When Michelin-starred chef Lee Man Sing set out to craft Mott 32’s latest seasonal lineup, he didn’t need to go far to find inspiration.
He simply turned to the shores of Cebu. Drawing directly from the province’s seaside bounty, the menu acts as an intimate marriage between local coastal dining and the Cantonese culinary heritage.
“Respect the Ingredient”: How Mott 32’s Seasonal Menu Honors Cebu’s Catch
“I was inspired by Cebu, particularly the abundance and freshness of its seafood, as well as the way diners here appreciate bold flavors and good ingredients,” chef Lee explains. “At the same time, I wanted the menu to remain grounded in Cantonese cooking. The idea was to bring those two things together, using the techniques and flavors I know while responding to the ingredients and dining culture of Cebu. I hope the menu shows that Chinese cuisine can evolve and connect with a place without losing its identity.”
Rather than tying the menu to a specific holiday or narrative, chef Lee lets the notable quality of local catches dictate the restaurant’s offerings. “For me, seasonality begins with ingredients and what makes sense at a particular place and time. It is not necessarily tied to one festival or occasion,” he says. “Many traditional techniques are designed to bring out the natural flavor of an ingredient rather than cover it. When an ingredient is at its best, you do not need to do too much to it. Seasonality encourages us to respect the ingredient, understand when it is at its best, and choose the right technique to bring out its character.”
From Lapu-Lapu to Scrambled Eggs: 5 Standout Dishes on Mott 32 Cebu’s Seasonal Menu
Giving this notion truth are dishes like the Steamed Grouper with Homemade Yellow Bell Pepper Sauce, which chef Lee points to as the centerpiece of the lineup. “Steamed fish is very much rooted in Cantonese cooking, but for this dish we also wanted to connect it to Cebu. Grouper, or lapu-lapu, is very familiar here, and we use locally sourced yellow bell pepper for the sauce,” he notes.
“We also adjusted the level of spice with the local palate in mind. It represents what I wanted to achieve with the menu: respect the Cantonese foundation while creating something that feels relevant to where we are serving it.”
Traditional ingredients also make thoughtful appearances like the Fish Maw with Glutinous Rice and Abalone Sauce, the Salt and Pepper Mantis Shrimp with Roe, Alaskan Crabmeat and Minced Pork with roe, Chili Sauce, and Crispy Rice Noodles, and the Codfish with Leeks, Shallots, Scallions and Soy Sauce.
But the item that shows much restraint, the Osmanthus Scrambled Egg with Dried Scallop and Crab Meat, that surprisingly makes quite an impression, given its simplicity. “When you look at it, it appears quite simple, but getting the egg to the right texture and appearance requires a lot of control,” says chef Lee. “The egg has to form very fine, delicate pieces that resemble osmanthus blossoms while still remaining tender. With dishes like this, there are very few elements to hide behind, so timing and technique become even more important.” This dish, as the name might suggest, actually has no osmanthus. The name refers to the way the egg is prepared to resemble the small blossoms of the flower.
Rooted in Heritage, Adapted for Cebu: How Mott 32 Modernizes Cantonese Fine Dining
At its core, the collaboration reflects chef Lee’s genuine intention to update traditional Chinese dining without discounting its roots and the local food culture. “You have to understand the traditional dish first before you can modernize it. I do not believe in changing something simply to make it look new,” chef Lee emphasizes.
“In the Philippines, for example, we observed that some guests prefer not to handle crab shells in a fine-dining setting, so for the Alaskan crab dish we serve the meat ready to eat. With the grouper, we remove the bones and adjust the sauce to suit the local palate. These details influence how we present the food, but the Cantonese identity of the dish always remains the starting point.”
Mott 32 is located at Nustar Resort and Casino, Cebu South Road Properties, Cebu City.
Frequently Asked Questions
Mott 32 Cebu’s new seasonal menu is inspired by Cebu’s abundance and freshness of seafood, while remaining grounded in Cantonese cooking techniques and flavors.
The seasonal menu was created by Michelin-starred Chef Lee Man Sing, who drew inspiration from Cebu’s seafood and dining culture.
The menu includes Steamed Grouper with Homemade Yellow Bell Pepper Sauce, Fish Maw with Glutinous Rice and Abalone Sauce, Salt and Pepper Mantis Shrimp with Roe, Alaskan Crabmeat and Minced Pork with roe and chili sauce, and Codfish with Leeks, Shallots, Scallions and Soy Sauce.
According to Chef Lee, the restaurant considers local ingredients and dining preferences while keeping Cantonese cooking as its foundation. Examples include deboning the grouper and adjusting the sauce’s spice level, as well as serving Alaskan crabmeat ready to eat rather than in its shell.
Mott 32 is located at NUSTAR Resort and Casino on Cebu South Road Properties in Cebu City.
