The launching of Imperial Palace’s brand of luxury

I ALWAYS chance upon Jason Uy, one of the owners of Profood International Corp. that is internationally renowned for its processed mango and fruit products, every time I visit their factory’s gift shop in Mandaue City.

Our meeting in May 2011 while I was

buying dried mango products that I usually bring in my trips to New York was an auspicious one. Jason was with a Korean-American executive he introduced as Mr. Simon Yang, the new general manager of Imperial Palace Waterpark Resort & Spa. Then the tourism industry was abuzz with the forthcoming partnership of

Profood International Corp. and the Philippine BXT Corporation,

Korean owners of Imperial Palace Waterpark Resort & Spa in Mactan Island.

Jason Uy and I trace our friendship to the defunct Cebu Plaza Hotel where Profood International Corp. was one of the biggest suppliers of its food products including the Tampico fruit juices that were served in fancy

dispensers at the hotel’s coffee shop.  Jason also generously supported our in-house activities, especially our

charitable events for indigent children then. Today, he continues to be supportive of worthy causes I bring to hisattention.

The invitation for the Launching of Imperial Palace Waterpark Resort & Spa’s Lifestyle Villas last December gave me a chance to meet Jason Uy, this time as the resort’s  chief executive officer.

Jason’s shy nature, trying to veer away from the public eye, has to be set aside now that he is in the forefront of a

premier hospitality establishment.

The new assistant general manager, Jonathan Nowell, an accomplished British hotelier, together with the sales and marketing staff, hosted

the event. Lifestyle Villas is the most luxurious brand of Imperial Palace. Exclusive and private, each villa is paradise captured in a well

appointed cabana with its own private pool or jacuzzi, a deck, oversized bathrooms, a villa host, personalized check-in and out and other amenities. The Lifestyle Villas are just a few steps away from the exciting Waterpark.

Dinner that followed after the launch was at the Coral Seaside Restaurant overlooking Mactan Bay. The rainy weather did not allow us to dine al fresco at its veranda.  Executive Western Chef Trevor Furner who hails from Scotland has created a special menu that embodies his impressive credentials. Trained in the classic French cookery in Le Cordon Bleu

Culinary School in Paris, he has honed his Western Mediterranean and Caribbean cuisine.  For the starter, we had a healthy Mallorca Salad —drilled red bell peppers and aubergines on a bed of crisp greens drizzled with balsamic vinegar, olive oil and pesto dressing. The appetizer, Eggplant Rollatini, is a colorful dish with sliced eggplants rolled with

ricotta cheese, baked and topped with tomato concasse (French for “crushed”) with goat cheese and basil. For my

entrée, I chose Fillet of Atlantic Salmon on a bed of Steamed Mussels, Wilted Spinach and finished with Champagne Cream Reduction. AGM Jonathan Nowell and I agreed that our entrée choice was a delicious and healthy

one. The salmon and mussels were so sweetly fresh. The Roasted Strip Loin of Beef with herb crust and port wine jus must have been as delicious. CEO

Jason Uy caught up with us in time for dessert, Mango Pannacotta. The rain had stopped so Jason excitedly informed us that dinner in Coral Seaside Restaurant is not complete without feeding the fishes that teemed in the bay just

below the veranda. With a basket of bread in hand, Jason passed the bread around. We had a blast feeding the fishes.