All's Good with Cucina's All Things Swiss Food Festival

Cheese, chocolates, veal, and potatoes, everything you love about Swiss cuisine, highlighted in an impressive lunch and dinner buffet...

Starting August 19 to September 4, 2016, Marco Polo Ortigas Manila's Cucina showcases the traditional flavors of Switzerland with All Things Swiss, a food festival featuring classic dishes prepared by Marco Polo Hongkong's Executive Chef, guest chef Rolf Jaeggi. Take a peek at Cucina's flavorful All Things Swiss buffet spread...

After the success of the previous food festival (more on my earlier post, Pina Mania: The Flavors of Davao, Cebu, and Manila Converge at Marco Polo's Cucina), Cucina celebrates All Things Swiss with its Swiss food festival, an equally lavish buffet with traditional Swiss cuisine masterfully prepared by guest chef Rolf Jaeggi. And you can find all these at the central station, alongside Cucina's regular daily offerings of fresh seafood, premium meat, and local and international cuisine.

Marco Polo Ortigas Manila's General Manager, Frank Reichenbach, and F&B Director, Mirko de Giorgi, is joined by guest chef Rolf Jaeggi, Marco Polo Hongkong Hotel's Executive Chef (L), at the formal media launch of All Things Swiss food festival at Cucina for the ceremonial Swiss cheese cutting (R). 

Guests were then treated to an indulgent array of traditional and rustic Swiss favorites, including the bold flavors of Carpaccio...

...and the fresh and clean flavors of Smoked Trout, tasty starters for an authentic Swiss feast.

Guest chef Rolf Jaeggi, a Swiss native specializing in traditional Swiss cuisine with years of experience, takes you on a flavorful culinary journey of Switzerland with Air-Dried Beef...

...paired with the tart Red Cabbage, a staple of Swiss cuisine. More Swiss flavors are offered at the station, including a variety of fresh salads with that distinct Swiss touch for a unique taste of Switzerland.

The spread of salads include the Beef Salad with Gherkins, Onions, and Peppers, a hearty salad with the robust flavors of beef punctuated by the tart and sweet notes of gherkins, onions, and peppers...

...the Cervalat Mit Chasz, or Swiss Sausage with Cheese, combining the richness of cheese and country-style sausages...

...and a refreshing pasta salad, the Macaroni Salat Mi Poulet Liver, or Pasta with Sauteed Chicken Liver, with fresh pasta kicked up by the distinct notes of chicken liver, vegetables, and fresh herbs.

Potatoes and cheese are traditional Swiss ingredients, and you can find guest chef Rolf Jaeggi's comforting Roesti (L), a Swiss potato pancake, and the tasty Deep-Fried Cheese (R) to pair with the signature mains. And that's just for starters...

No Swiss food festival is complete without the traditional Raclette, and you can enjoy the real thing at Cucina's All Things Swiss food festival.

The Swiss cheese is heated, and guest chef Rolf Jaeggi prepares a plate with pickled onions, carpaccio, and crisp crostini...

...and when the cheese starts to bubble and melt, delicately lays a layer of hot and creamy cheese on the plate. The authentic Raclette is just one of the many flavorful attractions at Cucina's All Things Swiss food festival.

During the formal launch of Cucina's All Things Swiss food festival, guests were served plated courses prepared by guest chef Rolf Jaeggi for a tasty preview of the festival, starting with the Rind Fleisch mit tartar, wachteleier mit feldsalad und zitrone, or Beef Carpaccio with Beef Tartar, Quail Egg, mache leaves, and lemon pepper marinade, an elegantly plated dish with paper-thin slices of carpaccio capped with a savory serving of beef tartar, garnished with quail eggs and shards of cheese. Our courses were paired with a selection of Swiss wines, including the crisp and refreshing Fendant Blanc d'Amour 2014, Cave Valcombe, to complete the experience.

A comforting soup dish was served next, the Bunder Gerstensuppe, or Swiss Barley Soup with herbs and viande des grisons, with its creamy texture and delicate hints contrasting with the bold notes of the Swiss ham for balanced flavors.

A glass of red wine, Humagne Rouge 2013, Grand Metral, was then served paired with the main course of the lunch preview, guest chef Rolf Jaeggi's hearty and savory Zurich Geschnetzeltes mit pilzen, rahm und rosti, or Veal Zurichoise with Roesti Potatoes draped with mushrooms, cream and a rich gravy.

The fork-tender veal is perfectly executed, almost melting in your mouth delivering its rich flavors, followed by yet another layer of richness from the gravy, cream, and mushrooms. The dish is capped with the traditional Roesti potatoes to complete the flavors.

A glass of sweet Marugg Riesling Sylvaner 2007 is then served along with the indulgent Zwetschgen Kuchen mit sosse und geschlagener rahm, or Plum Tart with Vanilla Schnapps and Whipped Cream, to end our traditional Swiss feast on a celebratory high note.

And you can indulge in more of guest chef Rolf Jaeggi's savory Swiss starters and mains and elegant desserts at Cucina's All Things Swiss food festival. And more Swiss treats await your visit to Marco Polo Ortigas Manila, including an indulgent array of the finest chocolate pralines at Cafe Pronto with boxes of 3, 6, and 12 available for purchase. Or why not catch the sunset at Vu's Sky Bar and Lounge with their Swiss Cheese and Wine Buffet, available every night for the whole duration of All Things Swiss for only P 1,900. And for only P 2,300, you can even learn how to make your favorite Swiss dishes with Chef Rolf. Complete your experience with a peek at the impressive display of Swiss precision and quality watches at the Victorinox booth at the lobby.

Discover and savor the flavors of Switzerland at Cucina's All Things Swiss  from Monday to Thursday for only P 1,500 for a sumptuous lunch buffet and P 1,800 for an impressive dinner buffet; and P 2,300 for the weekend lunch buffet and P 2,650 for the dinner buffet from Friday to Sunday. As an additional treat, a special gift from Turkish Airlines awaits lucky guests. Cheese, chocolate, wine, hearty and comforting Swiss cuisine and Swiss watches, all's good at Marco Polo Ortigas Manila, with the All Things Swiss food festival at Cucina.

And if you want to recreate guest chef Rolf Jaeggi's main course, here's the recipe...

Veal Zurichoise with Roesti Potatoes
Ingredients for the Veal

• 80 g Mushrooms, freshly sliced
• 160 g Veal, cut into small pieces
• 30 g Butter
• 10 g White onion, thinly cut in small pieces
• 30 mL White wine
• 60 mL Cream
• 2 g Parsley, chopped
• 10 g Salt
• 2 g Ground Pepper
• Veal stock

Ingredients for Roesti Potatoes

• 1 pc Potato, big, white, and grated
• 60 g Butter

Procedure:

Roesti Potatoes

1. Melt the butter in a frying pan.
2. Increase the heat, and add the grated potato with the dusted flour.
3. Roast gently.
4. Turn the potato occasionally to make sure it is roasted evenly. Set aside in a plate once brown.

Veal

1. Melt the butter in a frying pan.
2. Add onions and veal. Let it cook.
3. Set aside on a plate.
4. In the same pan, add onions and mushrooms. Let it cook.
5. Add the white wine, and let it cook until the liquid thickens.
6. Add some veal stock and let it simmer until the sauce binds.
7. Add the cream and increase the heat slightly.
8. Add salt and pepper to the meat.
9. Pour the sauce to the meat. Add the mushrooms, whipped cream, some paprika, and chopped parsley as garnish and serve. 

Cucina is located at Level 24, Marco Polo Ortigas Manila, Meralco Avenue & Sapphire Road, Ortigas Center, Pasig City or call (+632) 720-7777 or email restaurant.mnl@marcopolohotels.com for reservations and more information.

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