GIBB’S version of the Kransekake, a Scandinavian celebration almond cake
Hosting dinner parties, especially for men and women of taste, is an art and Dulce Magat-Gibb, who has just made her brand À Table (pronounced ah-tahb) public, is an incredible artist.
Gibb has in fact been cooking since the 1990s, when she held the title of executive chef of Via Mare.
That Glenda Barretto trusted her with the Via Mare kitchen and catering service was enough to convince me that Gibb is an excellent cook.
At a dinner she hosted to introduce À Table, a high-end take out line ranging from hoity-toity hors d’oeuvres to hearty mains and delectable desserts, she proved to be not only a true cook but also a hostess with the mostest.
DULCE Magat-Gibb: hostess with the mostest
Guests were welcomed in style with a Dalandan-Don Papa Bellini and they lounged in her lanai-looking sala while they waited for the rest of the party.
No one counted minutes or calories, though, as her starters immediately generated oohs and aahs.
The smoked salmon rillettes established—at least for those unaware of her resume—that Gibb (formerly Magat) can cook. By the time the carabao milk ricotta with sun dried tomato and pesto was attacked, she had everyone hooked. Wife of former Mandarin Oriental General Manager Michael Gibb, she also displayed her worldly tastes, mixing and matching flavors from around the globe. She makes her own labne cheese, a mid-eastern yogurt cheese; and interestingly presented sushi sans the rolls, in a trifle dish.
As soon as everybody arrived, the guests were ushered to the dining table that was ornately designed with candles “floating” on a sea of salt that took the place of a table runner. (That’s a lot of salt!) Then when guests had settled down, each masterpiece of Gibb was brought out for what seemed like a degustation buffet (you could have as much as you wanted but items on the menu were brought out one at a time, not in a buffet line).
Her bouillabaisse-inspired seafood soup has a stunning broth. We learned later that she added saffron and pastis, an anise-flavored alcohol. For the healthy eaters, she had a giant salmon, slicing it before the guests. This would make a helluva contribution to a potluck dinner—big on impact and also big on taste, having an herb bedding and served with a choice of chimichurri or calamansi brown butter, among other options.
She makes a lamb shank with wild mushroom that tastes like it was cooked by a French aunt. And through the years, for love of her English husband, she has perfected a roast pork belly that is enjoyed by both the English and the Filipino sides of their family every Christmas.
Neither does this worldly chef scrimp on dessert. Most elaborate among her choices is a Christmas tree-looking Kransekake. This is a Scandinavian celebration almond cake but Gibb’s version is more like a cookie, with layers creating a little ornamented tree.
THE SIGNATURE hors d’oeuvres of À Table by Dulce Magat-Gibb.
It’s great that Gibb has decided to open her kitchen to more than friends and family. Now we can all enjoy this indulgent cooking by a truly talented chef in the comfort of our own homes or in the boardrooms.
À Table. For inquiries and orders, call 09178621800. Private dining may be considered. Email dulcemagatgibb@yahoo.com.
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