SERVICE WITH NO RESERVATIONS
CHEF KARLA REYES stays relevant and gives back in time of pandemic
The effervescent, nothing-dampens-her-positivemood Karla Reyes is a force to be reckoned with. And this is simply not due to her illustrious culinary family background. No, it is definitely more than that.
A proud descendant of a seasoned lineage of local restaurateurs, Karla's great-grandmother Lola Asyang—the Mother of Philippine Cooking—founded the fabled The Aristocrat, a pioneer of Filipino cuisine.
This restaurant along The Boulevard is a great leveler. Customers fromall walks of life would dine in the same familiar halls, where extended families celebrated their milestones. Entire clans welcomed their OFW relatives after years-long contracts abroad. It was where Makati and Alabang ladies of style and substance would lunch whenever they were in the area of Old Manila. Successful business executives would make loyal pilgrimages for this was their home during their struggling days of youth.
Her grandfather, Joe Reyes—a foodie even before the term was commonly used—together with his wife Imelda “Meldy” Reyes started The Plaza—the choice venue for the grandest celebrations where one would often see deluxe cars drive up the impressive driveway to drop off VIPs by the grand entrada.
This was the era before the mushrooming of international hotel chains and other get-together venues of notable sizes.
“Initially a restaurant complex, it eventually expanded into five different gastronomic experiences. It boasted of a convention hall that accommodated 800 people,” she narrated its grandeur.
“They introduced the groundbreaking smorgasbord— remember the word—buffet concept, patterned after Scandinavian practices. The mainstay of all dining tables—The Plaza Premium Baked Ham—was concocted by Lola Meldy herself and Swedish Master Chef Gosta Pettersson.”
“This was further bolstered by my mom Millie Reyes, who continued the legacy. At the age of 25, she launched The Plaza at the Philippine International Convention Center, which at one time, handled a clientele of up to 10,000 guests.”
“My mom likewise operated the business as the exclusive concessionaire of the Wack Wack Golf and Country Club and its Cocktail Lounge.”
“She eventually focused on catering due to the vast opportunities it presented,” Karla recounted.
CONTINUING A LEGACY OF SUCCESS
And now comes the fourth generation. Karla, who grew up always surrounded by gourmet food, was never pressured to take up the mantle nor to even involve herself in the trade at all. However, she somehow always knew where she was headed— her eyes were always dead set for the inevitable—all of her own choices, at her own time.
Aware of the changing-faster-than-ever world, she acquired a Business Management degree major in Entrepreneurship at the De La Salle University and supplemented her knowledge with several culinary courses at the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde.
Following her dreams, Karla honed her mastery of the food and beverage industry at the International Culinary Center in New York—the former French Culinary Institute—a prestigious school that prides itself in its Total Immersion Curriculum.
She pursued further studies at the L’Ecole Hotelierre de la Societe Suisse des Hoteliers in Lausanne, Switzerland—her momther's dear alma mater—consistently regarded as the best hospitality school in the world.
With these under her toque, she soon became the Chief Operations Officer of The Plaza specializing in catering. “I likewise oversee the F&B operations at the V&A Law Firm's Executive Lounge and six The Plaza retail branches of specialties around Metro Manila. I even dabbled into Marketing and Social Media when I have the time!” she exclaimed.
Talk about a full plate!
In time, she started her own beverage catering company— the Swizzle Mobile Bar—which serves a slew of drinks such as cocktails, alcoholic and non-alcoholic slushies. Included in her lineup are healthy juices, hot chocolate stations, and even kiddie drinks.