SumoSam opens in SM Manila

i was lucky to have a free week mid-March and i was even luckier to be invited to the launch of SumoSam in SM Manila. i think it's my first time to dine in SumoSam, and as a first-timer, i am not disappointed. although i am very sensitive towards seafood (i am very allergic to it, i react within minutes), they fortunately have a wide-array of foods to choose from.

Chef Marvin Agustin, yes, the actor and owner of SumoSam and other restaurants, was present in the event. we got to ask him questions the restaurant, and of course, i only remember the ones i asked him. i asked him which of the foods in the menu list can he call his own, meaning, the one he created by himself. i liked his answer, he said there was none, because the foods in the menu are planned, decided and made by a team of chefs of SumoSam, so no one can claim a food in their menu "his own". i like the hidden "there's no I in team" message in their team and how the food they serve are products of teamwork and that customers aren't actually eating some chef's ego.

we chatted quite a long while, i don't exactly remember how me being a culinary student was brought to light. well, i remember Kuya Az of Azrael's Merryland mentioning it during the conversation, but exactly when in the conversation, i have no idea. anyway, we exchanged stories of experiences in culinary school, we are products of different culinary schools, so some things are similar, some are different, but we are in the same industry nonetheless.

i asked if he actually hires interns in any of his restaurants and he said yes to my delight, just submit a resume to their Human Resources Department. although i was partly joking, i really was inquiring if they allow interns. just to let you know, i am about to start the hunt for an internship once we are summoned for internship briefing mid-April, so i am actually exploring possibilities. i mean, take a chance, right? if it's not gonna be me, there are classmates who may be interested. oh well.. anyway..

i would like to end this post by congratulating SumoSam for the successful launch in SM Manila. it was their 25th branch, if i was actually listening and remembering things correctly. they also opened another SumoSam last March 22 somewhere in Makati.