That moment when chef Roald Schuur, area director for culinary at Swissotel Clark and Widus Hotel Clark, joined the team was a memorably fun period.
In an exclusive interview, Schuur shared with Malaya Business Insight that Pampanga is a culinary destination with a strong food culture. At Hann Resorts, there are distinct and well-developed restaurant concepts that require innovation, he said.
According to Schuur, one of the things Filipinos can be proud of is their underestimated and often unknown cuisine. “Dishes here are enriched with flavors and rooted in culture and traditions, much like how one harvests salt. The Philippines also offers a wealth of fresh ingredients and a diverse selection.”
The country has a vibrant culinary heritage that Schuur wants to highlight at Salt Resto of Widus Hotel. Additionally, sustainable tourism is the way forward, which Schuur and his team also want to champion with all team members and guests. Finally, as Schuur celebrates the flavors of the country, he aims to showcase regional flavors that make the culinary journey at Salt unique and interesting.
The concept of After Six involves serving breakfast in the morning and tapas and spirits in the evening. There was not much challenge in integrating vitality dishes at After Six as Schuur simply re-engineered the menu with vitality dishes that he and his team believed would appeal to the hotel’s target market and regular visitors.
They carefully select a region with a distinguished cuisine ensuring the availability of specific ingredients. Afterwards, Schuur and his team conducted numerous tryouts or samples among the team. These team members are Schuur’s ambassadors.
Schuur brings regional flavors to everyone at Salt Resto. Rather than having them travel around the country, Schuur presents culinary history and educates guests about food.
Schuur combines information from the internet, local chefs, and cookbooks in brainstorming sessions, which are followed by tryouts and food tastings.
He stays updated by dining out, trying other food concepts, and checking trends online. Schuur also brainstorms with the culinary team and refers to cookbooks.
Apart from celebrating the flavors of the country through various regional dishes, Schuur’s culinary journey is educational. He informs guests about the origins of the dishes and their ingredients.
Dining is not just about the food; it also involves the service and bar teams. Schuur ensures unity at the table by sharing information, training in menu offerings, and ingredients.
He said there are as many ways to approach this as there are chefs and guests. “It’s important to capture the essence of the dish and highlight it in the final version.”
Schuur is aware of the healthy trend and supports it by reducing the use of sugar in recipes and enhancing the natural sugars in ingredients.
