Just yesterday, I was invited into the pastry kitchen of the prestigious Makati Shangrila Hotel with Michelin Starred Pastry Chef, Yves Michoux.
Chef Yves keeps his young looking physique by swimming and playing tennis every day.
There are few wonderful things about this experience that I would like to share with you:
From L-R: Tricia, Jonathan, Crissey, Moi, Chef Yves, Aencille, Ingrid, and Rima
I got to meet some pretty amazing women.
Chef Yves and Jonathan Lallernand lead the crew in the eclair baking class.
I was able to work side by side with a chef who has 58 years experience in baking.
I was reminded of my love for the French language.
Just listening to Chef Yves had me tuning in and remembering Mr. Angus.
Mr. Angus was my high school French teacher and to be honest, all I remember how to do, is ask where the comfort room is…
I actually came away thinking that I would like to look into taking French classes…
I enjoyed some honest to goodness French Tea.
After our baking class, we went upstairs to the lobby lounge to enjoy afternoon tea.
The French Tea house Janat Paris, founded in 1872, served his first traditional French Oak Tea during the world exhibition of 1889 in Paris. The world’s first and only French Oak barrel tea gets its unique and distinguished smoky flavors by leaving the tea leaves to mature inside a French barrel made in the Champagne region.
I enjoyed more than just eclairs that were prepared by Chef Yves.
From now until July 2nd, when you enjoy the Lobby Lounge Jewelry Boxes, you can feast on savories and enjoy sweets prepared the way Chef Yves has prepared them for years in France, Dubai, and Portugal.
I totally took advantage (and was not embarrassed at all) as I enjoyed more than one sweet treat with the afternoon tea in the company of my new friends.
I also realized that the eclairs are twice as nice when they are baked in bigger sizes, but super cute when baked in the smaller bite sized pieces featured in the Jewelry boxes.
AND without realizing it, I was taken back to a time when my sorority sister and friend, Jennifer Madigan taught me how to make choux pastry in our college apartment in Cortland.
I have always enjoyed making cream puffs, and for those of you who bake, you know that once you have mastered choux pastry you can make all the different sweet and savory treats which use this tricky dough as the base.
Luckily for me, I was able to learn the way that Chef Yves has been making it for years.
Thank you Chef!
If you would like to visit Makati Shangrila and take advantage of their “La Vie en France” festival celebrating 70 years of French Filipino friendship, you will enjoy all the best that Chef Yves has to offer through their Lobby Lounge Jewelry Boxes.
Order your Jewelry Box with a pot of authentic French Janat Tea to complete your experience while you listen to the live music offered by The Manila String Machine.
For inquiries and or reservations for any of the La Vie en France events:
Please call (02) 814-2580
OR
Please email rric.slm@shangri-la.com
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