Chef Luis Chikiamco of Discovery Primea Makati has bravely launched a business amidst the pandemic. He allows us to play Chef with his beautifully-packaged DIY Yakiniku curated boxes filled with premium beef and special homemade sauces through his Yakiniku Ikouze brand.
The DIY Yakiniku Box
Each box contains:
300g USDA Short ribs
300g SRF (Snake River Farm) Wagyu Tender
260 mL Yakiniku Sauce, 260 mL Spicy Yakiniku Sauce, Sesame seeds, Shichimi Togarashi (Japanese 7 spice), Wooden Chopsticks, and a visual instruction leaflet.
Yakiniku Ikouze’s DIY box is good for about 2-3 people and not only looks good but tastes even better! Well-marbled USDA short ribs and richly-colored wagyu tenders are complemented with flavourful home-made sauces that are all well-proportioned. Each box is good for 2-3 people and is reasonably priced at Php980 given the quality of the content.
Yakiniku Ikouze literally translates to “grilled meat let’s go” is an experience everyone in the family can enjoy. No need for fancy equipments, any K-grill or regular kitchen pan will do just fine. The DIY box stays true to its Japanese roots with the inclusion of a carefully drawn manga-inspired instruction leaflet featuring Toshi the Yakiniku Master with recommended cook times from rare to well done meat.
The Verdict
I love the whole experience and would recommend everyone to try this one out! I felt like a pro as I generously rubbed the Shichimi Togarashi with a little sprinkle of salt and rosemary about 10 minutes prior to cooking in butter.
I used a regular nonstick skillet over an induction cooker at 800 temperature and grilled the meat to my preference at about 30 secs for each side. The centre of the wagyu tenders retained just the right amount of pink I like. While the home-made sauces are just the right amount of sweet and spicy. I equally love them both and dip into each alternately. A warm cup of white Japanese rice would be perfect to complete the menu, but I opted to pair the meat with cheese, biscuits, and a cold serving of Rosé wine.
Where to Get?
If you are looking to upgrade your at-home dining experience, I urge you to try Yakiniku Ikouze! This is a delicious and great way to recreate date nights with your loved ones or try something new with the whole family at the comfort of your home. You may order from their IG page, FB page, or by placing an inquiry via 0917 536 2528. I’d like to thank my good friend Aleah for sending me a Yakiniku Ikouze DIY box for my version of (fur)Mom’s day.
Meet the Chef
It’s optimistic to see the ingenuity of the people in local food scene as the industry copes to embrace the new norm such as Chef Luis Chikiamco. They continue find creative ways to deliver these experiences at home not only to keep the business afloat but also to allow Pinoys to enjoy food they love and bring bite-sized comfort.
Chef Luis was a former Executive Chef of Discovery Suites and is currently the head of Discovery Primea Makati’s restaurant outlets. According to the Discovery Primea website, Hh has an extensive culinary experience spanning more than a decade in France, Mexico and the Philippines. He has a degree in Culinary Arts and Hotel Management from L’Institut Paul Bocuse in Lyon, France and apprenticed at at the three-star Michelin Auberge et Clos de Cimes in Lyon, France. From then brought home is rich experience with engagements at the Intercontinental Hotel, Soleil Moderne Café, Crowne Plaza Galleria Manila, Illustrado Restaurant as well as being Chef Instructor at the Henry Sison and CCA Manila Culinary Schools.
Credits:
Photos featured in the article are a combination of personal files or are from the official Yakiniku Ikouze FB Page, IG Page and Chef Luis Chikiamco’s FB page.
