor and each of the ingredients comes through with each sip and bite warming the palate that cold rainy evening in Tagaytay. 

For the main courses that night, the tasty sides were served family style or "hidang" in Malay custom starting with the Urap with Tagaytay vegetables like fiddlehead fern and winged beans with toasted coconut and sambal kelapa ikan putih...

...Jackfruit Gudeh or braised langka with green Sichuan peppers, pistachio miso and Kaffir lime leaves...

...and Gulai Pucuk Ubi or cassava leaves simmered in turmeric-infused coconut milk. A spicy Sambal Ijo or green chili sauce with garlic and green tomatoes completed the traditional sides... 

...paired with the Smoked Duck Leg Rendang with Lemang or bamboo cooked glutinous rice with coconut milk. The stellar cast of side dishes for the first main course offered a variety of flavors and textural contrasts tied together by the spicy sambal for rich and bold notes. 

The EDL Farms mango wood Smoked Duck Leg with Green Rendang and turmeric leaf is perfectly juicy and tender with the fragrant smoky hint building up the layers of flavors pairing well with the sticky coconut rice with its subtle sweet notes. The trio of sides then come into play with its variety of flavors and textures where each bite becomes different. The savory richness of the duck are highlighted by the depth of the rendang for another solid dish from The Fatted Calf x Restaurant Fiz Singapore collab. 

The final main course dubbed Tres Marias featured a set of three dishes inspired by the traditional Sunday Caviteño lunch trifecta starting with the Kare-Kare using Shio Koji Dry-Aged Duck Breast, banana heart, snow cabbage, eggplant, pili and roasted rice sauce, duck fat annatto and fermented shrimp paste. 

The tender duck breast with its buttery notes will have you going for bite after bite of pure savory goodness while the vegetable wrap and pili nut stew sauce combine for a fresh, innovative and opulent spin on the traditional kare-kare.  With each course served that evening, it becomes clear that both Malay and Filipino cuisine reveal the same thread that binds it closely together as rendered by the three chefs. 

The Beef Brisket Adobo is the second dish in the Tres Marias, an adobo seca or dry adobo with annatto said to have been introduced to the local palate from Mexico during the Manila-Acapulco Galleon Trade. Using incredibly tender Black Onyx Brisket, this is probably the most indulgent and leveled-up adobo I've tried yet with house pili vinegar, fish sauce, arenga or palm vinegar and fermented black garlic. 

The familiar sweet and salty hints of adobo brings a nostalgic warmth to the palate with each tender slice and bite of the Black Onyx Brisket elevating the flavors in this next-level rendition of adobo. Like the Shio Koji Dry-Aged Duck in the kare-kare, the use of premium ingredients like Black Onyx Brisket transforms the popular and iconic local staples coupled with the masterful execution by the chefs. In between bites, more layers in the ties that bind are revealed...

A serving of Heirloom Rice completes the savory feast of Kare-Kare and Beef Brisket Adobo at The Fatted Calf x Restaurant Fiz Singapore collab, and suddenly the lavish feast becomes a more pleasantly homey experience the way good food should be celebrated. It all comes down to the pure, honest yet simple enjoyment of food beautifully orchestrated by Chefs JayJay, Rhea and Fiz for the Tagaytay Food Festival. 

Rounding out the savory trilogy of Tres Marias is the Kilawin Papaya with palm vinegar, mashed beef pancreas, crispy ox tripe, ubud miso and chilies to complement the Kare-Kare and Beef Brisket Adobo. Each course not only delivered on flavors, it perfectly captured the seamless weave of both Malay and Filipino traditions beautifully plated and served. The Tagaytay Food Festival not only presents the best of the southern dining destination, but brings the world to its many kitchens in a shared celebration of the food that inextricably binds us in a colorful tapestry of shared values. 

Chef Rhea then served the decadent finale to a memorable feast with her intricate dessert creations in two engaging acts of sweet indulgence starting with the Kelapa, Bingka, Itlog Maalat. The elaborate dessert featured shared ingredients between Malay and Filipino culinary traditions bannered by coconut and banana leaf in a luscious creation with rice cake, salted egg, burnt banana leaf custard and Asin Tultul delicately adorned with edible flowers. The creamy, unapologetic and unrestrained richness of the dessert are balanced by the equally rich yet salty hints of the salted egg, Asin Tultul and the deep nutty and sweet hints of the banana leaf custard in yet another celebration of shared culinary cultures and traditions. 

But Chef Rhea isn't done just yet. Indulgent nibbles in the form of Petit Fours capped an extraordinary evening at The Fatted Calf led by the Salted Coconut Bahulu with Gula Apong and nutmeg leaf dust, Calamansi Patis Baho with Auro Chocolate, calamansi and fish sauce caramel and the Bitso Bitso Latik or brioche doughnuts with hazelnut miso and latik cream. The imaginative blend of flavors and technique not only showcased Chef Rhea's creativity but respect for tradition, savored and celebrated with each bite. From starters to mains all the way to dessert, the Fatted Calf x Restaurant Fiz Singapore collab firmly re-established the southern dining destination's preeminent position in moving Filipino cuisine progressively forward with the Tagaytay Food Festival. 

The constant and ever-changing culinary scene moves and breathes like a living organism reshaping and transforming the way we enjoy the simple yet nourishing pleasures of food. Chefs JayJay, Rhea and Fiz showed the infinite possibilities and just how far we could go while preserving tradition with respect at The Fatted Calf x Restaurant Fiz collab. And that's just the start as we continue to explore the food that binds in Tagaytay...

The Fatted Calf is located along the Tagaytay-Nasugbu Road, Tagaytay City (past Tagaytay Radar, the city's oldest landmark). You can also visit their FB Page at https://www.facebook.com/fattedcalfph/ for updates or call 0977 643 7477 for inquiries.

For more on Restaurant Fiz, visit their website at https://www.restaurantfiz.sg/ formore information and updates.

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