THE CEBU Chapter of La Chaine des Rotisseurs held a brilliant induction gala at the Pacific Ballroom of the Waterfront Cebu City Hotel. The theme was French, carried out in the menu and the décor.
As it happens, La Chaine’s Bailli Delegue for the Philippines is Michel Lhuillier, honorary consul of France in the Visayas. His wife, Amparito Llamas Lhuillier, is the Bailli de Cebu. She looked stunning that evening in a gown by Rosa Clara.
They welcomed more than 130 members and guests who signed up for the dinner. Here for the occasion was Bailli de Manille Federico Borromeo with his wife Josephine. The previous weekend, they had hosted the Manila gala with the theme “Casablanca.”
Fred and Josephine enthused about the presence of Her Royal Highness the Crown Princess of Brunei. She led a polo team of princesses that scored versus an all-male team.
Up on the dais for the induction with Michel and Amparito were the board members of La Chaine in Cebu—Teresin Mendezona, Vivina Yrastorza, Nestor Alonso and Dave Sharpe.
Special citations were given to eminent members of La Chaine in Cebu like Rosebud Rivilla Sala (silver medal) and Stella Solero Bernabe (bronze medal). Raised to the rank of “commandeur” were Dr. Nestor Alonso and Dr. Vivina Chiu Yrastorza. Jurgen Pesch was dubbed “Pair de la Chaine.”
New members were tapped on the shoulder with a golden sword by Michel and presented with the symbolic chain by Amparito. Welcomed to the fold were Vilma Alcaraz, Gemma Vercede Buxton, Maria Elena Cano Gabaya, Tisha Mae Cue, Zaida Vercede Lee, Elena Palacious, Stephanie Sharpe, Evangeline Marie Ong Hayco and, the only “chevalier,” Ian Craven.
Eiffel Tower
The hotel’s general manager Grant Jefferies was congratulated for the décor, dominated by an Eiffel Tower; the food, which was excellent and bountiful; and the evening’s elaborate entertainment. Featured were the dance company of Val Sandiego and the Dancesport Team Cebu of Edward Hayco.
Seated at the VIP table were Martin and Wilma Klieger of La Chaine in Hong Kong, Margie Richards Taylor who has opened a branch of her Bibendum wine shop at the Streetescape mall, Marguerite Lhuillier with Shangri-La Mactan’s GM Rene Egle and his wife Nelly, Carmen Campbell, Mariquita Yeung and Belinda Wong.
Also at the VIP table were Marco Polo Plaza’s GM Julie Najar with Xavier Masson, Lara Constantino Scarrow, executive chef Stefano Verrilo, Eddie and Ming-Ming Gullas, Plantation Bay’s GM Efren Belarmino, Lee Ramos, Crimson Resort’s James Montenegro and Christopher Cuadros, Joy Santillan, Kandaya GM Fritz Sommerau, Bien Bermejo Chavez, Elvira Luym and Marissa Fernan.
A Chaine event glorifies gastronomy, and this was an occasion for Cebu Waterfront executive chef Jeff Pelaez to shine.
The dinner started with a lobster bisque, a terrine of duck foie gras and a casserole of assorted seafood. After the lime sorbet with a dash of vodka came a slab of succulent Australian emu braised to perfection and served with caramelized vegetables.
There’s always room for dessert, specially if confected with cocoa grown and harvested in Cebu, and in this case turned into a parfait tinged with calamansi.
Glimpsed among the 130-plus guests were Angie Mathieu escorted by her son Mickey Paulson, Maria Priscilla Melendres, Joy Sharpe, Joji Alonso, UK honorary consul Tamsin Booth with Frances Siao, Iris Arcenas, Jeffrey Lee, Sandra Pesch, Jude and Gina Millares, Maria Fe Alfar, Michael and Bethilda Smith.
More: Luis Echarry, Vikki Hermosisima, Massimo La Magna, Alliance Francaise de Cebu director Louis Thevenin with his wife Honeylet, Dinah Craven, Paquito and Zenaida Chua, June Alegradao with son Domiku Ugarte, Mariter Klepp, Gladys Young with Dale Rennie, Ed Tongco, and Rosemary Dakay with her children Mary Ann, Bee Jay and Pierre.