It was thirty five years ago, in 1987, when venture capitalist, businessman, and producer Ernest Escaler began his journey of farming and agriculture. Gourmet Farms on Aguinaldo Highway, on the outskirts of Tagaytay, was established. And it soon became a beacon for buying fresh produce and herbs. Over the intervening years, acquiring the properties contiguous to his original landholding meant that Ernest was expanding his operations, and adding features to his Gourmet Farms estate.

Today, the retail store is the first thing you encounter when turning into the Farms’ parking lot but nestled right below is an Al Fresco dining area. The Dining Room, is a structure devoted to indoor dining and special events. Fields devoted to five types of lettuce, and the herb garden is a short drive away. And further into the grounds, one can find free range chicken-growing, pigs, and a grazing area for the goats and carabao.

In the heart of the estate, is a beautiful sanctuary, where anticipated mass is held weekly. Ten villas that can be booked for long stays, austere but extremely comfortable. The packing area for their produce is situated in a building that’s deeper into the estate. Gourmet Farms is now roughly 12 hectares of lush rolling fields of green, of various vegetables and herbs, and where the more domestic of fowl roam freely.

Ernest Escaler and Paolo Quimson had prepared a special dinner at The Dining Room where Executive Chef Ico Molera would cook up an exciting five-course meal that would highlight their farm-to-table possibilities. In fact, ever since Ernest had opened up dining areas on his farms, he’s been offering this concept of farm-to-table way before the term was coined as a culinary movement. The good relationships that Gourmet Farms have with other growers and farmers from all over the country, allow them to source other ingredients that they don’t grow on the estate.

First course was a farm salad of roasted pineapple, roasted beets, tarragon leaves, and homemade stracciatella cheese. This is the one I had to comment should be moved into their regular menu, as it’s aromatic and subtle yet different enough from other salads that are normally offered. I loved this first course!

Then, we had Pasta Alla Gricia, fresh homemade pasta, with guancale pecorino romano and pepper. Simple in execution, but super-delicious and filling. Ernest has long considered Italy his "home away from home," and I’m pretty certain he had a hand in this inclusion.

The two main courses were halibut with pomodorini, fennel, mushroom, dill, and tomato water which Chef Ico had playfully titled, Fish in Crazy Water. Then, there was the very traditional-Italian hearty dish of pig’s trotter stuffed with sausage in served in a beautiful lentil stew. If you hadn’t felt stuffed with the pasta; coming after the delicate fish dish, this one was guaranteed to take you over the top. Many of those around me were swearing by the lentil stew, sumptuous!

The dolci that night was Mango Tiramisu with mascarpone and lady finger dunked in coffee and mango. The other option was a Mango Panna Cotta.

In my former life at ABS-CBN, between 2002 to 2017, the Gourmet Farms at the ABS Food Court was one of my regular go-to’s for lunch. The quick-fix pastas and salads, and the healthy fresh juices, were always a delight. So it just struck me how this healthy, fresh produce, and farm-to-table concepts, have been championed by Ernest long before they became fads here.

With Chef Ico on board, Gourmet Farms has once again upped the game for the dining landscape south of Manila. While new dining concepts are constantly mushrooming in the Tagaytay area, it’s also great to know that this long trusted establishment is evolving. And in this case, you can teach an old dog some new tricks.