FOR ALL THE LOVERS

VALENTINES Day for Pastry chefs is just another of those special events most people enjoy through out their year, which actually we roll our eyes over due to the work load. Friends plan their "dinners-out" and "weekends away" and we in the pastry department simply look forward to another big week of productions, centerpieces and buffets, plated desserts and big sales.

This years crazy life calendar is followed then 4 days later with Chinese New Year production, three weeks after that Easter and then Mothers Day, Fathers Day and every "proposed" event by the PR people in between. Thankfully after Fathers Day there is a bit of a break from Special days until Halloween and Thanksgiving and the onslaught of festive events. Mental Note to Self - Plan yearly vacation for the day after Fathers Day and Pre-Halloween.

Perhaps in colleges and universities of food around the world they should teach the new chefs of tomorrow just how many special days you need to forget about when you enter this industry.
But this is not a grievance blog.

If I took issue with the calendar of events then I would not have been doing this for 32 years now.


You see I may give up the romantic dinners, the dates and the flowers and chocolates but what I do gain as a pastry chef is the ability and privilege of working with some of the most artistic, dedicated and wonderful chefs every time we have a special occasion.
I have been at the Peninsula for one whole year and one month now and I have to say that Valentines 2015 was a the culmination of twelve months of work. Everyone and everything truly came together and I do not believe I have ever been prouder of any of my teams, than I was this past February 13th-15th at the Peninsula Hotel Manila.
From the Peninsula Boutique cakes and pastries to the afternoon tea, the brunch, the dinners and lunches, the plated desserts and amenities for rooms, we truly made inspirational SEXY food.

I wanted to post some of the following photos prior to Valentines but there are times I wonder if anyone cares or even wants to see them...they are my pictures and my teams efforts and we are but one of millions of teams and chefs around the world doing exactly the same thing for each special occasion throughout the year.
Then there are days like today when I receive a message from someone overseas asking me "Why I have not updated the blog to inspire them" and I realize its more than just about me and us, but about spreading the "Love" and the vision for greater pastry.
The reason I love this trade. Inspiration from others and being inspired to create.
In my youth there was no internet or social media, but I was inspired by great pastry chefs who made me love this trade.
Today we have wonderful mediums in which to inspire and one of those is the blog format. So here are the photos from our PENINSULA HOTEL  MANILA VALENTINES week to inspire those who will visit this blog and seek inspiration for future buffets and desserts.

To those who have read the blog in the past few weeks since the last posting - from Ecuador, Greece, Iceland, Poland, India, Brunei, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Malaysia, Switzerland thank you for coming to read the pages. I am regularly impressed that so many guests view the pages from USA, France and the many countries making up the Middle East, but it is the new countries which amaze me and how the words of one pastry chef can travel so far..
For all the lovers, may you continue to enjoy your Valentines Day and whatever that involves for you, for us chefs, it means a week of hard work but ultimately making you happy, and that is in itself, our reward.

And don't forget if you live in Manila or close to Makati, please visit us at the PENINSULA MANILA HOTEL and more importantly the PENINSULA BOUTIQUE where you can dine in or buy and take home a full range of breads, pastries and cakes made fresh on a daily basis. Our Peninsula Boutique  desserts are pictured below and change on an almost monthly basis so there will always be a reason to return.

IN ROOM AMENITY

STRAWBERRY BRAZO DE MERCEDES

Peninsula Boutique - you can buy, try, dine in or take home...

RED VELVET SMORES

AFTERNOON TEA - Classy and Romantic

ESCOLTA BUFFET LOOKING AMAZING

HIS DESSERT- KAHLUA CHOCOLATE BROWNIE

HER DESSERT - BERRY EMOTIONAL !

I HEART YOU

PENINSULA BOUTIQUE - Valentines Dome