GALLERY BY CHELE X HUSET: A TASTE OF THE NORTH POLE

In Svalbard, Norway, every morning routine takes careful planning.

- BEA TRINIDAD

You need extra time to dress properly for temperatures that drop to minus-20 degrees, and snowmobiles must be warmed up before use. People must also leave home armed when venturing out of town—polar bear protection is mandatory. These are some surprising details about life at 78 degrees North, where chef Alberto Lozano Avilés runs Huset, the world's northernmost fine-dining restaurant. Last Dec. 10, he brought Arctic ingredients and flavors to Gallery by Chele, trading sub-zero temperatures for Manila's heat.

"It's a cultural exchange," says chef Chele González of the collaboration. "What we have in common is cooking with what we have."

After a month of exploring the Philippines, from its produce to the beaches, chef Avilés, alongside chef González and his team, crafted a menu that bridged Svalbard and Manila.

The menu spotlighted cold cuts of reindeer, veal, duck, tuna kinilaw with dayap, and even a sweet potato injected with penicillin to make it cheese-like. Each dish on the menu represented a painstaking craft.

I spoke with chef Avilés about his month-long stay in the Philippines and what life is like in Norway.

THE PHILIPPINE STAR: What drew you to Nordic cuisine, and how did your journey to the North Pole begin?

ALBERTO LOZANO AVILÉS: My personal life drove me there. I spent 10 years in France, based in the Alps at 2,300 meters altitude. That's when I fell in love with what real winter brings and got attracted to cooking in cold places. When I received this ambitious offer in the North Pole, I discovered that Nordic cuisine was far more complex than I imagined. Norwegians weren't always seen globally as super high chefs, but they truly are.

Your cold cuts were a highlight of the dinner. Could you tell us about these unique Nordic ingredients?