PASSION IN THE TEST KITCHEN
Ana Asis is the consummate foodie, home cook, and host whose latest venture, Test Kitchen by Spoons of Magic, offers extraordinary private
dining experiences that celebrate the art of cooking with passion
It was prep time late in the afternoon inside the newly opened Test Kitchen by Spoons Of Magic. Its proprietor, Ana Asis, had been up the night prior, hosting a private dinner for a client. It was only the second dinner service for her and the team of Test Kitchen. “We opened just a few weeks ago and so we are really learning as we go,” states Ana. It used
to be that she would whip up dishes for a small group of friends. The self-taught home cook has been a foodie, even before the term became so casually tossed around among circles with a penchant for dining well. “I’ve always been interested in food even as a kid. While all the other girls were playing with dolls, I was asking my parents for clay pot sets and baking sets. I think for many years I was a closet cook,” she recalls.
As the name suggested, Test Kitchen is a venture fueled by a passion for food and creating exceptional culinary experiences. “We do private dining. Everything from the kitchen is done with heart. We do not scrimp on ingredients,” explains Ana. For dinner that Saturday night, seafood was an element that tied all dishes together to create an indulgent dining encounter. It was supposed to start with a Lyonnaise salad, but Ana decided to forgo the dish. “I wasn’t satisfied with the French frisee available in the market. My rule is that if it isn’t the best, then I simply won't serve it.” She is uncompromising where quality is concern, which makes the concept of a test kitchen and dining for private groups ideal. “I am not sure if I am ready to run a full restaurant and go commercial. For now, it’s the test kitchen,” admits the food connoisseur.
Collaborations between client and cook distinguished Ana’s latest venture from other dining establishments. Tucked in a hidden abode reconstructed and configured to host small parties looking to dine in privacy, Test Kitchen is a place for gathering with family and friends over meals made with heart. The experience it offers can be likened to dining in one’s own residence with a private chef whipping up specialties.
Asian flavors are a current favorite, revealed Ana as she stood behind her new kitchen chopping spices for her appetizer dish. “The
layers and texture of Asian cooking leave such strong impressions on the palate,” comments the home cook. Traditional French cuisine, where seasonal ingredients are focal points, has been a lifelong fascination. “I love that it’s simple, fresh. The cooking style is intended so that you don’t overpower these flavors,” says Ana whose dream dinner service would be a French fête of moules marinière, French onion soup, steak au poivre, duck confit, and canelé. “All vegetables would be evenly cut on all seven sides,” she added.
An open kitchen layout inside Test Kitchen is ideal for diners to interact with the chef and watch as the magic unfolds. Ana follows instinct and heart, rendering recipes subject to interpretation. She calls it “eyeballing,” and she does it with such elegance. “Dishes evolve for cooks,” she explains. She tossed massive king prawns onto a pan, letting it cook in a bed of spices and rich red sauce. “We start with gambieri pasta,” she declares. Diners were warned to leave room for five other hearty dishes, but flavors compelled seconds.
“I think my style harks back to cooking from the heart. I don’t really do fancy or complicated dishes,” states Ana. Her pan fried sole topped with capers was testament to how a good cook can bring out the divine in something so seemingly simple. As the fish dish was placed atop the long wooden table dressed in immaculate blooms, contents from a bottle of Pichon Lalande was poured into crystal coupes.
Creation of a chili curry crab was sorcery in the kitchen. Guests gathered as Ana fired up the stove, tossed in various spices and poured coconut milk to create a rich and sinful curry sauce. “This was inspired by a Singaporean recipe I used to have in my childhood friend’s home. I did a few tweaks of my own to come up with this dish,” she says. Again, it was home cooking done with a distinct brand of refinement
The final dish on the menu was a pièce de résistance. Generous servings of lobster, prawn, clams, and scallops were cooked in red sauce, topped over artisanal pasta. Dollops of caviar made a beautiful finish that whetted appetites further. Flavors were clean and crisp, allowing the freshness of the proteins to contrast against the rich sauce. Pasta cooked al dente provided a firmness needed to create that perfect bite.
It was almost 10 pm by the time the last of the mains were consumed. More vino was poured, some got into mixing their own gin and tonics. Conversation was made more lively in between bites of what was an extraordinary meal. It was bedtime for most in the party but not before a bite off of Ana’s famous New York cheesecake. Jeweltoned summer berries embellished the confection that melts in the mouth. It was a finale to end all other sweet endings. “This is handsdown the best cheesecake in town. And those berries—so fresh and generous,” states one of the guests. Just like any maestro orchestrating an unforgettable dinner, Ana signaled for plates of sticky rice with mango to be brought out. It was an encore not to be missed, despite full bellies. It was also the cue for Ana to take a bow that night.