World Kitchens

 Hub for foodies & gourmands

By Earl D.C. Bracamonte

Inspired by comfort food around the world, World Kitchens is a one-of-a-kind, first-of-a-kind upscale dining destination created by Singapore's food & beverage guru, Andrew Tan Hock Lai, whose acumen spans over four decades of culinary experience.

"This concept is not fast food and dishes are cooked according to your order. In 2002, I opened an esplanade in Singapore that featured seven different restaurants. The only 'trouble' i saw was that you need to go to each where you want to sample dishes and pay them there. Here, you order and pay in one place - from your table.

"This concept is the first in all of Asia especially in ordering and payment through AI technology," intimated Mr. Hoc Lai in an interview, after cutting the ceremonial ribbon with Araneta Group CEO Jorge Araneta and House Speaker Martin Romualdez.

With 15 show kitchens and international kitchens specializing in unique cuisines, this sprawling full-table-service restaurant offers a variety of international dishes at affordable prices. 

Aficionados of Italian cuisine would relish Chef Dario Bonnaccorso's pizza options such as the Prosciutto Fungi, Hawaiian, the Zingara, or the Pizza Bomba with its heapful toppings of ham, onions, bacon, artichoke, salami and mozzarella cheese!

Those who love crustaceans and shellfish would marvel at how Shinshima prepares tiger prawns so all its parts become edible. Or those who love lechon could easily get them from Chef Jessie Sincioco's kitchen.

Halal food lovers would have a field day at Chef Rajan Veeranan's Prana Indian Cuisine. Don't forget to sample their crunchy Pani Puri, which is a delectable crispy hollow fried dough balls stuffed with boiled potatoes, and served with tangy water and sweet chutney.

Those craving for dimsum, dumplings and noodles could easily get them at the HK Ma's Bistro. Sweet endings and beverages, including coffee concoctions are readily available at the Sticky Sweet kiosk. Spanish fare, like Callos, on the other hand, is served by Asador de Manila.

Chef Masaki Watanabe regaled guests in a tuna slicing ceremony and then gave sashimi slices for all to enjoy. Those who went for sushi got their fill at his kitchen, the Kuro Maguro.

By serving great food at a single table, and using AI technology for a seamless ordering and payment experience, World Kitchens has redefined dining as a global gustatory experience.

"This concept arose out of necessity. When families dine, each member wants dishes different from the other. They do share but their interests in food are varied. This is an owner-operated restaurant where the chefs are present to prepare your dish. Franchises can sometimes bring the food service down," the Singaporean entrepreneur continued.

Also featured in its roster of international chefs lineup are Fung Chi Keung (Singapore), Steve Ma (Hong Kong), Hoshiba Fumihiko (Tokyo), Gale Tan Sun (Spain), and Takahiro Fujita (Osaka).

"Comfort food is the safest to proffer, like those from Italy, Thailand, Japan, and China. The reason why it's called comfort food is because these dishes can be had in any part of the world, no matter how remote. The other consideration is that such dishes must be likeable by a lot of consumers. 

"World Kitchens is a full service restaurant and not a food court. It gives diners a lot of options. The chefs train their staff about their particular cuisine, and, in return, they acquire new sets of skill," intoned Mr. Hoc Lai at the close of our colloquy.

World Kitchens is conveniently located at the 4th Level of Gateway Mall 2 in Araneta City. For inquiries, simply visit their Web site, www.worldkitchens.com.ph, and/or call mobile # 0918-9394537.