Sunday, April 16, 2017

Wild Juan: Chef Thomas Murillo

April is a busy month for a good number of people in the food service industry as Madrid Fusion 2017 takes place.  From April 6 – 8, 2017 at the SMX Convention Center in Pasay City, people from near and far places come together to share their passion for food.  Part of the delegation representing Calabarzon is the chef behind the placed tagged as “definitely not your ordinary food find among the rising places at Tagaytay Ridge”; this is Chef Thomas Murillo of Wild Juan.


His love for food started young and he took his first step towards it during his sophomore year as a Consular and Diplomatic Affairs student at the College of Saint Benilde.  He decided to take commercial cooking and culinary arts at First Gourmet Academy and had his apprenticeship at 2nds after.  This lead him further by becoming one of the pioneering member behind Paprika PH and years later his own restaurant at a family-owned place at Tagaytay Ridge.  Wild Juan is born.


Wild Juan bears the concept of East meets West and is delivered with the hospitality of Filipinos in the Southern part of Luzon.   His food creations are something that we are all familiar with but are delivered with a twist and flair.  Perfect sample are the Sisig Paksiw, Krispy Kasoy Kare-Kare (KKK) and Gumbulalo.  Three common dishes but comes with a new level of flavor and goodness due to techniques and passion.


Learning never ends for Chef Thomas as he earns his NCII Commercial Cooking and ServSafe:  Food Safety & Sanitation certificates.  He pushes himself to be the best and at par to the world, thus making his quality for food high and passion much higher.  He doesn’t stop there as he then shares his knowledge and passion this coming Madrid Fusion 2017 to foreign delegates and proudly represent Calabarzon.




Chef Thomas Murillo, stays humble yet proud of his craft thus from love of food it now is a burning passion.  Come at the biggest food event this season at the SMX in Pasay or visit Wild Juan located at KM 68 Tagaytay-Nasugbu Highway and experience the comfort and passion that he shares at every plate served.


The Wild Juan is located at KM 68 Pinesville, Tagaytay- Nasugbu(National) Highway, Tagaytay City, 4120, Philippines. For Inquiries/reservation: +63 9154324196    +63 9178404211

Maharlika and Agimat by Liquido Maestro Kalel Demetrio

This April, food lovers and experts come together at the biggest food event of the season – Madrid Fusion 2017. To be held at the SMX Convention Center in Pasay City, food people near and far shall share their knowledge and passion about food.  Perfect food pairing is the key to a remarkable and unforgettable dining experience thus the perfect drink must come with that sumptuous dish.

Liquid Chef Kalel Demetrio is a mixologist that is not strapped in simply doing cocktails.  For him, the perfect drink may come in the form of a juice, tea, cocktail or even a smoothie.  His concept of farm-to-glass is simply a demonstration of his love for the best local produce and serving it into a drink that people will love and enjoy.  His support to the local farming business is his way of making sure that the industry will simply get the best of the best without artificial flavors enhancing it.

Madrid Fusion 2017 now serves as a venue for him to launch two of his creations thus making him pioneer in this product market niche, Agimat and Maharlika – a syrup of derived from Mother Nature’s best produce and an infused flavored kombucha.

Known as mushroom tea, Kombucha is not really coming from a mushroom but from a result of fermentation wherein SCOBY (Symbiotic Culture of Bacteria and Yeast) is formed.  This SCOBY then eats the sugar of this fermented sweet black tea thus making it lower in PH.

He took it a step further by infusing delightful flavors without losing the health benefits this concoction is known for.  With flavors added, his kombucha concoction is more palate acceptable and delightful – thus Agimat is born.  A health drink that delivers more than what is expected. 

Agimat is beyond your usual charms and amulets, it is a drink that helps protect your liver, lowers your sugar and cholesterol level and eases nerve issues.  No deity’s blessing but simply Mother Nature giving her children what she has and the gentle hands of a working Man extracting and transforming it to what will benefit all.  It may not bring immortality but it will help strengthen your life.

Making a rich and delightful drink is no easy feat that is why Liquido Maestro Kalel Demetrio came up with this product for the discerning public.

Maharlika is the newest line of flavored syrup that is rich in flavor and goodness similar to its namesake.  Each bottle of syrup underwent a carefully defined process ensuring the full extraction of flavor in each drop making it rich and true to taste.  Maharlika is more than a syrup concoction, it is a drink additive suited for royalty.

From the best of the local produce available, Maharlika defies all syrup concoction in the market by ensuring the clarity of flavor and supporting the local farming and food industry.  We make it a point that the source becomes sustainable and sufficient in the long run thus pushing for growth in all aspect of the business.  We are not only business minded individuals but people with an advocacy.  Like the nobles of Olden Times, we look after our people and land.

Maharlika, is not just a brand of syrup.  It is a syrup concoction made by caring hands of working people.  From selection to packaging, each bottle under goes a specific determined process to ensure that we remain true to our name and purpose;  that is to deliver a product that will make you experience the best there is in the market.

Maharlika is fitted for royalty as they only serve the best that you deserve!




With Barik already in some establishments where he has designed drinks suited for their clients and image, Agimat and Maharlika is soon to join the niche of market with discerning taste.