The often used phrase is ‘hard of hearing’; so I was happy to turn this into a play-on-words, and use my title to highlight a worthy event that’s happening this April 7 2025, at the Discovery Primea, Makati. It’s a heart-warming event as Art, Food, Hospitality, and Social Enterprise all come together for a cause - the Artful Hands, Open Hearts dinner, with a silent auction that aims to have net proceeds go towards the building and operating of a Hand and Heart Learning Center for Deaf Children.
For the avid art collectors and the art community, the silent auction will in itself be worthy of the price of admission (it’s ₱18,000/seat for an exclusive four hands dinner prepared by Chefs Sharwin Tee and Primea’s Luis Chikiamco). There will be pieces by Arturo Luz, Ramon Orlina, Romulo Olazo, from BenCab’s Unique Bisyo catalog, from Fernando Sena, from contemporary artists such as Jesse Esplana and Michael Sagaran, from PWD artists, and donations from Heart Evangelista’s personal collection, and that of DSWD Undersecretary Emeline A. Villar.
Gen Diokno of Hand and Heart
Hand and Heart is a social enterprise dedicated to supporting the deaf community find gainful employment on the three pillars of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Genevieve ‘Gen’ Diokno is the Hand and Heart Founder and we ‘hear’ of the limited opportunities for the growth and development of deaf children; due in part to the disheartening situation of how the deaf community are placed together with children of different disabilities and challenges in one class in the present education structure.
Diokno ‘signs’ painfully from experience, as she is deaf and remembers the challenges she had to face in the work space - including being bypassed for promotion even when she knew her work was as good, if not better, than those being advanced. She ‘signed’ about training and corporate partnerships, so that managing deaf employees could be better executed. The envisioned Learning Center is her first step in making society more responsive to the needs of her community.
Chefs Luis and Sharwin
For Discovery Primea GM David Pardo Ayala, this was serendipity for three reasons; the evident CSR element, Primea’s strong affinity for Filipino artists - this will be the second art-related endeavor of the hotel this 2025, and thirdly, the opportunity to work with Chef Sherwin Tee once again. Sherwin had a successful previous collaboration with Chef Luis, and is considered a long time friend, colleague, and supporter of Discovery Primea.
The Financier
During the media preview, two of the dishes I considered my personal stand-outs were the Savoury Financier, their amuse bouche; and I liked the Hot and Sour Soup Gelee, served chilled. The Financier was prosciutto, grape jam, and Manchego mousse, all working together like a mini-muffin with flavors swirling in one’s mouth after that first bite.
Hot and Sour Gelee
The Hot and Sour Gelee was a masterstroke of invention. It’s cold soup, but served up in jelly form, so it’s semi-liquid; but still retaining the essence of hot and sour soup. I like cold soup, but they’re regularly of Spanish or French origin, so I loved how this was cold Oriental soup, with wood ear mushrooms, tofu and shrimp added to the mix.
Seats are limited, but still on sale; as the event will happen at the hotel’s Cervantes and Shakespeare Ballrooms. Head to the Primea website, or contact Hand and Heart’s Aimee Buzeta, 0962-5042737 and aimeebuzeta@handandheartph.com for more details, for seats, and for sponsorships.