For any chef, time in the kitchen is an opportunity for creative expression – a time to experiment, refine and perfect new ideas. For these chefs, there’s no ingredient better suited to easy reinvention than Lady’s Choice Real Mayonnaise.
At Drop Out, a restaurant in Baguio City, Chef Carlo uses modern techniques to add a twist to local classics, creating a new signature dish every month. When we spoke with him, he’d just introduced a dip made with burnt rice. “Local flavors keep me grounded. That’s how I thought of simply mixing burnt rice with mayonnaise.” he says.
Of course, the better the ingredients, the more likely the final dish will delight both its creator and their customers. As Chef Byron from Bonitos in Laguna says, “I like getting good ingredients so that I can fully focus on taking them to the next level without depending on the seasoning.”
Start by making the right choice
One after another, the chefs we spoke to praised Lady’s Choice Mayonnaise for its taste.
Chef Miko from Recess Restaurant in Baguio says, “Lady’s Choice is my base for sauces because of its delicious taste”.
Chef Joy, from Jovita Café in Batangas City, is also a fan. According to her, “Our dishes are not complete without Lady’s Choice mayonnaise”.
Chef Pao, from Kapihan in Batangas, also appreciates the value that Lady’s Choice brings to the table: “When I make dishes that requires mayonnaise, there is this distinct taste of Lady’s Choice that other brands are not able to give.”
Join the big dippers
Chef Carlo has the following advice for anyone looking to experiment with making dips: “Use Lady’s Choice, as you can guarantee you’re getting real mayonnaise. There are so many things you can do with it — from simply adding Tabasco to mixing it up and adding red beets”.
So many of the incredible dishes being created by this talented group of chefs can be augmented and even improved by a well-crafted dip. As Chef Byron tells us, his Lechon Kawali has to be well-marinated, well-fried and well-baked. “We put a lot of passion into what we make, even our dips, because honest food speaks for itself.”
And now, over to you
At Sarsa Group, Chef Shina prepares traditional Negrense dishes from Bacolod using contemporary cooking methods. When ingredients such as vinegar have to come specifically from Bacolod itself, you can tell they’re serious about being authentic.
However, she’s keen to stress that mayonnaise has a place in every modern Filipino kitchen. Her advice to cooks everywhere? “Use your creativity more. Don’t be afraid to use other flavours with mayonnaise, because its taste is very classic. Mix it with other ingredients like crab fat, fish preservative or even infuse it with Sriracha. Then there are international sauces you can make like tonkatsu. There a lot of things you could create with mayonnaise. Don’t be afraid, just keep tasting it and make your own dip.”
