THE Pink Kitchen, a fund-raising event of the ICanServe Foundation, wrapped up two weeks ago.

The foundation aims to empower women with information on breast cancer and other female-related cancers. It also provides testing and medical services to poor and underprivileged women.

It was imperative for me to attend not only because of the food offerings from different companies, chefs and culinary schools, but also because I come from a family of breast cancer survivors-four sisters out of seven, and a grandmother. So the odds aren't good for me, and any program that can help out becomes my program, too.

At Pink Kitchen, if you knew some of the vendors, you wouldn't leave hungry. Pauline Banusing of Fresca sent the rare diwal (angel's wings shellfish) and the wonderful managat (snapper) to our table. Dr. Boy Vasquez sent what he called a degustacion of his dishes and entertained us with his asides. And by the time we were ready for Wynn Wynn Ong's Burmese coconut noodle soup, it was gone.

This year, lunch, merienda and dinner offered different or additional dishes. I could only stay for lunch, but that stretched on till late afternoon. I went through six main entrees plus three desserts. It was the most filling donation to a good cause, indeed. I even took home packs of braised duck from Everybody's of San Fernando, Pampanga, and breads from assorted vendors.

Excellent food

One of the good things that Pink Kitchen did for me was learn about Sally Clarke, considered one of England's best chefs. It was Libet Virata, marketing and sponsorship head of the event, who told me about her.

Sally and I conversed through e-mail.
She has a bakery, Clarke's Breads, that supplies several London restaurants with hand-shaped loaves, and a shop, Clarke's, where she sells her bottled goods such as jams and relishes, plus pastas and fresh soups.

Working hours

Clarke said her working hours start at 8 a.m., but she is home by 6 p.m. to cook for her 9-year-old son. She visits her bakery only once a week, but keeps in touch daily by phone.

Because her first book was critically successful, she feels pressured to come up with another to celebrate Clarke's 25th anniversary in 2009.

She still writes, but prefers doing it for the dailies, and she finds it difficult to write about apricots or asparagus when they are not yet in season.

Her advice to culinary students? Be mad and passionate about the work, because it will be a hard life in "a steam-filled kitchen, full of stress and strain, which includes dealing with bad-tempered chefs and kitchen managers!"

And for those who want to open a restaurant, deli and bakery?

"It takes tremendous energy and ambition. Just the expense of setting up a modest restaurant nowadays is frightening! But if you absolutely have the passion, vision and madness to do it, then by all means, go for it!"

E-mail pinoyfood04@yahoo.com