Good life… good times… good food… These things can make any person happy, and Filipinos are certainly no exception especially when it comes to good food. Sitting down before a table laden with delicious, mouthwatering fare in a classy resto is enough to put one in a good mood, and this is certainly what Filipinos can enjoy once again with the return of Visa’s highly successful Epic Dining by Visa Program.
US Black angus Beef with In-season Vegetables
This time, Visa is partnering with 30 new merchant partners with more exclusive privileges and discounts for Visa cardholders at selected bars and restaurants in Metro Manila. Plus, this good news has now reached Cebu where the program is being extended albeit with a very select number of partners initially. (And who knows, this epic dining program by Visa could even reach other cities like Baguio or Bacolod in the future.)
Chef Hidemasa Yamamoto
At the recent launch of the program held in one of the merchant partners of Visa – the Hide Yamamoto restaurant over at the City of Dreams – star chef Hidemasa “Hide” Yamamoto (yup, the resto is eponymously named) showcased his culinary skills to the delight of the guests. The charming chef – who studied under the late well renowned French chef Roger Vergé who is acknowledged as a pioneer of the nouvelle cuisine movement in France during the 1960s – turned the restaurant’s open kitchen area into his “stage” as he showed guests how to prepare Young Whole Chicken Stuffed with Truffle Rice – just one among the plethora of delightful dishes that we enjoyed during the launch.
Event host Bianca Valerio, Chef Hide Yamamoto and Visa country manager for Philippines and Guam Stuart Tomlinson share a toast
Asked if he had any signature dish, Chef Hide says he does not really have any signature dish because it would mean he is limiting himself to such. In the case of the stuffed truffle chicken, it just so happened that it became so popular with patrons that it became identified as Hide Yamamoto’s “signature dish,” he explained – and we can certainly understand why after having sampled the truffle chicken – shamelessly going back for another helping.
Hide Yamamoto is just one of the partner establishments for the Epic dining by Visa program
The launch event and the chef’s cooking demo was livened up by host Bianca Valerio’s witty asides and adlibs, inviting guests to post their photos on social media using the hashtag #EpicDiningByVisa. Chef Hide was later on joined by Visa country manager for the Philippines and Guam Stuart Tomlinson for a toast to celebrate the epic partnership between the restaurant and Visa.
“We decided to take this year’s program up a notch higher so our cardholders can enjoy more exciting, exclusive and quality dining experiences,” Tomlinson said, adding that the success of the programs they ran in previous years served as a great encouragement. Visa cardholders are definitely in for a treat with the signature VIP treatment waiting for them by simply presenting their cards. Perks include as much as 30 percent discounts on meals and bottle purchases, as well as free entrance to select exclusive bars.
The open kitchen becomes a stage as chef hide yamamoto
demonstrates his legendary culinary skills
Interestingly, the eight-month program offers gastronomic delights in four stages with rotating establishments to refresh the taste buds, with the Hide Yamamoto restaurant just one of the dining outlets and bars where cardholders can enjoy good times with a vast array of epic dining options.
Whether it’s a romantic date, a family celebration, a night out with colleagues to unwind from the toxic pace in the workplace or a special reunion with friends, there is something special waiting for you in any of the 30 partner establishments of Visa in the Metro or in select establishments in Cebu.
Especially designed to suit the lifestyle needs of its mobile and dynamic clients, Epic Dining by Visa allows cardholders to experience the best gastronomic delights through a carefully crafted and curated list of the biggest names in the dining industry. For a full list of offers under the Visa Epic Dining Program, you may visit www.visa.com.ph.
