Gradually becoming a newfound culinary way of life, Tourne by Chef Sandralyn Hataway is slowly reintroducing to Filipinos what real organic food tastes like.
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TOURNE
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n a very promising Wednesday, June 15, 2011, a quaint, new world cuisine restaurant in the heart of The Fort Strip opened its doors to the public. Named after the most challenging cut of vegetable, Tourne by Chef Sandralyn Hataway offers international cuisine with ingredients coming from all over the Philippines. Promoting not only good food but also love for one’s country, Chef Sandralyn Hataway, owner of Tourne, has scoured the country for her suppliers. From her herbs and greens to her protein products, from the salt that she uses to the fresh field fruits and vegetables, all of them authentic Filipino ingredients - proof that Filipinos and the Philippines are world-class. One of Chef Sandralyn’s suppliers is a non-profit organization called Green Earth Heritage Foundation that started about three years ago. Someone donated a parcel of land estimated to be a hundred hectares at the Sierra Madre and gave livelihood to people and encouraged them to engage in organic farming. These people, surprisingly, used to work as illegal loggers. Chef Sandralyn Hataway started her career in the industry at Hard Rock Cafe where, believe it or not, she was “banned from the kitchen.” Later on, she went to work as a banquet manager in a catering company in Spain then transferred to a Houston-based oil company in West Africa. Her work? Feeding an estimated 4,000 people three times a day. With the tagline “serving good food is our responsibility,” Tourne is slowly making a name in the restaurant industry. Reintroducing its patrons to what real food is way before technology played a role in food production, the restaurant is a breath of fresh air amidst the myriad of fusion cuisine that is made available for all food lovers.
When asked what their signature dish is, Chef Sandralyn answers without batting an eyelash, “Everything in the menu is special. Everything in the menu is pinag-isipan, and we tried it out. If it’s not working, we change it. If people like it, it stays.” Tourne changes its menu every two weeks, providing the sense of taste of diners with a variety of different adventures that will make them come back for more. The interiors, though originally planned to be a formal setup, sports a clean and homey feeling that clearly gives the impression that they have nothing to hide. Food preparation can easily be viewed through the restaurant’s open kitchen undertaken by a very competitive and passionate team led by chef de cuisine Jay Royal. Chef Sandralyn’s everyday kitchen battle to continuously provide great meals for its guests is slowly making its mark. Tourne also provides catering services for different occasions, whether it be a corporate event or a social function, be it indoors or outdoors. For smaller gatherings, the restaurant can also serve as a venue.
come with open arms at Tourne, not limiting its guests to a certain crowd. Since the restaurant offers a variety of food, a variety of people can also enjoy it. In reality, Tourne is not just a restaurant, it is also an advocacy. With the advancements in technology today, people have forgotten that once upon a time, our ancestors lived and survived on the purest of flavors. Nowadays, when people hear the words “organic food,” the first thing that comes to mind is that yes, it is healthy, but the taste is something that needs a lot of improvement. Armed with nothing but pure inspiration and the biggest of dreams, Chef Sandralyn is proving people wrong and changing their mindsets about what healthy food is. What are the future plans for Tourne?
So what is Tourne’s target market?
Chef Sandralyn shares that she plans to have another branch of Tourne in one of the popular malls in the country. Hopefully, in the near future, she also plans to offer apprenticeship to aspiring chefs. According to her, for one to learn the craft, experience is still the best teacher.
Chef Sandralyn ponders before answering, “Foodies.” No specific market, no specific people. People who love food and who love to eat are wel-
For people who want to know how real organic food tastes like, visit Tourne at The Fort Strip, Fort Bonifacio Global City, Taguig, Metro Manila.
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