The Dinner Challenge

An entertaining challenge that would overwhelm many of us was a mere stroll in the park for Charmaine Landicho Baechle, the director of New York City non-profit catering company City Beets. Lucky to procure an invitation, Margot arrived early to get the inside scoop on sparking culinary creativity, how to be an effortless host and the secrets of French and Filipino cooking.

For menu inspiration, Landicho Baechle keeps it personal, drawing on her Filipino heritage, her years growing up in Switzerland and more than two decades of adventures in New York City. “For the challenge, I incorporated my love for one-pot dishes, my Filipino background and my favorite French dessert so that the food would feel like a true reflection of myself.”

Given that a successful dinner party is first and foremost about human interactions, the hostess allows plenty of time for guests to mingle and get acquainted. In this casual spirit, with her charming Emmy-award winning composer husband Mark tasked with serving wines and making introductions, she serves the first course comprising a zesty ricotta dip accompanied by endive and sliced baguette. “I prefer a relaxed atmosphere and instead of a plated first course, I usually serve a simple dip,” she says, explaining that a dip plated is easy to make in advance, is a perpetual crowd pleaser and isn’t too filling. Most importantly, guests are given the space to ease into the evening and soak up the home’s special ambiance (a bespoke playlist enhances the vibes).

With a philosophy that food should always “awaken the senses,” Landicho Baechle chose a beloved dish that offers serious wow factor. “Bringhe is a Filipino-style paella with coconut milk, broth, and banana leaves,” Charmaine explains. “Its beauty is that it's a one-pot dish served straight from the skillet - you will wow your guests when you remove the banana leaves. They will delight in its colorful ingredients, fragrant smells and earthy flavor.”

Bringhe, Charmaine adds, can also be easily adapted for vegetarians. “I gravitate towards dishes that easily accommodate different food preferences,” she says. “The bringhe can easily be made vegetarian or even vegan by using vegetable stock and replacing meat with extra vegetables that add texture and flavor.”