Photographed by Excel Panlaque.
Inspired by five personalities featured in this year’s May Issue, the HELM founder and IQOS curiosity setter crafted six dishes that also pays homage to their respective hometowns
“In most contexts, creativity is often propelled by an enduring sense of curiosity for the unknown, and in the context of tonight, we now bring those sensibilities to the world of gastronomy,” shared deputy editor Trickie Lopa.
For an evening at the Ayala Triangle Gardens, Vogue Philippines staged an intimate dining experience titled “Cuisine and Curiosities” at HELM by Josh Boutwood with IQOS to reinterpret the stories and hometowns of five featured personalities within this year’s May Issue.
As guests from the industries of art and fashion came together for the welcoming remarks of Lopa and beauty editor Joyce Oreña, chef Boutwood then introduced the menu.
Done through six courses, the meal began with a dish inspired by actress and cover star Pom Klementieff and her French-Korean roots. Described as a “flavor juxtaposition of cultures,” the English-Filipino chef took the traditional French technique of the classic tartare and incorporated such with kimchi and a garlic emulsion to create a vibrantly colored pairing.
As an ode to his colleague’s roots in Butuan, Agusan del Norte, the retelling of chef Miko Calo’s story was described as having adopted HELM’s unspoken tradition of incorporating eggs in each menu. This resulted in a smooth yet savory Japanese egg custard known as chawanmushi, which also featured notes of bright acidity and sourness from the Batuan fruit.
After an entremet of the restaurant’s in-house sourdough bread and compound butter spreads, a steamed cut of seabass draped by a soft sheet of multicolored ink followed after. This dish, inspired by Apol Massebieau, was explained by chef Boutwood as a reference to her career as a fashion designer as well as her current home in La Union, a province known for its beaches and fresh seafood.
To express the story of Martha Atienza and her home in Bantayan Island, Cebu, the HELM team resonated with the province’s signature lechon dish, but distilled its flavors to instead pair with cuts of A5 Wagyu and a cauliflower puree.
As the final course for the evening, Nadya Hutagalung’s Australian and Indonesian heritage came together to create an ice cream dish made with celeriac, a root vegetable commonly grown Down Under, which was later topped with a white chocolate and arabica coffee sauce made from the beans found in Sumatra Island.
“What I love about this perspective is that we are featuring people who have found their own spaces to thrive,” Oreña said. “They have discovered and defined themselves on their own terms.”
Boutwood also shared that his curiosity allowed him to see gastronomy beyond science and technique. “Food no longer is about sustenance,” he shared, “It’s about crafting memories, almost like trying to get an emotion out of guests. Telling a story with food is this magical thing that can encompass one evening out, but also create this amazing memory that’s gonna long live forever in their minds.”
DON’T forward to non-smokers/persons below 18 years old. This product is not risk-free and provides nicotine, which is addictive. For 18+ only.
