Fire, forest, and flavor: A feast with Baguio’s Mountain Man

IN THE pine-cloaked highlands of Baguio, where time slows and mist curls like memory, there is new kind of luxury experience, one that awakens the senses, honors Cordillera heritage, and tells stories by firelight.

At the John Hay Hotels, managed by Landco Lifestyle Ventures (LLV), guests can experience a very different culinary ritual, the Baguio Mountain Man Fire Dinner. Set under a canopy of trees and starlight, this isn’t simply a meal, it’s a journey into ancestral memory and soulful living.

FIRE AND FEELING
The fire is lit hours before sunset. Smoke rises from open flames fueled by native wood, chosen for scent and story. There is no rush here, only rhythm. In the quiet of the forest, Chavi and Millie Romawac, the couple behind Baguio Mountain Man, begin their work.

Formerly a member of the alternative rock band Session Road, Mr. Romawac left the music scene and found himself in the culinary world, eventually developing an elemental way of cooking that reconnects with the land. Millie, his wife and partner, weaves narrative and care into each step of the experience that is the Fire Dinner. Together, they transform a forest clearing at John Hay Hotels into a dining space that feels timeless, a stage for storytelling through Cordillera cuisine.

Their approach is steeped in ritual — they cleanse the space with smoke, speak gratitude before cooking, select ingredients based on season, moon phase, and memory.

The ingredients are fresh, wild, and carefully sourced from upland farms, indigenous growers, and coastal fishing families. In this way, the Fire Dinner doesn’t just sustain guests, it sustains communities.

HOW IT ALL BEGAN
This fire dinner is the brainchild of the Romawac couple. Their culinary journey began not in the confines of a traditional restaurant, but on rugged roads, beside mountain rivers, and in intimate meals on their own roof deck kitchen during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

From creating food documentaries for the Department of Tourism to mapping indigenous ingredients and cooking traditions across all six Cordillera provinces, the Romawacs were repeatedly and spiritually called back to the mountains. One rainy day, cooking beside the Ibulao River in Kiangan, Ifugao, as firewood smoked and the community gathered despite the downpour, the couple experienced a moment of emotional clarity. Mr. Romawac says he stood by the river, arms open, in tears. That moment of unity with nature sparked what would become a lifelong mission: honoring Cordilleran foodways as a means of storytelling, healing, and remembering.

This is about more than cooking, it’s cultural stewardship. Their fire kitchen honors slow food, culinary rituals, and the Cordillera’s deep bond with nature. “Cooking in this way: open flame, river stones, clay pots, it’s not about trend,” said Mr. Romawac. “It’s about returning to the roots. Our roots. And sharing that with others in a way that’s real.”

FEAST IN THE FOREST
As dusk settles, guests gather around the fire. The dinner begins not with a starter, but with stillness. Lanterns glow. River stones heat. A soft hush falls. What follows is a culinary ritual steeped in Cordillera traditions and crafted to awaken all five senses:

The experience opens with a dish from the Ifugao heartland: Hinanglag, Kiangan-inspired pork belly slow-cooked in its own fat for five hours. The aroma is rich and primal, made of garlic and smoke. The pork dissolves on the tongue, melting, savory, tender. Inspired by watwat, a ritual of generosity and shared bounty, it evokes warmth and welcome in every bite.

This is followed by Baguio Chicken Rice, a reimagined pinikpikan, made with ethically raised native chicken (which do not undergo the dish’s traditional bruising), torched to release smoky notes, then simmered slowly with etag, the salted, sun-dried pork from the highlands. It is served with heirloom balatinao rice, whose deep violet grains release an earthy aroma. The accompanying ginger sauce sings with heat and healing.

A dramatic convergence of land and sea is the Mountain Man Clambake. It is a fresh seafood bounty of clams, crabs, and fish sourced from La Union and Pangasinan’s fishing communities, layered with tungsuy (mountain watercress) and steamed over fire-heated river stones. When the leaves are peeled back, a burst of brine and citrus fills the air. Each bite is a testament to freshness and fire.

Throughout are served seasonal side dishes — foraged fiddlehead ferns in vinegar; wild mushrooms from Abra which are grilled to smokiness; hand-fermented atchara, root pickles, and chili pastes bring brightness and bite. Each side dish is served in hand-thrown bowls by local potters, rugged with character, and uniquely Baguio.

Dessert is a medley of sticky mountain rice, sweetened with wild honey, cacao nibs, and native fruits. The scent is toasty, the texture rich and layered from creamy, chewy, to spiced. Served on banana leaves or carved wooden trays, it recalls festive endings, tribal sweets.

Each dish is prepared over open flame or heated river stone, plated on hand-crafted earthenware, and eaten with fingers to heighten texture and connection.

PURPOSEFUL LUXURY
The Baguio Mountain Man Fire Dinner is not a performance, it’s a philosophy. It celebrates slow food, deep roots, and conscious choices. It’s a response to a world of fast living, reminding diners that the most meaningful meals are those made with care and shared with intention.

For Landco Lifestyle Ventures, it’s also a powerful expression of purposeful luxury, the kind that uplifts local communities, preserves ancestral knowledge, and reimagines upscale experiences as something more soulful and sustainable.

Every aspect of the Fire Dinner experience is anchored in conscious collaboration. From the potters of Asin Road; farmers in indigenous communities across Benguet, Ifugao, Kalinga, Abra, and Pangasinan; and fisherfolk in Pangasinan and La Union, local small and micro enterprises are at the heart of this endeavor. The plates tell their stories. The ingredients carry their hopes. The fire becomes a bridge between guest and grower.

Every dish has a story, and every course is a conversation. Because sometimes, the most luxurious thing of all is to slow down, gather by the fire, and remember who we are and who we belong to.

“Through our partnership with Baguio Mountain Man, we’re elevating the highland experience, where guests don’t just eat; they immerse in and become part of a greater cultural narrative of the Cordilleras,” said Erickson Y. Manzano, president and chief executive officer of Landco Lifestyle Ventures. “At LLV, we believe in purposeful luxury that is both exquisite and ethical,” he said. “Together with Baguio Mountain Man, we support a movement where local artisans, farmers, and coastal communities become co-creators of a world-class cultural and dining experience. It’s luxury with a soul, designed to celebrate culture, land, and people.”

The Romawacs’ collaboration with Landco Lifestyle Ventures has given them a wider stage to amplify their advocacy for local food sovereignty, ancestral memory, and mindful tourism. Whether on their roof deck or beneath the trees of John Hay Hotels, the Mountain Man experience continues to grow, flame by flame.

For more information and reservations, call (074) 637-4720 | (074) 637-472, (+63) 939-986-4120; e-mail: reservationsatmanor@campjohnhayhotels.com; visit Landco Lifestyle Ventures website www.landcolifestyleventures.com; and socials on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.