On Nov. 29, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., the Maya Kitchen will present George Lizares, the corporate chef of the LJC Group, in a cooking demonstration called “A Christmas Dinner Larry Would Love.”
Chef George will prepare Cheerful Feta and Watermelon Salad (black olives, yellow and red watermelon with Italian dressing); Kingfish and Shrimps Curry in Coconut, (tanigue fillet and shrimps gently simmered in Indian-style coconut cream curry sauce); Chicken with Three Mushrooms (roast chicken with porcini, button and shitake sauce); Couscous with Seven Vegetables (tender lamb morsels combined with chickpeas, zucchini, eggplant, tomatoes, carrots, capsicum and cabbage in a rich broth); and Baklava (filo pastry, nuts, butter and orange-infused syrup served with vanilla ice cream).
Chef George took inspiration from his long relationship with the late Larry J. Cruz who was both boss and mentor to him. He started with the LJC Group in 1998 as a food and beverage manager. He left and came back in 2008 as corporate executive chef, left and came back again in 2011.
The LJC Group was borne out of Cruz’s decision in 1979 to shift careers from journalist to restaurateur.
Every day, chef George and the LJC Group pay tribute to the man who could not cook yet managed to change the country’s culinary landscape.
Log on to www.themayakitchen.com; e-mail contactus@themayakitchen.com; or visit The Maya Kitchen Culinary Center every Tuesday to Saturday, 8/F Liberty Building, 835 A. Arnaiz Ave., Makati City; tel. nos. 8921185 and 0947-8352290.