I was invited to sing at Max’s SM Megamall exactly last month, at October 23 lunchtime. The organizer asked me to sing three OPM songs, and they advised me that the gig was highly confidential. I was not allowed to announce it on my social media, or even to tell anyone that I’ll be there that day. When I got there around 11am, the talent coordinator escorted me to a “secret room” – one of their function rooms was blocked with curtains and the production team’s director briefed me on what will happen.
I ordered my Max’s favorites – quarter chicken platter with pancit canton, sinigang na sugpo and sago’t gulaman and had an early lunch while waiting for the event to start. Soon enough, the restaurant was full with the usual (and unsuspecting) dine in guests who are there to enjoy lunch at Max’s. At around 1230pm, Ms. Carolyn Trota Salud, one of Max’s 3rd generation owners, came out with a microphone and had a short speech about Max’s and how they are celebrating their 70th anniversary. She asked the guests to flip over their placemats and to their surprise, they found out that they will be treated to a free meal from Max’s! And then Ms. Carolyn called me to serenade the guests with a few songs while they were enjoying their free food. Watch the video here:
I have had my fair share of singing for corporate events, but this one was quite different. I myself grew up to Max’s food – I remember having Saturday dinners out with my younger brother and parents after our weekend “pasyal” and ordering their famous fried chicken. My brother and I would fight over the chicken leg and the skin, and loved pairing it with rice drenched in sabaw ng sinigang. We would “steal” our parents’ caramel bars and get bloated by downing a whole glass of sago’t gulaman even before the food comes! So seeing these guests get a very touching surprise treat from Max’s was so heartwarming. I feel lucky that I was one of the artists chosen to sing for Max’s Restaurant 70th birthday.
Here are other pictures from the previous birthday treats in the other branches:
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