This is What Happens When 3 of Manila's Top Chefs Get Together For One Night

At this point, we know that only good things come out of the collaborations between top chefs, so when Savage, Manila's modern open-fire restaurant, announced its first anniversary with a charitable six-hands dinner, we knew something wonderful and delicious was imminent.

Savage's one-night-only "6 Hands Across the Earth" was, however, more than another memorable night. Joining chef Josh Boutwood were acclaimed chefs Nicco Santos (of Hey Handsome and Your Local fame) and Karla Mendoza (Oltre and Mozza), both of whose cooking we've been sorely missing and who will be opening new restaurants soon. Proceeds of the full-house dinner went to Cribs, a home for abandoned children. The trio kept the menu basic, focusing instead on bringing out the best of the natural flavors of each ingredient., focusing instead on bringing out the best of the natural flavors of each ingredient.

SNACKS

Santos perked up the taste buds with a smoked hamachi tart with yuzu curd, milk emulsion, and a 25-year-old daikon. Boutwood came up with a characteristic Savage starter: a chicken liver parfait in a housemade brioche (Savage has some of the best breads in Manila) with pickled mustard seeds, popped sorghum, onion ash, and chervil.

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Mendoza returned to her Italian roots with an arancini with anchovies, kesong puti, and mozzarella. 

IMAGE: E.A.T. Public Relations

PLANTS BY NICCO SANTOS

Santos created two kinds of salad. The first featured Swiss chard blanketing a lactofermented pork sausage, crispy beef tendons reminiscent of kropek, and a galangal sauce. Don't overlook the pickled cucumbers on the side. It's the best part.

The blue crab salad comes with wild rocket, mint, and basil tossed in a tart cirtrus dressing with rice snow. 

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FINS AND SHELLS BY KARLA MENDOZA

The grilled yellowtail with smoked cippino and grilled baby corn was served with a side of sourdough bread and topped with preserved lemon aioli. If this is a preview of Mendoza's upcoming Italian restaurant, then we're extra excited. 

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BILLS AND FEATHERS BY JOSH BOUTWOOD

Boutwood's grilled duck breast glazed in ginger ale and blackberries paired with pickled onions and onion puree was another very Savage dish.

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MOOS AND CAPS

The three chefs came together for the final main course: a grilled rib-eye steak with chestnut, shimeji, button, and shiitake mushrooms and alukon, paired with a zucchini salad tossed in lemon vinaigrette and topped with mint leaves and pecorino, with a side of takikobi gohan.

IMAGE E.A.T. Public Relations