Flavors of LuzViMinda returns to bai Hotel Cebu, bringing the Philippines to one table

bai Hotel Cebu is hosting the third edition of its Flavors of LuzViMinda buffet at CAFÉ bai this June, featuring a 14-hands collaboration among seven guest chefs representing Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.

We’ve been doing LuzViMinda for three consecutive years now, and we’re honored to have seven exceptional chefs joining us for this edition.

Mae Ellen Nobleza

Director of Food and Beverage at bai Hotel Cebu

A media preview was held on June 5, ahead of a special two-day kitchen takeover on June 6 and 7 where all seven chefs will cook together at the hotel.

Seven Chefs, three Regions, one Filipino story

The seven chefs are divided by region. Representing Luzon are Chef Welly Rosales, Chef Richard Gomez, and Chef Melisa Rocha. The Mindanao contingent includes Chef J.R. Royal, Chef Mac Dowell Labrador, and Chef Zheryl Jacinto. bai Hotel Cebu’s own Chef Ryan Estrada carries the Visayas representation.

Mae Ellen Nobleza, Director of Food and Beverage at bai Hotel Cebu, said the collaboration has been in the works for months and reflects the hotel’s ongoing effort to use the June Independence Month period to spotlight Filipino regional cuisine.

“We’ve been doing LuzViMinda for three consecutive years now, and we’re honored to have seven exceptional chefs joining us for this edition,” Nobleza said.

During the preview, chefs shared the personal and historical context behind their dishes alongside the food itself. Chef Melisa Rocha spoke about how several Kapampangan dishes trace their origins to the Spanish colonial period, when Filipinos turned overlooked ingredients into dishes that have since become cultural staples.

Chef Mac Dowell Labrador said his participation is driven by a desire to bring Mindanao’s food culture to a wider audience. “I want people to experience the flavors of Mindanao and understand the stories behind them,” Labrador said.

The preview also gave chefs the opportunity to interact directly with guests and media, explaining the ingredients, traditions, and regional identities behind each dish on display.

A celebration of Filipino heritage through food

Beyond the buffet itself, Flavors of LuzViMinda serves as a reminder of how food can connect people to culture and community. Every dish on display reflected a different corner of the Philippines, offering diners a chance to appreciate both the similarities and distinctions among regional cuisines.

The Flavors of LuzViMinda concept has now run at bai Hotel Cebu for three straight years, building a track record as one of the hotel’s more distinct Independence Month offerings. For Cebu diners, it provides access to regional Filipino dishes that are not typically part of the city’s regular restaurant rotation, prepared by chefs who bring firsthand knowledge of those culinary traditions.

Following the takeover weekend last June 6-7, CAFÉ bai will continue offering the Flavors of LuzViMinda buffet every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday throughout June, giving more guests the opportunity to savour dishes inspired by Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. For reservations, call +63 32 888 2500 or email [email protected].