Learning About Food and Wine Pairings

Last week TD and I celebrated our 10th Wedding Anniversary, and the truth is with both of us so busy with making ends meet, raising a toddler, coping with cancer and learning to walk again, we decided not to have gifts for each other this year. Instead we would have a nice lunch out with Diplo Baby, and we would also do something we haven’t done since TD was diagnosed with Cancer: have a nice night out with friends! So it was perfect when our friend Erikka invited us to do a Wine and Food Pairings night at the Dusit Thani Hotel. Anniversaries don’t have to be extravagant, and having a lovely night out with nice wine and conversation – a break from all things toddler related – was already quite a treat for us.

Isn’t the gold christmas decor at the Dusit Thani Hotel just beautiful? I’m biased for anything gold and white obviously.

Wine & Food Pairings at Dusit Thani Hotel

While waiting for other participants we enjoyed Watermelon Tarragon and Feta bites with this amazing white wine that’s perfect for our warm weather, and reminded me somehow of the German Rieslings that I love. Then we entered a nicely set up room with for the pairings workshop with Sommelier Ian.

I had he best seats in the house. I loved the placemats which had a spot for each of the 6 wines we would be trying that night. The spot was marked with a “wine glass ring” which I thought was quite clever.

We learned first hand how different flavors affect the taste of wine, and how some characteristics of wine can also enhance or ruin certain flavors. Learned some really awesome things during this sensory experience!

Delicious freshly baked bread and butter to line our stomachs and clean our palates, in between sips.

So different food like this tomato soup with grilled cheese sandwich, taste different with different wines. And some wines taste better, or worst with it! This is common knowledge, but I feel really blessed to have this experience where we were guided by an expert and found out first hand that each person’s palate is unique and reacts differently.

Tom Yum Spring Rolls and Grilled Cheese with Tomato Soup

Prosciutto and Balsamic Fig on Nut Toast with Red Wine

The Grilled Thai Beef with Holy Basil was so yummy, I totally forgot to take a picture. Below is the Honey Soy Duck with Cucumber pickles and Korean Volcano Chicken. I normally do not eat or like duck, because of the gamey taste. BUT combined with the right wine, I can actually enjoy it. Who knew?!?

Having Chef Cyrille there was quite a treat because he also explained how knowledge of how the different flavors interact with wine characteristics can really help you create a wonderful meal.

Here Chef shares that he also did not have the expected reaction to a particular pairing.

We did not just gain knowledge of the wines and taste pairings, but we got to know ourselves better – what our own personal likes and dislikes were. There was no right or wrong answer, just a sharing of our opinions and tastes.

Once all the wine were poured, we had really lovely conversations with the organizers of the event. And I even found out that Chef Cyrille and I have common relatives. Manila is really like a village – everyone knows everyone!

L-R: Sommelier Ian, Erikka King (Thank you for inviting us!), TD (seated), yours truly, and Master Chef Cyrille Soenen DHMC (Dusit Hospitality Management

The Dusit Hospitality Management College will be soft launched in DusitD2 The Fort Manila at the Bonifacio Global City, Taguig in May. However they already have students enrolled in the current location Dusit Thani Hotel, Makati.

They have many more wonderful educational events lined up, which will interest foodies and culinary industry insiders and hopefuls alike. In fact, yesterday I attended the interactive cooking workshop with Paul Bocuse’s Chef Sebastien Charretier, called Chef’s Table. It was unlike any of the hotel cooking classes I’ve attended because it was very hands on. I plan on writing about it very soon, and I hope to do the event justice. If you would like to inquire about future classes like their Gin Appreciation Night or Wine and Food Pairings, please feel free to get in touch with them. I have included their contact details below.

Next year they will be opening the school and second hotel location in BGC. You can see the design of their new space here. It will be a place where culinary students and keen enthusiasts will learn by doing. Exciting stuff!

Read about the Chef’s Table Three Course Cooking Workshop I had the privilege of attending.

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DHMC MANILA

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Pre-opening office: Dusit Thani Manila Ayala Center, 1223 Makati City, Philippines