Cover Mireia Dining’s trout tartlet
Mireia Dining’s trout tartlet
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Experience a fresh six-course tasting menu by Mark Dee, who opens up his home to produce an intimate fine dining experience in Makati
He tried to deny a career in food by choosing Public Administration at U.P. Diliman instead of culinary studies. But it seems like Mark Dee is destined to be in the kitchen, something he has now come to terms with and is currently loving.
“Growing up, both of my parents used to cook for friends and family, did catering, had food court stalls, and even opened a restaurant at one point,” the 39-year-old says. “Our family gatherings were always filled with lots of food, starting from lunch to merienda up until dinner. This environment definitely sparked my fascination for food, but I never thought that I would actually be cooking myself.”
Though taking a professional culinary program was an option, he decided to take a course that seemed more appropriate and relevant for him then. After graduation, he took on a government consultancy position in Bulacan.
Related: Career change: How two renowned chefs left banking for culinary adventures
Above Mark Dee in action
Mark Dee in action
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But even then, food became a constant companion. “My days in the province would end early, and I would spend my nights watching the Asian Food Channel and food shows on the Lifestyle Network until I fell asleep.” He even caught reruns even if he had seen all the episodes already.
After three years of public service, he moved back to Manila in 2013 with hardly any clue what to do next. His spare time was spent scrolling on social media and that’s where he saw ads for healthy meal delivery brands. He searched for recipes online, watched videos on YouTube, and eventually started a food program at home that people could subscribe to. Mark consequently found himself busy purchasing ingredients, prepping, cooking, packing, and delivering the meals to his clients.
And then the food delivery apps came, became fashionable, and gave his then-thriving business a run for its money. To address the competition, he dabbled in other concepts such as Neapolitan pizzas as well as burger and ramen kits.
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Above Hokkaido scallop with truffle potato mash
Hokkaido scallop with truffle potato mash
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“My goal was to shift from food delivery into catering for our family's events place in Talisay, Batangas,” Dee says. “Unfortunately, the project never saw the light of day because of the pandemic, and that made me doubt myself for being in this industry. I thought that maybe I should be doing something else since most of my plans or previous efforts did not do so well.” Feeling discouraged, he shut down his commissary business a year into the pandemic.
Ironically, he, once again, found solace in food by cooking during his downtime. “Since we were just basically at home, I would watch food videos, and try out recipes. There was a lot of trial and error because I had no professional training or experience in a restaurant. I was just a food-obsessed home cook.”
His kitchen experiments eventually led him to host boozy brunches and dinners with friends. In the process, he also started gaining back confidence, something that was challenged because of his business closure. But he admits that his love-hate relationship with food became more personal this time around, and with the support and encouragement of his wife Kissel and two children Maxwell, 2, and Mireia, 5 months, which his new concept is named after, he developed the courage to cook for the public. “I’ve always told my wife that if the time comes where I stop cooking that means I’ve stopped loving as well.”
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Above Fried oyster on scallion pancake
Above Crab pasta in tomato cream and caviar
Fried oyster on scallion pancake
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They have opened their Makati apartment to a maximum of 10 customers on weekends to sample not just his type of food, but also enjoy their warm and friendly service. Mark not only welcomes and sends off his guests personally, but he also does the cooking himself, from start to finish.
When it comes to developing his courses, the method to his madness starts with a premium ingredient, then he matches it with flavours and textures to come up with a balanced and cohesive dish. Trout, for instance, is bathed in a ponzu dressing before being cradled in a crispy thin tartlet along with ikura. Hokkaido scallops are laid out on a bed of potato foam with sourdough croutons; and shredded beef oxtail is placed on a mound of truffle mashed potatoes before being crowned with enoki mushroom tempura.
My favourite course was the crab, which he tossed in homemade squid ink noodles and tomato cream. The addition of fresh sweet basil lent a subtle peppery and star anise note that gave the pasta a fresher and more complex profile.
With Mireia Dining, it seems like Mark Dee may has finally found his true calling.
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To reserve seats in Mireia, visit their Instagram account at @mireiadining.
