Meta Singapore x Gallery by Chele: launching a 10-year anniversary celebration

Upon arrival, guests were greeted with spicy tropical welcome cocktail dubbed MNL-ICN Express: coconut latik fat-washed rum, mango ginger shrub, grilled pineapple, and homemade gochugaru liqueur. Playful bites then set the tone for what’s to come, starting with the yukhoe tart, plated and presented by chef Kim at Gallery by Chele’s handsome new show kitchen. Simple yet sophisticated, the introductory buckwheat tart was filled with venison tartare and nashi pear dressed in sesame oil, topped with a general heap of caviar.

Meta‘s salmon sandwich soon followed, accompanied by a pillowy bulgogi fried bao with raw Wagyu by chef González. Perched on a meringue base, the blue crab canapé with aligue mayo is distinctively Gallery by Chele. Named after the popular Netflix series, the collaborative snack Squid Game thoughtfully married the chefs’ own culinary instincts into one delicious bite: local Philippine squid bought from the market earlier that morning, fresh local corn, and a Spanish romesco sauce substituting paprika with Korean gochujang.

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The dinner officially commences with the first course, Gallery by Chele’s sashimi kinilaw of tuna, shiso leaf, leche de tigre sauce with coconut milk and smoked tinapa, yuzu, and ikura. Alternating dishes, the second course consisted of a plump pan-seared Hokkaido scallop, kamtae (seaweed) sauce, lily bulb purée, and shiso flowers, a signature from Meta. Harkening back to the restaurant’s earlier years, González’s Fired! Pulpo (inasal-style grilled octopus, chicken jus, papaya, and chicken skin) makes a triumphant return, served on the very same comic strip placemat designed by Dex Fernandez (Garapata).

Coated in kimchi and gochujang, Kim’s springy cold noodles were punchy and refreshing, adorned with succulent lobster flown in live from Palawan. Taking the opportunity to tackle one of his favourite Korean dishes, Gonzalez then presents his luxurious interpretation of jjigae: kimchi soup, abalone, mushroom, chawanmushi, silken tofu, and an exceptional Ibérico meatball. Designed to burst in your mouth, the “spherefied” egg yolk adds another layer of depth and richness to the flavoursome stew. 

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The savoury selection of the dinner comes to a grand crescendo with the chefs’ collaborative take on KBBQ. Served with burnt onion purée, potato ragout in homemade gochujang, and kale kimchi chef Kim’s delectable lamb chop is a far cry from what you might expect from your typical barbecue shop. Gallery by Chele’s signature pastrami takes on a new form as a bibimbap with gochujang rice, daikon, and local Philippine vegetables.

Exploring buckwheat through different textures, chef Kim’s dessert was a layered buckwheat mousse coated in white chocolate, crispy buckwheat flakes, and buckwheat ice cream into an earthy and slightly nutty treat, drizzled with a salty-sweet doenjang (fermented soybean) caramel. Gonzalez’s Talandang, which borrows its name from a cacao nib-growing area in Davao, is a classic combination of chocolate and citrus with chocolate meringue, chocolate ice cream, and a chocolate-orange centre. Finally, hallmark enders from Meta and Gallery by Chele: the miniature banana cream puff and bibingka cheesecake.

Speaking on the collaboration, Kim admits he had some concerns. “It’s challenging to create a new dish and get familiar with the local produce,” Meta’s chef shares. These qualms were soon put to rest as González took it upon himself to host the guest chef, from early morning excursions to the local market to fostering a comfortable environment in his kitchen where they can work as equals. “The culinary scene is in an amazing, very sweet spot right now,” González observes, commenting on the everlasting spirit of support in the F&B industry they seek to celebrate through their 10-year anniversary series. “[We want to show] what we can do together, how we can collaborate, and make something special.”

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