LA Benefit Dinner Highlights Spirit of Bayanihan

12/21/2009 | Ayala Foundation USA

The thousands of miles that separate the United States and the Philippines were no match for the spirit of bayanihan shown by the Filipinos during a benefit dinner held recently at the former Mary Pickford Estate in Los Angeles. Dubbed "Dining with the Chefs," the benefit dinner hosted by Ayala Foundation USA (AF-USA) was proof that Filipinos abroad can stand in solidarity with their countrymen, many of whom continue to experience poverty and lack of access to crucial services like education.

The event, which showcased the talents of three prominent Los Angeles-based chefs Cecilia de Castro, Andre Guerrero, Carlito Jocson, was aimed at raising funds for the benefit of Ayala Foundation's projects and the projects of AF-USA's Philippine non-profit partners, especially in the area of education. Kudos goes to the AF-USA LA Steercom composed of Cora Oriel, Josie Chernoff, Michael Balaoing, Lynn Hess, and Eric Manlunas who organized this one-of-a-kind culinary affair. "AF-USA is thrilled at the participation of these internationally renowned Filipino chefs at our Los Angeles fund-raiser. It highlights the capacity of the Filipino to be globally competitive as well as their generosity in supporting the cause of underprivileged children and youth in the homeland," says foundation president Victoria Garchitorena.

"Whenever we are able to use our talents and get together to make a difference, we should do it for our country where we came from," adds Chef Carlito Jocson, the corporate executive chef and partner/owner of The Yard House, a chain of upscale-casual restaurants in Southern California and across the United States. Among Jocson's masterpieces for that night were the toaster seaweed with radish kimchee and fried avocado, ono poke on crispy puffed rice, braised pork belly with quail eggs in caramel sauce ("I call it bacon and eggs," said Carlito.), sliced creekstone natural prime rib eye with corn, squash and shrimp pudding with blackberry demi.

Chef Cecilia de Castro,founder of the Academy of Culinary Education and culinary producer of the Emmy Award-winning Wolfgang Puck Show and formerly of Spago, prepared an assortment of culinary delights such as chicken adobo sliders, spicy sizzling sisig, dates with baked blue cheese wrapped in bacon, calamansi tartlettes with raspberries. For his part, Chef Andre Guerrero, named Top Chef by Los Angeles Times Magazine, presented flatbread with house-smoked salmon and creme fraiche, oyster with applewood bacon, remoulade sauce on gougers, "faux" gras mousse with quince on croustade, butter poached prawns with butternut squash in coconut milk and mushroom risotto with 18-hour braised short rib.

Guests mingled with prominent members of the Filipino-community including Iron Chef host Mark Dacascos, businessman and AF-USA Chairman of the Board Diosdado Banato and Sheila Lirio Marcelo, CEO of Care.com and one of Fortune 500's Most Powerful Women in Small Business. Serenading the guests with Pinoy classics was the Filipino-American Symphony Orchestra (FASO), under the guidance of Cavite-born Bob Shroder. Making the sprawling former Mary Pickford estate even more spectacular were the floral arrangements of Tommy "Tomiko" delos Reyes, now one of LA's most sought-after floral artists.

While the event raised well over $60,000, what stood out was the fact that the spirit of giving back to the country is alive and well among Filipinos wherever they are in the world.