Inside Tatler Dining Kitchen: A sold-out pop-up with chefs Miko Calo and Stephan Duhesme

As guests arrived at The Balmori Suites, a palpable excitement filled the room—this is, after all, the Philippines’s very first Tatler Dining Kitchen, and with distinguished names on the bill no less. Guests were then led to their seats, where their dedicated server for the evening warmly welcomed them to the pop-up. The front-of-house staff was comprised of skilled and impressive young chefs and servers, who were beautifully trained by hospitality expert and teacher Isabel Lozano of Decorum MIL, an integral part of the Tatler Dining Kitchen team.

To begin, many opted to enjoy the bread course, which was served in stylish Carl Jan Cruz bread baskets made custom for Calo, with a glass of Mumm Cordon Rouge Champagne or a boozy cocktail like the Martell in Fashion: a tantalising blend of Martell VSOP, pandan, and chocolate bitters. 

Kicking off the eight-course menu was Duhesme’s negi-Wagyu, drawing inspiration from the Japanese negitoro. Served in a crisp sourdough crêpe shell, the negi-Wagyu “taco” was topped with a nutty cave-aged Gruyère sauce, imparting a creamy mouthfeel smartly cut by fermented banana ketchup made with saba. Presented with an aromatic chiffonade of shiso and mustasa and served with a fragrant lime wedge, the first course invigorated the senses with a range of textures and flavours in just a few bites, leaving the palate zealous for what was to come—and Calo did not disappoint.

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Drawing from her proud Filipino roots and extensive French training, Calo combined two related delicacies from both cuisines: Betamax (grilled pork blood) and boudin noir (French blood sausage). For this interpretation, Calo meticulously grilled spiced pork blood, achieving a crisp sear while maintaining its delicate texture within—somewhat akin to silken tofu but with a sweet, meaty, almost foie gras-esque flavour, accented by spice for complexity. Finished with a touch of vinegar and served with fresh cherries, toasted almonds, pork jus, and edible flowers, the dish was a testament to Calo’s ability to balance even the boldest of flavours, earning praise from many guests who admit they were initially intimidated by the dish.

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Former patrons of Metronome are surely familiar with Calo’s knack for elaborate dishes and artful plating, yet her gambero rosso capellini did not fail to impress. Following the boudin noir, this cold noodle dish featured capellini tossed in a light tomato paste, topped with prized gambero rosso cooked pinakurat-style: flash poached in vinegar and water, as they would in Calo’s hometown, Butuan. The noodles were then served in tomato water, dayap, leek oil, and gambero rosso oil made from the heads of the prawns, and adorned with a generous heap of Nomad caviar and gotu kola. Enjoyed as is, the tomato water made for a beautifully delicate dish—but after mixing all components together to emulsify the sauce, the dish magically transformed, evolving with depth after every bite.

Related: The Culinary Capitals of the Philippines: Chef Miko Calo’s guide to Agusan del Norte

The soup course saw Duhesme utilise a luxury ingredient he does not regularly get to use: foie gras. Presenting his own take on molo soup, Duhesme starts with a broth of chicken dashi, calamansi, and spicy atsuete, nailing that immense feeling of comfort we associate with the Filipino dish. From there, Duhesmse took things up a notch starting with the dumplings, filled with native black pig, pancetta, and a flavoursome garlic-butter pocket that enriched the broth when you break it open. Next to it was a green parcel of steamed cabbage with garlic, patis, and butter, encasing a luscious foie gras torchon that effortlessly melted in the mouth—a novel addition to the humble molo soup, to say the least. Finally, Duhesme added slices of Hokkaido scallops cured in kombu, which he encouraged guests to enjoy with every spoonful. As a French-Filipino chef with Japanese training, it was a fitting and clever dish for the menu’s motif.

Duhesme continued his one-two punch with a dish of gently poached halibut, laid on a bed of delicious ubod purée. The firm, delicate fish meat was the perfect canvas for Duhesme’s sauce of smoked chilli, leek, buro, and sake, thoughtfully topped with crispy brown butter croutons, pancetta for added umami, and ikura which imparted a briny, sweet flavour as it popped.

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Closing the savoury courses with a bang, Calo presented pigeon, one of her favourite ingredients to work with, cooked two ways: a succulent roasted breast, and a delectable leg confited in butter and duck fat. Accompanying the bird is a deep, red-orange emulsion of local aromatics like atsal (bell paper), lemongrass, garlic, and ginger roasted in pork fat, as well as grilled leeks tossed in olive oil, salt, pepper, and lemon, topped with a bouquet of parsley and tarragon. In a surprise twist from Duhesme, the pigeon was also supplemented by a bowl of tasty Hainanese rice.

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As those who’ve closely followed Calo and Duhesme will know, this is not their first collaboration—in fact, the chefs were teamed up for Tatler Dining’s very first Off Menu food festival in 2022, where they brazenly tackled dessert. At Tatler Dining Kitchen, the chefs called back to that collaboration with their first dessert course: a choux ice cream sandwich with Gouda cheese ice cream, additional shavings of Gouda, and guava jelly.

Last but not least, the pair once again joined forces for the final course of the evening, chocolate. Featuring a light and airy espuma of rich Michel Cluizel La Laguna dark chocolate, a salted coconut caramel centre, and candied cashews and milk crisps, this grand finale built on classic, decadent flavours paired marvellously with Martell VSOP Cognac and expertly brewed coffee from The Fat Seed Cafe + Roastery. The chefs didn’t let anyone leave empty-handed, either—before leaving, the guests were handed yet another surprise: a small pouch of savoury tausi (fermented white bean paste) and black pepper sablé biscuits.

Related: The most sought-after food festival of the year: What happened at Off Menu 2023?

The Balmori Suites Chef’s Table has become a highly favoured dining destination, known to host top chefs and restaurants rolling out new and limited-run concepts. For Tatler Dining Kitchen, the sought-after space was transformed into an elegant restaurant by Decorum by MIL, utilising furniture and lamps from Bernhardt, Mav Furniture, and M Décore, eye-catching area rugs from Eurobel, as well as tables and seating from Match Contract Furniture. Beyond the interiors and styling, the hospitality consultancy firm also built and trained the front-of-house team through a selective interview process and intensive boot camp to ensure polished service.

Tatler Dining Kitchen with chefs Miko Calo and Stephan Duhesme is only the first of many to come—stay tuned for more innovative dining experiences coming your way very, very soon.

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