LAPU-LAPU CITY, Cebu – Filipino ingredients were showcased when couple Chef Marco Anzani and Kate Dychangco-Anzani crafted the four-course presidential menu exclusive for the leaders’ luncheon during the 48th ASEAN Summit on Friday, May 8, at the Mactan Expo Center here.

Kate described the menu that heads of state, royalty, and dignitaries partook in as “A Culinary Journey of the Philippines.”

She said the menu was a showcase of Filipino ingredients elevated through refined global techniques and contemporary presentation.

The centerpiece of the luncheon was reportedly requested by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr – Bukidnon Kitayama beef served on smoked eggplant alongside white grouper fish fillet on sweet potato strings.

Other dishes included adlai risotto and poached lobster medallion, highlighting local produce interpreted through fine dining craftsmanship.

For dessert, delegates were served cannolo di turon, kalamansi bonbon, and maja blanca rosquillos cheesecake – a fusion of traditional Filipino flavors with modern culinary flair.

Kate said the menu “was never about excess or theatrics, but about identity – viewed through a Filipino lens, refined, elevated, and unmistakably world-class.”

While Marco previously handled culinary preparations during the 2007 ASEAN Summit, Kate said it was her first direct involvement in preparing meals for ASEAN leaders.

Kate added that preparations for this year’s luncheon were never easy as it came with heightened security measures and complex diplomatic protocols.

“The security has been heightened for this year. Also, because the royal kingdoms, prime ministers, and excellencies came with protocol and food restrictions, such as halal, food allergens, and specific requests. Each country had custom menus and alternate preparations that made it challenging,” Kate said.

The culinary team acknowledged the pressure preparing the menu as it viewed the luncheon as more than a high-level diplomatic meal, she added.

Because of the immense responsibility, Marco initially hesitated to accept the assignment, Kate said.

When they accepted the assignment, the couple made sure that the dining experience would not be about extravagance. “It was about identity,” she said.

Kate said the culinary team was relieved when the leaders’ luncheon finally ended. “As the last plates were cleared and the final glasses pulled out, the kitchen exhaled. No applause, no spectacle – just the quiet satisfaction of knowing they had delivered something rare: A table where Southeast Asia didn’t just meet. It connected.”