Old Manila Chef de Cuisine Domenico Nicolino

06/02/2023

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Talented Italian Chef de Cuisine Domenico Nicolino brings new culinary flair to Old Manila as he takes over the helm of The Peninsula Manila’s iconic restaurant, making it the perfect playground for his innovative take on Contemporary Bistronomy Cuisine.

 

Consistently hailed as one of the finest restaurants in the city, Old Manila at The Peninsula Manila is continuing its relentless pursuit of culinary excellence with the appointment of Chef de Cuisine Domenico Nicolino.

Since it opened in 1976, Old Manila has become an iconic landmark in the city’s culinary landscape. With a top-notch pedigree earned after having trained under Michelin-star chefs in Copenhagen‘s Restaurant Kong Hans Kaelde and creating menus for the Emporio Armani Café in Munich, 38-year-old Chef Nicolino brings more than 15 years of experience to Old Manila, making him the ideal choice to continue the restaurant’s proud epicurean tradition and reputation for culinary excellence that stretches back to more than four decades.

The first Italian to be appointed Chef de Cuisine of Old Manila, he promises to prove himself a worthy successor to the esteemed chefs who have helped shape Old Manila’s stellar reputation. Deftly lending his own assured touch to a “Contemporary Bistronomy and Grill” menu that will be of interest to Manila’s lovers of fine food, his brand of culinary flair is a perfect combination of flavors, aromas, textures and presentation using the best seasonal ingredients sourced locally and abroad, presented in bold and unexpected ways.

Chef Nicolino’s cuisine combines classic techniques with the best local seasonal produce, resulting in mouthwatering gastronomic creations. Chef Nicolino will take a farm-to-table approach, sourcing as many ingredients as possible from local areas, including fresh vegetables from farms in nearby Tagaytay and Batangas, with others flown in daily from Mindanao. The chef has also established relationships with trusted suppliers to source top-quality fish and seafood that are ethically and sustainably sourced, or responsibly farmed.

US and New Zealand premium beef will be from cows that graze on alpine pastures, complementing the wagyu meat that he is importing from Japan.

Unlike many accomplished chefs, Domenico did not see himself taking a career path involving a life in the kitchen. “I took up BioChemistry in university,” he shares, but it was a constant tug of war between his studies and his love for skiing.

“My family is from Calabria in the south of Italy but we moved to Novara in the Piedmont region, 25 km from Milan, when I was three. It was there that I learned to ski at age six. I haven’t stopped since.” The lure of the Italian Alps with the cold winter winds blowing in his face as he would ski down their steep slopes proved irresistible, so after a year in university he opted to become a ski instructor.

But while mountain resorts are primarily known for picturesque skiing and snowboarding during winter months, most of them close down during the summer. “And that’s how I discovered the kitchen,” he adds.

Growing up in a region where fresh produce changes with the seasons, Chef Nicolino developed an early respect for wholesome ingredients. “My father is a teacher who loves to cook. My family grows their own vegetables and makes their own olive oil from 150-year-old trees.” he says with a smile. “Knowing the origins of every ingredient brings true joy to cooking and eating. I learned this from a very early age.”

Apparently, Papa Nicolino’s love for cooking and eating well rubbed off on his son, and it wasn’t long before the young Commis Chef found himself working in Tantris, a one Michelin-star restaurant in Novara. A few years later, he had packed up his bags and was working in some of the top restaurants and hotels in the UK, Australia, Malta, US, Norway, Thailand, Estonia, Denmark, France, Azerbaijan, Germany, and Abu Dhabi.

A globetrotter with a passion for food is how he describes himself. “I have been to 48 countries, and I love that I am always able to taste and learn something new.” It is because of his storied culinary career spanning three continents that Chef de Cuisine Domenico Nicolino brings an exciting new international perspective to Old Manila.

Highlights of Chef Nicolino’s new Old Manila menu include: Old Manila Signature Beef Tartare (Hand chopped Angus beef, oyster mayonnaise, shallots, capers, Kristal caviar); Foie Gras Parfait (Pear, muscat gel, almond nougatine); Gnocchi à la Parisienne (Wild mushrooms, truffles, leeks, Parmesan foam); Aged Comté Cheese Risotto (Chanterelle, Albuféra emulsion); Pumpkin Velouté (Diced pumpkin, squash seed oil); and Pan-seared Turbot (Razor clams, sake dashi beurre blanc).

Old Manila’s guests can continue with their superlative gastronomic journey with his acclaimed dry-aged selection of steaks that are grilled fresh and accompanied by a complimentary side dish and a sauce of choice.

“Chef de Cuisine Domenico Nicolino brings with him an impressive list of accomplishments and a wealth of experience that we are thrilled to have in Old Manila,” says The Peninsula Manila General Manager Masahisa Oba. “We are proud of the inspired new menu he has created and know that he will continue to raise the standards, assuring our guests of an incredible dining experience.”

Chef Nicolinos adds, “This is a growing menu, one that’s still in its infancy. I’m sure that once I and my team get settled in, our guests will be very surprised with the many exciting menu offers that will be waiting for them every time they visit Old Manila. I want to integrate my passion for technique and combine it with the delicious selection of seasonal produce available, allowing the carefully selected flavors to shine through and enhance them through a play on the five senses for our guests to enjoy.”

For more information and table reservations, please call The Peninsula Manila at +63 2 8887 2888 (ext. 6691 or 6694 for Restaurant Reservations) or email diningpmn@peninsula.com.


 
 
About Old Manila

Accented in Art Deco-inspired geometric patterns in gray, cream and black, and complemented by large-scale photographs by Filipino-Spanish photographer Francisco Guerrero, the contemporary interiors are the perfect foil to the unmatched award-winning contemporary market cuisine menu and extensive wine selection of The Peninsula Manila’s 46-year-old signature restaurant. 

Old Manila can accommodate 80 guests, with a private dining room that can sit 24. 

Open daily except Sundays: 
Monday to Friday Lunch 11:30 am to 2:30 pm 
Monday to Saturday Dinner 6:30 pm to 11:00 pm
 

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