Collaborations don’t get healthier and more regional than this.

As part of its wellness-focused approach to eating, The Westin Manila is introducing its take on what seems to be the everywhere-all-at-once trend of culinary collaborations.

Called CuiSCENE, the first edition of the series sees certified raw vegan chef and recipe developer Mimi Vergara-Tupas fire up the Seasonal Tastes kitchen with “vegetable-forward” creations alongside executive chef Rej Casanova.

“Vegetables are always the star of my dishes,” she says. “I am most inspired and creative when I am surrounded by the best produce, but I am also, surprisingly, just as inspired when I have limited resources.”

“Vegetables are always the star of my dishes,” Mimi Vergara-Tupas says. “I am most inspired and creative when I am surrounded by the best produce, but I am also, surprisingly, just as inspired when I have limited resources.”

Vergara-Tupas’ foray into food and beverage started in Davao City in 2014 with cold-pressed juices and salads that eventually grew exponentially. The F&B business became a family affair with her husband Jun helping kickstart the venture by, as she revealed in the media preview, signing a lease for a commercial space, and son Uno at the helm as general manager of their food group that now comprises Clean Café, Made Simple, Soul Kitchen, and Fast Fresh.

This kind of philosophy also strikes an equilibrium with Casanova who himself designed Seasonal Tastes’ Eat Well menu and has also been an advocate of plant-based cooking. “The purpose and intent behind what she does resonate well with our brand values; we want to empower guests to embrace their well-being and find balance in all aspects of their lives, including dining.”

“Plant-based cooking takes a lot of creativity and unlearning,” Vergara-Tupas says. “It is not always as simple as relying on the usual animal products such as eggs or cream, butter, milk, animal fat, and meat. Plant-based cooking encourages me to explore umami from natural produce, flavors and aroma from herbs and spices, creaminess from nuts, and texture from grains.”

So what can Manila’s discerning palates expect from this one-night-only dinner? Aside from the biodynamic wine pairing Here’s a rundown of some of highlights we tried at the preview:

Mushroom pâté

A pâté that opens the portal into Made Simple’s brand of “vegetable-forward” dining. The forest mushroom base (and the intoxicating combination of walnuts, rosemary butter, and garlic confit) mines the depths of earthy flavors.

Buttered cabbage

Putting the humble vegetable front and center is a smart move, only if done a certain way. In this case, Uno meticulously built the smoky cabbage wedges into a fort-like structure, then paired it with tarragon butter, bagna cauda (a potent Italian dipping sauce), and some sprinkling of nut ash.

Watercress soup

Disquieting at first look, the “soup” resembles more of a murky marsh but the soup displays richness from the watercress, umami from the enoki mushrooms, and earthiness from the olive oil. And did we mention the crunch from the buckwheat groats? It’s a soup we’d gladly plunge the depths of.

Tomato panzanella salad

The enigmatic star of this tomato salad (which, mind you, uses close to overripe tomatoes) is the day-old bread soaked in olive oil and spices that, as Uno Tupas says, mimics the taste and texture of pork skin. Grate some of the vegan cheese on top and you get a nice spectrum of layers to a simple summer salad. 

Burnt tomatoes

While the charred tomatoes are hard to ignore, the bed of “ricotta” mesmerizes both for its mouthfeel and creaminess—except that it’s all made with soybeans.

Main plate of mushroom scallops, forest mushrooms, and enoki bouquet

This is a collection of the earth’s savory products presented in three parts. The king oyster “scallops” are heavy on nuttiness while the assortment of forest mushrooms bloom on the plate, literally, as if an awakening of flavors are happening right in front of your eyes. And lastly, the enoki bouquet’s savory crispiness injected with garlic aioli and black lava salt rounds out the dish.

Rosemary olive oil cake

A sweet finale that is practically an expression of love for healthy food and fulfillment.

Mimi Vergara-Tupas will conduct a demo class on July 8 where she will share some of the basics in plant-based cooking. Her recipes will be available in a one-night-only wine pairing dinner featuring nine dishes on July 11 from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., while some dishes will also be part of the daily lunch buffet until the end of July 2023.