New Chef de Cuisine Brings In Italian Favorites to Cucina

Diners who love Italian food will be delighted to find out that something even more delicious has arrived at Marco Polo Manila. Straight from a 5-year culinary journey in Bali—and a decade of experience in London, Italy, and various parts of Asia—Chef Giuseppe Rivoli joins Marco Polo and assumes the position of Cucina’s Chef de Cuisine.

Feast on Italian specialties such as Beet-cured Salmon with Crème Fraiche, Wild Mushroom Risotto, Ossobucco ala Milanese, and Beef Cheek Couscous—all prided creations of the chef hailing from Italy. These treats come alongside Cucina’s regular buffet selections, and on weekends, get surprised as the chef cooks up something extra special, like a porchetta stuffed with sun-dried tomatoes and black olive pate.

Chef Giuseppe, who worked as Executive Chef in Singapore’s Trattoria Italia and as Chef de Partie in Nobu Restaurant London’s Grill Section, takes inspiration from his travels; having spent a lot of time in Asia, his expertise comprise of Italian and Asian cuisines. His style of cooking is a mix of contemporary and traditional—he still wants people to enjoy his food as if they were dining at home, the way they eagerly anticipate what their grandmothers have prepared for the day.

The Ossobucco ala Milanese was truly mouthwatering—served with soft yellow polenta, the tasty veal shanks served with a rich wine-based sauce teased the palate. I also loved the Beef Cheek Couscous with Grilled Vegetables! The meat was melt-in-your-mouth, and I loved how the light couscous let the flavors of the beef shine. My personal favorite, however, was the simple yet exquisite Wild Mushroom Risotto!

Ossobucco ala Milanese
Beef Cheek Couscous
We were able to meet the cheerful and passionate chef over lunch at Cucina, and it was nice to hear his stories about Bali, and how he still haven’t found the courage to eat balut up to now. He also shared his special Wild Mushroom Risotto recipe, which you can download below (or see high-res here) and try at home!

Even with the new exciting dishes, Cucina still retains its much-loved items such as the Prime Rib and the Paella Mixta. The next time you visit Marco Polo’s all-day dining venue, I recommend trying all the new Italian dishes first before heading to the other stations (salad, cheeses and cold cuts, seafood, Japanese, Chinese, Filipino, Indian, dessert).


Welcome to Manila, Chef Giuseppe!



Cucina is Marco Polo Manila's all-day dining restaurant and is open Mondays to Sundays from 12:00PM - 10:30PM (a la carte); 6:00AM - 10:00AM (breakfast buffet); 12:00PM - 2:30PM (lunch buffet); and 6:00PM - 10:30PM (dinner buffet). Click here for more info about Cucina, and see below for the buffet rates.


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Cucina
24/F, Marco Polo Ortigas, Sapphire St. cor. Meralco Ave., Ortigas, Pasig City
+632.720.7720
manila@marcopolohotels.com
Buffet rates:
Weekday lunch - PhP1,500; weekday dinner - PhP1,800
Saturday lunch - PhP2,300; Saturday dinner - PhP2,650
Sunday lunch - PhP2,650; Sunday dinner - PhP2,300

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Click here to read more of Marco Polo Ortigas or book a room here.
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What do you think of Cucina's new dishes?

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