I first arrived in the Philippines as an exchange student in 1957. One friend I made there was Lt Tito Bueno, in the Philippine Constabulary, stationed near my school in Mindanao. We both loved fishing and hunting.

Fast forward to 1977 I am Food and Beverage Director at the five star Hyatt Terraces Hotel in Baguio City. Tito is now Col Bueno assigned to the Presidential detail for President Marcos. We still hunt and fish when we can.

So this balmy day in 1977 Tito arrives but not to discuss our latest fishing lies. He’s all decked out in his gold and braid accompanied with three other glittering officers. They have a problem and want to make it my problem. Our rival hotel is the stately old Pines Hotel owned by Philippine Air Lines which is owned mostly by the Philippine government. All of the presidential entertaining is done in house there or at the summer palace, The Mansion. A security problem had developed at the Pines Hotel and they wanted to change the venue for President Marcos birthday bash to be hosted by the Philippine military. “For twenty five hundred? Sorry no way, we don’t have that large of a space” Sorry Tito. We all smile and they depart. I tell my boss and we both have a good laugh.

Two days pass and Tito drops in again. He has a scotch and I my usual orange juice. It doesn’t take long to find out his return visit has an ominous overtone. Like, “Jim, old bud, you have to do this party”. Really? “Ya buddy your hooked and being reeled in”

So begins three months of battle plans, screams, tears and my biggest and hardest damn catered party.

They had solved all my opposition if not worries. We would use the Mansion House lawns.

I was assigned one Philippine army battalion. They would transform four pelota courts into four complete kitchens. All enclosed and air conditioned. My staff of 187 was to be augmented with 62 Philippine navy cooks.

As servers we had the full Corps of Cadets of the Philippine Military Academy plus troops from the provided battalion as backs and busers. Now all I needed was a pair of stars on my collar, more hair, and a bottle of aspirin. Thoughts of spilled soup in Imelda’s lap or a bug in Ferdinand’s salad and me being deported or worse were bantered around. George, my boss, solemnly promised to visit me in Bilabid if anything went wrong.

The menu is passed back and forth between Malacanang, Ft. Bonifacio and my office for two weeks. Sweaty sleepless nights accompany the passing days as time ticks away without a menu. Finally we had it. Palawan prawns over lobster swirls, Ilacano red sinigang broth with santol, Baguio Greens with Trinidad berry vinaigrette, Beef Wellington, Ifugao baby potatoes, string beans pinakbet, and mango rum flan cake.

We start right off by fabricating individual and full loin Wellingtons to measure cooking space and time. We worry if our ovens will match those going to be set up in the field kitchens. We test time from oven to plates and how fast plating and estimate table delivery rate and time. Will the food arrive to all 2500 guests timely and hot enough to be acceptable? We had the manpower but getting them in an out rapidly was a looming problem. It is decided that the kitchens will be set up three weeks before the event to test things on the ground. We also decide that individual Wellingtons although harder and longer to fabricate will plate up faster, neater and stay hot longer.


One major break was the offered use of a large revolving bakery oven from the Military Academy’s bakery. Our military people located three more ovens. Camp John Hay came through with a smaller version and two more were found in storage at Subic Bay Navel Base. They were old but in working condition. The Philippine Army arranged to buy them from the US Navy. What no red tape?

The kitchen slowly started to take shape on paper and in actuality. Small ware for 2500 was more difficult. We decided to break up the small ware by four and assign each kitchen a different set. This was manageable. Settings for 625 we could come up with. We barrowed a set from the Presidential Palace for the head tables and the rest came from our hotel, Philippine Military Academy and Camp John Hay. San Miguel Corporation donated all the glass ware with Presidential shield engraving on the wine glasses. They also donated all the wine to be served.

The assistant general manager Hans Kuhn having food and beverage experience was assigned to handle the front and I was to handle the kitchen. Our boss George Kienberger was to handle Mrs. Marcos. He had the hardest job.

Hans assigned three cadets and one enlisted man per table of twelve. Twenty each cadets and enlisted men were to be backup. Each kitchen would handle 52 tables with kitchen number 2 taking the extra tables if needed and the head tables.

The Presidential table was to have their own serving staff which would accompany the cadet servers. Kitchen 2 would also have the Presidential food security team which oversaw all food being taken to the President and his family. They would taste all food being prepared and supervise the assembly of the Wellingtons for that table. This team visited our hotel several weeks prior to the event so they would get to know us and the kitchen staff to be present at The Mansion. They were a nice group and told us in detail what to expect and how to handle ourselves and what to avoid.

The bar was set up in a separate tent and was handled by our hotel bar, disco and coffee shop staff. It served wine, Champaign, soda and acted as a water and coffee/tea station.

We run our tests. Do dry runs. Fine tune. Drive the army and cadets crazy. Ruin lots of food. Finally produce it just right. Not once but three times. We are ready.

Its September 11, 1977 and here they come.

Notes:

1. We were not allowed cameras, who had time anyway. So the pictures here are represntations except those of President Marcos and family which were provided us after the event.

2. Our hotel became the official event center for Presidential functions in Baguio and saw a parade of heads of state after this.

3. The cost of this event was US$82,000. Subsequently Mrs. Marcos broke the record with a private party that cost US$180,000.