CLARK FREEPORT — Perhaps the one thing lacking to complete Widus Hotel and Casino’s lively cosmopolitan appeal after its P2- billion expansion project is a truly definitive dining place and culture.
That’s where Executive Chef Johnny Rodriguez comes in. A former mainstay of kitchens here and abroad including Movenpick Hotel Mactan in Cebu, Rodriguez aims to make Widus a dining destination.
He said: “Movenpick Hotel used to be the old Hilton, so when I came in they were rebranding it and basically I was the executive chef that opened that hotel.” Rodriguez said landing a job at Widus is “lucky” since he also “enjoys working in the Philippines.”
Turnaround
“Tired, old menu” was what Rodriguez found soon as he came to Widus, and along with it, some cyclical rote in food service. “We took our existing recipes and we made them consistent because the issues here were a lot of inconsistencies. Food was late tickets.” He explained that “it took a little bit too long to put the food out instead of 10 to 15 minutes it took 20 to 30 minutes.”
That’s when he started the turnaround, Rodriguez said. “So we started working as a team.” Rodriguez said “the guys in the kitchen needed to be inspired and influenced and that’s what I was able to get out from them.”
He said “they are a bunch of young guys but they needed a leader.” In just five months on the job, Rodriguez said they are now going into the phase of improving the menus and changing the recipes to keep up with the extensive expansion of the hotel.
Prism Menu
For the Prism Bar, all traditional bar foods will be improved, Rodriguez said. “It’s going to be an international bar food with tempura from Japan that’s really light and crispy and airy with a spicy dipping sauce and Korean kabobs that actually come with Mexican flavors.”
“Koritos,” he called them, a mix of Korean barbeque and Mexican burritos. Rodriguez is Mexican-American. He also said the menu will include his version of burger sliders, nachos, sausage platters, grilled sausages and others.
Though the local palate will not be disregarded as pork sisig, chicken sisig and tocino will also be available in the menu.
Fine Dining
For the Salt Restaurant, a totally new fine dining experience awaits guests and patrons, Rodriguez promised.
While the focus is on international cuisines, a Korean section all its own will be integral. “Our cooks are very well trained in Korean food,” he added. Filipino delicacies like kare-kare, different types of pancit and other good traditional foods will also be served, he said.
In all, Rodriguez said, “We are still keeping some of the good recipes and best sellers but we are adding a lot of new additions.” Which brings much excitement to the staff, said the chef: “They want to taste the food which is completely different from what they used to have.”
He also said, “We are adding a lot of different sandwiches and high end sandwiches. Instead of the BLT or the chicken or club sandwich, we’re doing steak sandwich and chicken shawarma.”
Most important change
“But I think the most important change I have made is in the attitude of the staff, being able to get them to my side,” Rodriguez said.
“Hey guys, you know I’m the new guy here but I can teach you and I can train you and I can show you how to do things. In a couple of months, we learned to work as a team. They need someone to inspire them. That’s been the biggest change,” he related.
“Yes we are talking about food and yes we are talking about a business, but as far as what my food causes here in the hotel that has gone down dramatically because these guys are working a lot harder now,” Rodriguez said.
“We have 33 staff working in different departments such as butchery, bakery, banquet. They’re all doing a great job and they’re all working hard. I got them to adapt to my style of cooking,” Rodriguez said.
Culinary Journey
“What they can expect here is we are trying to be a dining destination. We are trying to change the customer outlook of where to come and eat,” he said. “A lot of people just come and eat because they are hungry, but if they come to Widus they are going to experience a culinary journey of different types of cuisines ranging from Korean to Japanese to local cuisines.”
Steak House
Rodriguez said a Steak House will open in October where an in-house freezer will have “Dry Age Beef” kept for 21 days. It’s the first in Clark and anywhere in the region. “I’m really excited about that because I love steak and it is very
difficult to have a god steak,” he said.
F&B Promotions
F&B Manager Anna L. Corpuz said her job is to complement the good food from the menu with exciting promos and marketing strategies. With the Prism Bar, Corpuz said, patrons and guests can avail themselves of all the beer they can drink on Fridays and Saturdays for only P300 per head.
Draft beers, San Miguel Lights and Margaritas are available and complemented by the international bar foods.
For weekdays, it’s buy one, take one for beers and Margaritas for only P100, she said. Salt Restaurant is offering a 50 percent discount for senior citizens until December. On Wednesdays, “Wine and Dine Wednesday” offers a 50 percent discount for all the standard wines in the restaurant until December, she added.
“For all those who love to drink wine, this is their opportunity to do it here at Widus Hotel,” Corpuz said. “Our goal for our team is to make Widus a dining and wining destination,” she stressed. “Actually, what we’re trying to do is to make our service exceptional so that it’s going to be a destination because your guests won’t be coming here if you only have good food but lousy service,” Corpuz explained.
“So we give it together like husband and wife – exceptional food and quality service,” she said. Before joining Widus Hotel and Casino, Corpuz was running a fine dining restaurant in Florida, USA. But she said when she went home to Manila to visit her family two years ago, “I got a call from the GM (Alfred Reyes) to join Widus.
At first I was quite hesitant because I had plans of going back to Florida but I changed my mind “because the atmosphere here is cute,” she said.
