MANILA, Philippines ? August is Miele Guide Restaurant Month at Le Soufflé in Rockwell, Makati. The highlight is the Miele Special Set Menu, a filling and full meal to impress any foodie.

The Miele Menu lives up to being ?special? because of three things: it is for a cause, it is a simple but carefully prepared combo by chef Jessie Sincioco, and it has something celebrity chef Ming Tsai loved.

The appetizer is Smoked Salmon-and-Caviar Pie served with melba toast and endive, followed by the Salad of Fresh Greens and Fruits with brie and dried figs in mango-vinaigrette dressing.

The soup, the Special Miele Surprise, is a clear essence of beef shank with goose liver, potatoes and balut (duck embryo) encased in puff pastry.

?I served this soup to Ming Tsai,? says Sincioco. ?After he finished it, I asked him, ?Do you know what you just ate?? He said, ?Whatever it is, it was good!??

Ming Tsai was in the country last April and Sincioco and other local chefs whipped up food for him.

?He was familiar with the balut. He even said, ?I could see the head!? but he was game and had it,? Sincioco says.

Apart from the balut soup, Sincioco cooked chicken-pork adobo with kesong puti for Tsai.

?He said to me, ?If there?s any leftover, I could bring it to my apartment.? Pinagluto ko na lang ng bago,? Sincioco says, laughing.

The famous chef had such a good time in the country that he sent a thank you letter to Sincioco by mail, commending her for the wonderful meal.

The main entrée for the Miele Menu is the Roast Supreme of Organic ?Maawi? Chicken topped with black truffles in a light creamy wild mushroom sauce, served with herbed couscous and sautéed French beans.

?Maawi? is a French breed of organic chicken. Le Soufflé sources its supply from a couple in Pangasinan.

Dessert is a Le Soufflé classic, Demitasse of Grand Marnier and Orange Soufflé spiked with a strip of dark couverture. Have it with coffee or tea. The set is available for lunch and dinner at the Rockwell branch (tel. 8977516 or 8906543).

Guide book

The Miele Guide is an international booklet created in 2008 to give recognition to Asia?s best chefs and restaurants. It is funded by Miele, a brand of high-end kitchen equipment made in Germany. The guide book, published by Singapore-based Ate Media, was recently launched in Singapore.

Among the 300 Asian restaurants in the Miele Guide, over 50 restaurants including Le Soufflé at Rockwell were chosen to come up with a set menu for a cause. Le Soufflé will be giving 15 percent of proceeds from the Miele Special Set Menu, priced at P3,000 per head, to the cause.

Ate Media?s goal is to raise $250,000 to be donated to the United Nations World Food Program. The amount will be used to feed 4,000 children around the world.

?This is our way of giving back; we?re thankful to be chosen in the Miele Guide as a restaurant to have the special set menu. We are glad to be able to help,? says Sincioco. ?As long as someone wants to order it, we?ll give the appetizer as we prepare the rest of the menu.?

San Miguel Brewery also offered a 15-percent discount on three of their products: San Miguel Premium, Cerveza Negra and San Mig Light, if customers order them with the Miele set.

Le Soufflé is known as a fine dining establishment, but marketing manager Trisha Jimenez says everyone is welcome there.

?We have affordable set menus that change daily,? she says.

Sincioco lists the sea bass, lamb, steaks and pasta among the resto?s specialties. Apart from its good food and romantic ambiance, Le Soufflé also holds art exhibits; it is already booked until next year.