Marco Polo Ortigas Manila’s “All Things Swiss” was an afternoon delight replete with Swiss cheeses, Swiss cuisine, wine, and music, in celebration of its 725th National Swiss Day and presented in partnership with the Embassy of Switzerland. Swiss partners, media, and society gathered at the Marco Polo Ballroom for the event, as master of ceremonies Rapha Kiefer, a Swiss himself, and the hotel’s Swiss general manager Frank Reichenbach welcomed Embassy of Switzerland’s deputy head of Mission, Raoul Imbach. For the traditional cutting of the Swiss cheese, they were joined by Samuel Po, Lt. Col. Patrick Boratel, Xin Tian, and celebrity guest Sarah Lahbati.
In his welcome speech, GM Frank Reichenbach said: “I am a Swiss national, (I was) raised and grew up in Switzerland. It is a country that is known for its stunning mountains and majestic views. Through its towns lies and lives the culture of Switzerland, something that is simple, but rich. For us to celebrate this special day for Switzerland, we are very happy to share the culture that I have always loved.”
Switzerland’s culture has influenced the world, one of which is folk arts; and the Swiss nationals keep these alive through poetry, visual arts, and music. The country is multicultural and, with its cultural diversity, various cultures, and different dialects, it is much like the Philippines. This noontime feast was one of the more enjoyable ways of indulging one’s self in a foreign culture.
The Swiss Army Band performed center stage with its opening number of both the Philippine and Swiss national anthems and their repertoire ranged from Swiss tunes to classics and Broadway. The band consisted of 14 talented musicians arranged by the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs and the chief of the Armed Forces, Lt. General Andre Blattman headed by Lt. Col Patrick Robatel. It was their third leg of its Asian tour having come from Beijing, Seoul, and Singapore.
Executed by Marco Polo’s chefs, the menu of Swiss specialties included beef carpaccio with beef tartar, quail egg, mache leaves, veal zurichoise with roesti, plum tart with vanilla schnapps, and whipped cream. The festival lasted two weeks with guest Swiss chef Rolf Jaeggi from Marco Polo Hong Kong, who held a cooking class of Swiss favorites. A wine dinner with a special four-course set menu was offered at Cucina. Also featured at the food festival was a lunch and dinner buffet with a splendid selection of Swiss dishes, Swiss cheeses, and wine, all these while soaking in the scenic view.
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Read more at http://2016.mb.com.ph/2016/09/11/swiss-for-my-sweets/#jA5YSsT0krhO2JaW.99
