The So-Called 'Billionaire Boys' Club' in BGC Has Launched an Exclusive Dining Series with a Michelin-Starred Chef

Its official name is Cork Elite but is referred to by many as the Billionaire Boys’ Club. 

Only members and their guests are allowed inside, with a warren of closed doors opening to private rooms.

Unlike its predecessor Cork, located on street level where the hoi polloi could easily scope out its affluent wine-loving clientele, Cork Elite is discreetly tucked away from the nosy crowd, steps away and floors above the original at the W Fifth Avenue Building in Bonifacio Global City. This is their exclusive playground where oenophiles can quietly enjoy some of the most expensive vintages in the world in peace (and then post photos of the cork or the empty bottles on Instagram, or in private chat groups afterward. Because, really, why bother spending all that money when you can’t brag about it?)

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Also, one can’t help but notice the quite indiscreet SUVs parked in front of the building, with bodyguards in barong lurking about.

The private room at Cork Elite

Photo by Cork Elite.

We were recently allowed a peek into the members-only space, when its doors were open to the public for one night only for the launch of the Cork Elite Dining series in collaboration with chef Barry Quek, the Singapore-born chef who earned a Michelin star within eight months at of opening Whey in Hong Kong.

“The dishes are rooted in my childhood,” says Quek of the philosophy behind his Singapore-inspired food. “I’m paying respect to these food memories and dishes and presenting them in a contemporary way.

Chef Barry Quek

Photo by Cork Elite.

“Seasonality is also a key element to my philosophy,” he adds. “I’m passionate about supporting local farms and have worked with them since opening Whey. We’ve developed a lot of fermentation techniques and the ingredients we use also support a lot of local farmers. Wherever possible we want to reduce our carbon footprint, encourage local farms, and protect our ecosystem.”

For his menu at Cork Elite, Quek started out with a sweet scallop in a crisp tartlet with an emulsion made with chives, lemon, and some finger limes with little bursts of citrus. He also made a vadai rendang, a crunch South Indian snack with lentil flour and spices filled with tuna mousse, and topped with tomato jelly.

Scallop tart and vadai rendang

Photo by Cork Elite.

Next, a layered dish of sweet shrimp with pickled jackfruit and cucumber drizzled with a dressing of green apple juice and lemon plum.

A pretty blue fin tuna dish was marinated in coconut sugar and ginger flower, served with pickled watermelon radish, and fresh calamansi jelly.

Whey's signature black brioche made with a dark nut was redolent of chocolate, mushroom and black olives, and served with a buah keluak emulsion. Buah keluak is a seed found in the mangrove swamps of Indonesia and Malaysia processed with fermentation, soaking, and cooking to remove dangerous acid.

Signature Black Brioche

Photo by Cork Elite.

Lobster with Laksa Rice

Photo by Cork Elite.

A succulent charred lobster was next, in a bowl of spicy coconut-curry based Peranakan laksa rice topped with squid and crunchy baby shrimp the chef had brought from Hong Kong.

The piece de resistance—although to be honest, all the dishes were—was a Kagoshima A3 wagyu striploin braised in house-made petai bean, known for its pungent flavor and aroma, that’s transformed into a miso paste to add even more umami to the meat. It was served with mustard greens, pechay, with a beef reduction.

Wagyu Striploin

Photo by Cork Elite.

Bluefin Tuna

Photo by Cork Elite.

Pandan Cake

Photo by Cork Elite.

To end, a beautifully light traditional Singaporean pandan chiffon cake filled with kaya jam made with gula melaka?—sugar made from coconut palms—and topped with pistachio ice cream and pistachio crumble for texture.

Must admit after that dinner we all felt a million—make that a billion—bucks.

Cork Elite plans to offer private wine diners and other regular events with the goal of making it a dining destination for fine food and wine enthusiasts. Its cellar houses a collection of 3,000 rare wines, with one of the most extensive wine lists in the country.