This October, Holiday Inn & Suites Makati’s Flavors Restaurant welcomes Chef Dennis Lim, who brings his passion for cooking to the hotel’s famed buffet spread for lunch and dinner from October 10-19, 2017.
Born and raised in San Fernando, Pampanga to the family that runs the famous LA Bakery, Chef Dennis Lim has carved out his own name in local gastronomy with his rustic, reservation-only private dining restaurant, Den Lim’s Kitchen. It can take up to a year to secure a spot in this converted warehouse in Pampanga, where the self-taught chef freshly prepares the food in front of the guests and then proceeds to serve and explain each dish.
Holiday Inn approached Chef Den Lim because he fits the personality of Flavors Restaurant. The vibrant, all-day dining restaurant is run by all-Filipino talent, singling out Holiday Inn & Suites Makati as the only international chain with a Filipino executive chef.
“We are always looking for interesting food ideas and collaborations to bring a great dining and travel experience to our guests and customers,” states Mr. Andy Belmonte, Hotel Manager, Holiday Inn & Suites Makati. “Chef Den Lim is a good fit because his cooking style reflects Flavors Restaurant’s friendly, choiceful and unpretentious vibe.
“It felt right,” asserts Chef Den Lim. “More than just another feather in my cap, I know it will be good experience working with other chefs. I do not have formal training, so I know I will learn a lot from this. And from the moment I met the people from Holiday Inn & Suites Makati, it has felt like home.”

Flavors takes pride in having one of the best buffet selections in Makati City, bringing the best of Filipino, South East Asian, and Western dishes to the table. This month, Chef Den Lim’s signature dishes are a special treat for the business hotel’s clientele – no need to wait an entire year to savor the bold and exciting flavours from this maverick chef.
“I wouldn’t know what to call my style of cooking,” Chef Den Lim intones. “I keep it simple, as I like to bring out the true flavors in my dishes. For instance, if I’m cooking pork, I highlight its basic porky taste. I find my inspiration from people who love food. My family, we all love to eat, so that’s what encouraged me to cook better.”
Joining Flavors’ choice selection is Chef Den Lim’s Oriental Cashew Salad, a signature salad with slightly sweet, tangy and creamy dressing of pureed cashews topped with candied walnuts, roasted cashew nuts and a sprinkling of chili pepper flakes for an added kick.

The mains include Pasta Corrito (named after Chef Den Lim’s partner), a rich seafood pasta with shrimp, mussels and squid, cooked with seafood brine, lemon, capers, and extra virgin olive oil; the luxuriously creamy and savory Crab Marlen, crab sautéed with basil and 30 salted egg yolks; Caveman’s Shank, tender, smoked beef shank braised for 5-6 hours and smothered with mushroom gravy; and Spanish Callos, slow-cooked tripe and beef skin with Spanish chorizo in white wine and smoked paprika.

Of course, the star of the show is the Pugon Liempo Wrap, Chef Den Lim’s signature dish that has his Pampanga kitchen booked solid for months: succulent roasted pork belly wrapped in lettuce and arugula, topped with housemade pork buro and tomatoes.

Chef Den Lim’s dishes are a welcome complement to Flavors’ choice selection of dishes that are well thought out and deliciously prepared, showcasing bread, cold cuts, a salad bar, a pasta bar, a carving station, a variety of mains, and a sushi bar. For dessert, the buffet showcases a spread that rivals the top bakeshops in town, with its heavenly Ube Cheesecake, as well as the Café Jeepney Crepe Samurai of the former InterContinental Hotel Manila. Flavors’ lunch and dinner buffet are priced at Php 1,818 nett.
Holiday Inn & Suites Makati is located in the heart of Ayala Center, adjacent to Glorietta, with 348 well-appointed rooms and suites that offer comfort and relaxation to business travelers and families alike. In 2016, it was awarded 5 stars by the Department of Tourism based on its exceptional facilities and amenities.
Holiday Inn & Suites Makati is located at Palm Drive, Ayala Center, Makati City. For more information, please call (02) 909-0888 or visit www.holidayinn.com/makati.