Issuu

ISSUE 2 - 2026

THE

CULINARIAN

YEAR SEVEN

WORLD FOOD | CULINARIAN 7

A WORD FROM THE PUBLISHER Publishers: Boydee P. Dizon Joel B. Pascual Randy O. Manaloto Joel A. Nuñez

PEPTarsus Corp. 517 Protacio St., Pasay City info@peptarsus.com 0999-888-5000 (02) 8281-8700 (02) 8929-7993

Sales Group: Russel G. Cacho Paulo S. Domingo Cyrus B. Judan Ria B. Lugtu Roxanne P. Moriones Geraldine M. Soliman Chari A. Zarcal

Admin/Finance Group: Jolina D. Candano Ace D. de Guzman Ivory O. Espiritu Jolyn B. Enrile Melody Lim James P. Mendoza Michael R. Rabino Sharmaine E. Robielos Ricky D. Villanueva

Communications & Content Group: Cris C. Abiva James Antolin

Return of The Culinarian

It’s finally back! This issue of World Food Magazine marks the official return of our most successful series, The Culinarian. The multi-faceted world of food goes beyond tastes and flavors. More often, the people behind the food and the stories they carry are what pushes a cuisine from the ordinary to the extraordinary. As you go through the pages of this issue, be inspired by the stories of professional chefs, farm-to-table advocates, champions of Filipino cuisine, culinary educators, artisans, and entrepreneurs. There is much to be learned from their individual stories, their culinary journeys. We also pay tribute to one of the country’s culinary jewels, Chef Margarita Forés. We celebrate the exceptional career she had that transcended our own borders, raising the Philippine flag throughout the world. Gone too soon, her indelible legacy will forever serve as inspiration to generations of culinarians. On another note, despite the brewing chaos in and out of the country, we at World Food continue to be inspired by our WOFEX clients who remain unperturbed. We see them fighting to keep business going, even thriving amidst the adversities.

Laurent Dionisio Wilson Gicos Jayson E. Jardinero Harold Lu Kyle E. Roxas Rita Santiago

In exclusive partnership with

So, we ask our dear readers to continue supporting the foodservice industry by visiting any of the WOFEX editions throughout the year. In 2027, WOFEX Nationwide will be held in Clark, Cebu, Iloilo, Davao and two editions in Manila - WOFEX Drinks + Bakes and WOFEX Manila. In 26 years of doing World Food Expo (WOFEX), we find truth in the old adage that when the going gets tough, the tough get going! Happy reading!

Mode Devi Publishing: Publisher – Ana Manansala Editorial Consultant – Cesar Cruz Jr. Layout Artist – Jaydee Chun Editorial Assistant – Melany Simbul Marketing Associate - Jennilen Bayas Digital Assistant - Joanna Garingarao Social Media Associate - Patricia Malicse

WORLD FOOD | CULINARIAN 7

Joel Pascual

WORLD FOOD | CULINARIAN 7

IN THIS ISSUE

PINOY CUISINE ADVOCATES

6-17

LTB CHEFS

18-33

Promoting the Filipino Culinary Professional

Vanguards of Local Food and Culture

FARM2TABLE

SPECIAL FEATURE 36-39

FARM2TABLE CAMPAIGNERS

40-48

Championing Sustainability and Local Ingredients

A Giant Paella for a Worthy Cause

PINOY ARTISANS

CULINARY ICON

34-35

Remembering Chef Margarita A. Forés

CHEF EDUCATORS CHEF EDUCATORS 49-56

Mentoring Culinarians of the Future

VENUE PARTNERS FOR PICTORIALS: • Enderun Extension - Enderun Design & Innovation Campus 2/F Estancia Mall, Pasig City • Sheraton Manila Hotel Andrews Avenue, Newport World Resorts, Pasay City • Ikomai Tochi ACI Group Building, 147 H.V. dela Costa, Makati City PHOTOGRAPHERS: Paolo Banal, Christian dela Cruz, Renjie Tolentino FOOD STYLISTS: Pauline Miranda, Joel Navarro, Jerome Tamayo

PINOY ARTISANS

57-68

Creating Food Products Uniquely Filipino WORLD FOOD | CULINARIAN 7

PINOY CUISINE ADVOCATES

WORLD FOOD | CULINARIAN 7

HOW FILIPINO FOOD STAYS WITH US For Chef Reggie Aspiras, preserving Filipino food begins with knowing where it comes from.

WORLD FOOD | CULINARIAN 7

he has never seen Filipino food

One familiar question has stayed

consulting, yet she has never spoken as

as something to be catalogued

with her through the years …

though she built that career on her own.

or kept behind glass. It belongs

“Kumain ka na ba?”

Every recipe, she believes, reflects the

where it always has—in family kitchens,

work of those who came before it—from

around crowded tables, at neighborhood

Most Filipinos hear it almost every

home cooks and farmers to market

gatherings, and in the routines that

day. For Aspiras, it has never been

vendors and elders who kept traditions

naturally hold everyday life together.

just another greeting. On the surface,

alive simply by practicing them. She has

Over the years, she has returned to the

it asks whether someone has eaten.

remained a willing student throughout

same belief: If you want to understand

More often, it is another way of asking

her career, convinced that everyone she

Filipinos, pay attention to the meals they

how that person is doing. It offers

meets has something to teach her.

prepare, the tables they gather around,

concern without making a fuss.

and the memories those meals carry.

Sometimes a simple meal says what

That openness has allowed her to move

“I believe that people of this generation

conversation cannot.

comfortably between classical culinary training and lessons learned in Filipino

should know our roots, where we came from, who we are, through what we eat,”

Another idea she often returns to is

homes. She sees no reason to place one

Aspiras observes.

ginhawa. She describes it as more

above the other.

than comfort. It is the feeling that She says it plainly, without trying to

settles in after eating something

The same outlook shapes the way

make it sound profound. To her, food

familiar, something that eases both

she teaches. Passing on knowledge

is more than a reflection of culture.

body and spirit. Those lessons never

matters more to her than asserting

It is one of the places where culture

came from recipes or classrooms. They

authority. Every new interpretation of

naturally takes shape.

grew out of everyday life—one shared

Filipino cuisine, she believes, should

meal after another.

acknowledge the traditions that came

That belief comes to life through

before it.

the Philippine Heritage Kitchen, the

Even when her father served as

platform she founded to celebrate

Secretary of Tourism, the family’s dining

The same philosophy guides the advice

regional cooking and the stories built

table remained the easiest place to

she gives restaurants. Rather than

around it. Rather than searching for

welcome visitors. Guests from overseas

urging them to follow a single formula,

a single definition of Filipino cuisine, it

often found themselves sharing a meal

she encourages them to understand the

embraces the country’s many culinary

before any formal discussions began.

story behind every dish. Place matters. Memory matters. Knowing why a recipe

traditions. Every province contributes something different. Every family

“Food always made people comfortable.

exists is often just as important as

cooks in its own way. Together, they tell

It allowed people to talk, to settle things,

knowing how to prepare it.

a story far richer than any single dish

to laugh,” she reminisces.

Adobo is a good example … “Adobo is

or recipe ever could. Years later, she found herself seeing

collective. It is ours.”

She learned that lesson long before food

much the same thing while working

became her profession.

with embassies and international

Every household has its own version.

organizations. Many foreign guests

Some are darker, some lighter. Some

Growing up, her family’s kitchen was

arrived with only a passing knowledge

lean toward vinegar, others toward

where people naturally gathered. Pots

of Filipino cuisine. They often left

soy. None of that troubles her. Those

simmered on the stove while relatives

surprised by its depth after tasting

differences are proof that Filipino food

wandered in and out. Lunch stretched

dishes rooted in different regions,

has always belonged to the people who cook it.

into merienda, and visitors rarely left

prepared with local ingredients and

without eating. Whether it was

shaped by family traditions. Rather than

a birthday, an ordinary weekend, or

trying to persuade them, Aspiras simply

Her work has also reached beyond

an unexpected visit, life somehow

allowed the food to speak for itself.

restaurants and television. After Typhoon Yolanda, she joined volunteer

found its way back to the table. Nobody announced that food

Her work has taken her through

kitchens preparing meals for displaced

mattered. It simply did.

publishing, television, teaching,

families. Under those circumstances,

restaurant kitchens, and food

food was no longer about presentation

WORLD FOOD | CULINARIAN 7

or technique. It offered comfort and restored a sense of routine, reminding people they had not been forgotten. Whether developing products or documenting regional recipes, the principle remains the same: Food makes the most sense when it stays connected to the people and places that shaped it. She also challenges the notion that Filipino cuisine is defined only by rich or heavy dishes. To her, the country’s culinary identity is far more varied, shaped by regional traditions, the ingredients available in different places, and generations of cooks who have kept those traditions alive.

Photo credit: Stan Ong

For Aspiras, preserving Filipino food begins with knowing where it comes from. Once that connection is kept alive, recipes can continue to evolve without losing the character that made them worth passing on. Families will adapt them in their own kitchens, and younger cooks will leave their mark in time. That is simply how Filipino food continues from one generation to the next.wf Cesar Cruz Jr.

Photos courtesy of Chef Reggie Aspiras The recipe she is sharing is from her forthcoming book with Ige Ramos - Savoring Sunshine: Key Concepts in Philippine Gastronomy. “Bamboo or buho (young bamboo) as a cooking vessel lends its natural sweetness, herbaceous, green, fresh and earthy characteristics to the dish. Cooking it on an open fire adds another distinct layer of flavor – smokey, woody… delicious!”

SINAING NG MANOK WITH GINGER FLOWER SAUCE 1 large-sized buho 1.5 kilo chicken ¼ cup patis 1 pc. sayote 4 stalks lemongrass 20 grams ginger Torch ginger, slivered (optional) 1 teaspoon whole peppercorns Rice washing, chicken stock or water

Ginger Water: 3 tablespoons grated ginger ½ cup water ½ teaspoon salt 1 pc. scallion 20 grams ginger 1 tablespoon torch ginger, slivered (optional) Condiments: Patis Kalamansi Siling labuyo

1. Cut one side of the buho open. 2. Wash the chicken and cut into medium-sized pieces, then marinate in patis. 3. Peel and cut sayote into medium pieces. 4. Bruise the stalks of lemongrass, peel the ginger and slice into thin strips. 5. Layer buho alternately with lemongrass, ginger, torch ginger, chicken, sayote, torch ginger and peppercorns. 6. Pour enough rice washing, chicken stock of water to the level of the ingredients inside the buho. 7. Roll banana leaves to the thickness of the buho’s opening. Push leaves down as you would a cork on a wine bottle to seal. 8. Cook top-side up on an open fire for 45 minutes to an hour, turning every so often to even out the cooking. 9. For the dipping sauce, combine ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Serve with the Sinaing na Manok. WORLD FOOD | CULINARIAN 7

He can be unconventional in his ways, choosing the path less traveled. But for Chef Sharwin Tee what matters most is what he is able to accomplish— and how it can benefit others.

WORLD FOOD | CULINARIAN 7

THE ONE DISH THAT I CAN EAT EVERY SINGLE DAY IS

MY 3 MUST-HAVE COOKING/ BAKING UTENSILS ARE:

FOR A POTLUCK, I WOULD BRING

atching the cooking show,

Coming home, he worked his way up

Filipino dining offering pop-up events

Wok with Yan, at age

in the industry—working at the Tower

here and in the U.S.

six made Tee dream of

Club, running The Quirky Bacon—his

becoming a chef. “I was fascinated with

own restaurant, doing consultancy

He has just finished an eight-month long

the idea that you can entertain and

work, demos, and seminars for top

pop-up stint at BGC where he offered

hold an audience mesmerized just by

brands, and working as personal chef

the first-ever Tsinoy tasting menu, titled

cooking,” he says. In hindsight, he says,

and caterer. He really made his mark,

“Progress.” It included what he describes

he was most likely dreaming of being

however, as a chef on TV.

as ‘every dish a Tsinoy ate growing up.’

a TV chef and not a “chef” per se.

It’s a walk down memory lane, with the It started with him winning the reality

stories told through food.

As it is, things turned out better than

show Clash of the Toque-en Ones. The

expected. He eventually found himself

prize was getting to do his very own

Tee is focused on putting Tsinoy cuisine

as a real chef, and, as we know now,

show. Titled Curiosity Got the Chef,

on the culinary map, even possibly

a chef on TV as well.

Tee’s show ran successfully for several

getting it into the Michelin stage.

seasons. The show gave him Culinary school in Canada was not easy,

a reputation for adding his own quirky

What is Tsinoy? He helps us understand.

he says, and at one point he questioned

twists to local dishes.

The first part is the descriptor while the

his decision to study to be a chef. “The

second part is the noun, the English

work wasn’t glamorous, it was a lot of

Tee thrived in this milieu, parlaying

teacher in him says, thus Tsinoy is

peeling potatoes and grating blocks

the show into his first cookbook of the

Filipino with Chinese heritage. Tsinoy

of cheese,” he muses, but the rigorous

same title. He has since authored two

food is Chinese food cooked in the

training made him realize he was on the

more books titled, So You Want to Be

Philippines, ever evolving and growing.

right path. The light bulb moment came

a Chef? and The Gospel of Food. He has

It’s Filipino with Chinese influences. Tee

when he saw how the customers in the

hosted other shows since, is active on

says it’s just like our regional cuisines

restaurant were enjoying their food.

social media, and continues to indulge

but with no specific region as Tsinoys

That’s what being a chef is he realized—

his love for writing. All these has not

are spread all over the country.

preparing and serving food that people

stopped him from putting up his own

will enjoy—and that’s what made him

personal venture, Little Grace Dining,

He says it isn’t easy to define or

want to be one.

described as progressive Chinese-

categorize, that there is still a lot of WORLD FOOD | CULINARIAN 7

confusion as to which dishes are actually Tsinoy, that assimilation can be confusing because of the centuries-long relationship between the Chinese and Filipinos. “I want to keep working with historians to define clearly what Tsinoy food is,” Tee expresses. What was the verdict of Tsinoys on his degustacion? He happily relates that the meal was well-received and he got the highest compliments from grandparents who said, “It’s not bad.” While many may think that’s not exactly complimentary, Tee says for Tsinoys, that actually translates to “It’s great.” So, he is happy. This has been his most challenging work to date, he says, as he targets to achieve three things: give diners a unique dining experience while also learning about Tsinoy culture, to give Tsinoy cuisine a fine-dining feel, and to be able to donate to charity. Tee says, “My life has been pretty great so I want to give back, but I don’t want to just ask people for money.” He decided that the best way he knew to go about it was to provide a service, get paid, then donate to worthy causes. This is why a portion of his pop-ups’ earnings is donated to projects that benefit indigenous communities. The last frontier, as he calls it, is to find a permanent home where Little Grace can continue highlighting Tsinoy cuisine. An old home of a Tsinoy family would be perfect, he says, as Tsinoy food is tied to family. “This is my eternal work,” he says,

“hindi matatapos. There is still so much to learn and discover.” This is why he relishes talking not just with historians, but also family elders who have so many stories to share. “Little Grace will never stop telling stories about Tsinoy culture and Tsinoy cuisine,” he vows. wf Cris C. Abiva 12

WORLD FOOD | CULINARIAN 7

ROJAK-STYLE SALAD 1 block firm tofu 2 small cucumbers 1 small singkamas (jicama) 1/3 small pineapple 2 tablespoons crushed roasted peanuts Cilantro leaves for garnish 1-2 pcs. siling labuyo Dressing: 6 pcs. calamansi 2 tablespoons bagoong (sweet or spicy) 3 tablespoons muscovado sugar 1 tablespoon sukang Iloko 1. Slice the tofu into small cubes. Deep-fry until golden brown. 2. Slice the cucumbers, singkamas, and pineapple into medium chunks. 3. To make the Dressing: Juice the calamansi. Add the rest of the ingredients and blend well. 4. In a bowl, combine the vegetables and pineapple. Add as much dressing as you like and toss together. Add in the tofu cubes. 5. On a shallow bowl or plate, lay some lettuce leaves. Top with the tossed salad. Sprinkle with peanuts and garnish with cilantro and siling labuyo.

SOURCED FOR CHEFS Trusted by chefs. Proven in professional kitchens. Consistent in every service.

CHEF BRUCE LIM Sunny Farms Culinary Partner

YOUR TRUSTED FOOD SOLUTIONS PARTNER

alk into one of Chef Happy Ongpauco-

homes where time is short. The concepts differ in style

Tiu’s businesses and you could come away

because they were never meant to compete. All together,

with different impressions of Filipino

they diversify how Filipinos connect with their cuisine in

food. One visit might begin with heirloom recipes at

everyday settings.

Pamana. Another might center on a cup of rich tablea at Tsokolateria. On another day, Filipino flavors appear as

This approach has as much to do with Ongpauco-

frozen meals, catered celebrations, or desserts that recall

Tiu’s upbringing as it does with business. She grew

childhood afternoons. Each concept offers a different way

up around restaurants established by her parents, Rod

to experience Filipino food.

Ongpauco and Liberty Ilagan, where hospitality was simply how life was lived each day. There were guests

Her Happy Concept Group is a collection of restaurants

to welcome, kitchens that rarely stood still, and recipes

founded on a collection of ideas. Some preserve family

that had already earned the trust of generations. Those

recipes, while others reinterpret familiar dishes or

experiences gave her an understanding of restaurants

shape new occasions to enjoy them. While one extends

long before she thought seriously about owning

hospitality into private celebrations another reaches

one herself.

WORLD FOOD | CULINARIAN 7

Photos courtesy of Chef Happy Ongpauco-Tiu

A Life Built Around Filipino Food

While studying at the Culinary Institute of America,

kitchens. It offers guests a way to revisit one of the

she spent her days learning techniques from different

country’s best-known dishes without pretending there

culinary traditions. Instead of pulling her attention away

has ever been only one way to prepare it.

from home, everything she learned brought her back to it. Guests often begin talking about the adobo they grew “Being exposed to different cuisines made me appreciate

up eating. Many compare it to a parent’s recipe or recall

the depth, diversity, and stories behind Filipino food,”

relatives who insisted theirs was the only correct

she says. “That’s when I felt a responsibility not only to

version. The conversations are rarely about technique.

continue what I inherited, but also to contribute to its

They are about people—their preferences, their histories,

evolution and introduce it to a new generation of diners.”

their recollections.

That realization explains why none of her restaurants feels like a copy of another.

Those moments reaffirm something she has learned over years in the business: Restaurants do more than

Pamana—aptly meaning “inheritance”—keeps heirloom

serve food. They give people reasons to reconnect with

cooking as its center because she believes some recipes

experiences they thought had faded, often through

deserve to be passed on exactly as families remember

memory, conversation, and shared experience.

them. Tsokolateria revisits Philippine cacao beyond the dessert course, reminding diners of an ingredient with

For her, that understanding eventually extended beyond

a long history in local kitchens. Dear Happy plays with

the dining room.

familiar sweets without losing the flavors people grew up with. She also runs Le’Chon, Bento Box, and Mom Made.

Several years ago, she started the Pangkabuhayan

The restaurants may wear different faces, but they

livelihoods of their own. Every month, two team

speak the same language. That same philosophy guides

members receive support and guidance to launch small

how Ongpauco-Tiu decides whether a traditional dish

businesses. One participant began with a modest mami

should be kept true to its histories, or tweaked to be

cart. Over time, it expanded into four branches, giving the

better appreciated.

family not only a steadier income, but also the confidence

Project, an initiative that helps employees build

that came with building something independently. For “It always starts with respect,” she says. “If the essence of

her, that success belongs in the same conversation as

the dish remains intact, then I feel comfortable exploring

any of her new restaurant openings. Hospitality, in her

new presentations, techniques, or flavor combinations.”

view, should improve lives on both sides of the table, not

She does not see tradition and innovation as opposing

just for guests but for employees as well.

forces. One gives the other something worth building on, or protecting for all time.

After nearly three decades, Ongpauco-Tiu still believes Filipino cuisine deserves greater regard from Filipinos

Adobo illustrates the point best. Like many Filipinos,

themselves. “We don’t need to compare ourselves with

she once regarded it as an ordinary dish, something

other cuisines to appreciate our own,” she says. “Filipino

so familiar it rarely invited closer attention. Working

food has a rich history, incredible ingredients, and unique

on Pamana changed that assumption. Conversations

flavors that deserve to be celebrated.”

with cooks, families, and diners revealed something she had overlooked: Almost everyone carries a different

Looking across everything she has built over time, one

version of adobo in their memory, and each version feels

realizes that none of her concepts were created to simply

completely authentic to the person telling the story.

add another restaurant to the market. Each was designed to respond to a different moment in Filipino’s lives while

The recipe changes from household to household. The

celebrating a cuisine that is ours, that is familiar—and

attachment to that quintessential dish does not.

that is very comforting. Ongpauco-Tiu suggests that preserving our food is not about freezing it in time. It is

That discovery eventually found its way onto Pamana’s

about ensuring it continues to find a place at today’s table

menu through the Three-Way Adobo. Rather than

whatever form that table takes, across changing daily

arguing for a definitive version, the dish acknowledges

routines and settings.wf Cesar Cruz Jr.

that Filipino cooking has always evolved inside family WORLD FOOD | CULINARIAN 7

PALITAW MOCHI WITH PANUTSA ICE CREAM As a Filipino chef, I have always believed that our local desserts deserve the same recognition as the world’s finest pastries. This dessert reimagines one of the Philippines’ most nostalgic merienda favorites – Palitaw – by elevating it into a contemporary plated dessert while preserving the flavors that generations of Filipinos have grown up with. A soft coconut-infused glutinous rice dough wraps around homemade Coconut Panutsa Ice Cream and is finished with warm Panutsa Caramel, Toasted Bicol Pili Nuts, Coconut Chantilly Cream, fresh young coconut, and a delicate Annatto Tuile Crisp. Coconut Palitaw Mochi: 1 ½ cups glutinous rice flour 1 can (400ml) coconut milk ½ cup coconut milk ½ cup white sugar ½ can sweetened condensed milk Homemade No-Churn Coconut Panutsa Ice Cream: 250 ml coconut cream 80 grams panutsa, finely grated 500 ml heavy whipping cream, chilled 1 can (300ml) sweetened condensed milk 1 teaspoon vanilla extract ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt Annatto Tuile Crisp: 80 grams water 30 grams vegetable oil 10 grams all-purpose flour ½ teaspoon annatto powder or annatto oil Pinch of salt Panutsa Drizzle: 100 grams panutsa 60 ml coconut cream 20 ml water Pinch of sea salt Toasted Pili Nuts: 100 grams pili nuts Pinch of sea salt Coconut Chantilly Cream: 250 ml heavy whipping cream, chilled 100 ml coconut cream, chilled 35 grams powdered sugar 10 grams coconut milk powder (optional) ½ teaspoon vanilla extract Pinch of fine sea salt 16

WORLD FOOD | CULINARIAN 7

1. To prepare Coconut Palitaw Mochi: In a mixing bowl, combine glutinous rice flour, coconut milk, sugar, and condensed milk. Whisk until completely smooth and free of lumps. Heat a non-stick pan over low to medium-low heat. Pour the mixture into the pan. Stir continuously using a silicone spatula. Cook for 8-10 minutes until the mixture thickens into a smooth, elastic dough that pulls away from the sides of the pan. Transfer onto a clean tray and allow to cool for 20 minutes. Portion into twelve 40 gram pieces. 2. To prepare Coconut Panutsa Ice Cream: In a small saucepan over low heat, combine the coconut cream and grated panutsa. Stir until panutsa has completely dissolved. Remove from heat and cool completely.

In a chilled mixing bowl, whip the heavy cream to medium-stiff peaks. In a separate bowl, combine the cooked coconut-panutsa mixture, condensed milk, vanilla extract, and sea salt. Gently fold the whipped cream into the coconut mixture in three additions until fully incorporated. Transfer into a freezer-safe container and cover tightly. Freeze for at least 8 hours or overnight. 3. Before assembling, allow the ice cream to soften for 2-3 minutes. Portion into twelve 35 gram scoops and return to the freezer. 4. To prepare the Annatto Tuile Crisp: Whisk all ingredients until smooth. Heat a non-stick pan over medium heat. Pour approximately one tablespoon of batter into the pan. Allow bubbles to form and completely disappear. Continue cooking until crisp and lightly golden. Remove and drain on paper towels. Cool completely before storing in an airtight container to maintain crispness. 5. To prepare the Panutsa Drizzle: Combine all the ingredients in a saucepan. Cook over low heat until smooth and glossy. Stir continuously to prevent scorching. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly before serving.

6. To prepare the Toasted Pili Nuts: Toast the pili nuts over medium-low heat. Stir continuously until lightly golden and fragrant. Season with sea salt. Cool completely. Roughly chop before serving. 7. To prepare the Coconut Chantilly Cream: Chill the mixing bowl and whisk attachment for at least 15 minutes. Combine all the ingredients in the chilled bowl. Whip until medium to stiff peaks form. Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a large star tip. Refrigerate until ready to use. 8. To Assemble: Flatten one portion of Coconut Palitaw Mochi into a thin round disc. Place one scoop of Coconut Panutsa Ice Cream at the center. Carefully wrap the dough around the ice cream until completely sealed. Smooth the surface gently. Freeze immediately until firm. 9. For Final Plating: Place a coconut shell slightly off-center on a plate. Spread freshly grated young coconut inside the shell. Place the frozen Coconut Palitaw Mochi at the center. Sprinkle with toasted pili nuts. Drizzle warm panutsa caramel over the dessert. Pipe rosettes of Coconut Chantilly Cream beside the mochi. Insert the Annatto Tuile vertically for height. Garnish with freshly grated young coconut wedges. Serve immediately. WORLD FOOD | CULINARIAN 7

WORLD FOOD | CULINARIAN 7

A Force to be Reckoned With She was all set to follow in the footsteps of her grandfather and father, an ambassador and military attaché, respectively. But the kitchen beckoned.

WORLD FOOD | CULINARIAN 7

orking almost ten years

teaching and representing the school

high-performance kitchens churning

in high-stake jobs in

in competitions like the Philippine

out thousands of meals daily.

Singapore has certainly

Culinary Cup (PCC). She had her first

toughened Chef Mia Yan. But more

taste of international competition at

It was tough work but she proved

importantly, it proved that her decision

FHA Singapore in 2010, where she took

herself. The struggle was real. It was

to become a chef was one of the best

home a silver medal in the Individual

day in and day out of battling being

she has ever made.

Display category. She is grateful for

a foreigner, a female at the top of the

the support given to her by Chef Ariel

totem pole, earning a bigger paycheck

She had finished her degree in

Manuel and his wife Mia. Yan says,

than locals, missing family and friends.

International Studies when a friend

“I realized it was hard work. Mahirap

It helped that she had her son with her.

told her about CCA (Center for Culinary

pala, you need to be well-prepared.”

“My son and I both grew up,” she says of

Arts Manila). She had always been

The experience lit a fire in her and she

the decade stay.

interested in cooking—always tagging

continued to vie and win in local and

along with her mom on her catering

international contests. In 2016, she was

By 2024, her son had finished school

jobs. It was a pull she just couldn’t

part of the victorious National Team

and she felt ready to come home. “When

resist, so she wrote to her father saying,

Philippines that won Best Culinary

you’ve done all you can, when you’re no

“Pops please send me to school again—

Establishment at FHA in Singapore.

longer happy, then it’s time to go home.”

Today, she finds herself on the other

Upon her return to Manila, she took

side of the table—a judge instead

on the job as Executive Sous Chef of

In culinary school, Yan says, “I

of competitor. As a WACS (World

Chef J Gamboa’s Tsukiji. It’s a smaller

immediately felt that this was what

Association of Chefs’ Societies)

operation than she’s used to but it keeps

I wanted to do.”

Continental judge, she has been a jury

her busy and she is happy. Being here

member at major culinary competitions

also gives her more time to be active

She followed in her mother’s footsteps

in South Korea, Thailand, Indonesia,

with LTB Philippines Chefs Association,

and went into catering. Yan would later

Maldives, and the Philippines.

where she’s part of the Board of Trustees

culinary school.” Perhaps he sensed she was on the right path, so he acquiesced.

find herself at MIHCA (Magsaysay Institute for Hospitality & Culinary Arts)

and to serve as advisor for PYCC Having spent almost ten years working

(Philippine Young Chefs Club), the

abroad, Yan is no stranger to the

youth arm of LTB Phils.

culinary scene in Asia. In 2016, she was given the opportunity to work in

Being part of PYCC is especially exciting

Singapore. The job required her to go

for her as she enjoys working with

there for a trade test—an audition, if you

the young chefs thru the caravans

will. So, she got her competition ‘maleta’

and university partnership activities.

ready and hauled it to the Lion City. She

“This is one of the ways I can give

landed the job and she credits it to her

back, because once upon a time a lot

preparedness for the trade test. “It was

of people also helped me.” Her advice

an aha moment,” she muses, “that all

for upcoming culinarians “You need to

the things I learned while preparing for

study, to learn the discipline of going

competition was leading to this.”

to work every day, to learn the proper techniques, and the value of having

Looking back, she says it was the

mentors. Attitude is important in our

perfect opportunity for her and her son,

line of work, it’s not all talent and skills.”

who wanted to study abroad. Yan is back for good, in a smaller

WORLD FOOD | CULINARIAN 7

She worked her way to the top in

kitchen where she can do the most

the highly competitive institutional

good. She is free to do what she wants—

catering industry, with companies like

be it judging, mentoring, or competing.

the Compass Group and Smorgasbord

She welcomes each day with a smile

International Pte. Ltd. She rose to head

because she knows this is where she is

chef and chef manager, commanding

meant to be. wf Cris C. Abiva

THE ONE DISH THAT I CAN EAT EVERY SINGLE DAY IS

GIVEN A CHANCE, THE CHEF I WOULD LIKE TO COOK FOR IS

FOR A POTLUCK, I WOULD BRING

PAN-SEARED TOFU STEAK WITH KATSUOBOSHI CROWN, KAIWARE & ONION JULIENNE 1 (300-400 grams) block firm tofu 2-4 tablespoons cornstarch, for coating Any neutral oil, for pan-frying Radish kaiware Julienned onions Katsuoboshi Mirin Glaze: 2 tablespoons soy sauce 1 tablespoon mirin ½ teaspoon cornstarch 1 teaspoon water 1. Pat tofu with paper towel until very dry. Cut into 2-inch thick steaks. 2. Coat lightly with cornstarch, shake off any excess. 3. Heat a thin film of oil in a nonstick pan over medium-high heat. Fry until golden brown and crisp, 3-4 minutes per side. 4. To make the Mirin Glaze: In a saucepan, combine soy sauce and mirin and bring to a simmer. Disperse cornstarch in water to make a slurry. Add to the saucepan and cook for 2-3 seconds until glossy. 5. Arrange the fried tofu on a plate. Spoon over the mirin glaze. 6. Top with radish kaiware and julienned onions. Crown with the katsuobushi. 7. For added richness, finish off with a fine drizzle of Japanese mayo (optional).

WORLD FOOD | CULINARIAN 7

LIVING HIS DREAM 22

WORLD FOOD | CULINARIAN 7

He describes his work as “very fun,” and from the twinkle in his eyes, you know that he is having the time of his life.

hef Sonny Mariano knew he

a restaurant consultant advising

things just don’t work with certain

wanted to be a chef since he

business owners on management

clients. “I tell them that maybe I’m

was a young child watching

aspects like costing, kitchen layout,

not the consultant for them. I don’t

cooking shows on TV. After culinary

inventory management, kitchen

like wasting both our times, so I am

school, he knew exactly what kind

training, and the like.

honest with them,” he says. Mariano

of chef he wanted to be. “I always

even recommends other consultants,

wanted to be a chef consultant, gusto

He is currently working on 18 projects!

if needed. He never burns bridges and

ko iba-iba ang ginagawa,” he says.

Each project can run from two to

always keeps things professional.

He did, however, work his way first

three months with each one requiring

through hotels and restaurants to gain

the development of several recipes—

He is happy as a clam with his line of

experience and hone his skills.

ranging from about 45 to over 100

work—fully enjoying the perks of being

recipes, depending on the type of

able to manage his own time and being

It is not the first time Mariano is

operations. Clients are lucky because

able to choose what projects to work

gracing the pages of The Culinarian—

Mariano can cover savory, pastry,

on and whom to work with. He is still

it’s actually the third time. The first

desserts, up to beverages.

thrilled to see his recipes in menus all

time was when he was a new chef

over town and still excited to keep on

navigating the world of culinary

His client list is impressive, he has

developing new flavors for Selecta Ice

competition and the second time

worked with chain restaurants,

Cream, eight years running.

was in 2019 as one of the top

established brands, new concepts,

gold medal winners of the

restaurant groups, foreign brands,

The heavy demands of his R&D work

Philippine Culinary Cup (PCC).

celebrity-owned establishments, you

have not stopped him from doing demos

name it. He enjoys the work because

and workshops, collaborations with

He has become an old hand at

it is never the same. “Doing the same

other chefs for pop-ups, and taking

competition—skilled and seasoned. His

thing, day in and day out, is not for

part in the activities of LTB Philippines

younger self may have made missteps

me,” says Mariano. He is challenged by

Chefs Association.

which could have cost him medals,

the varying needs of his clients, by the

but he learned to be calmer, more

palates that he has to please, by how to

measured and prepared, to the point of

convince owners to his way of thinking,

being even analytical.

and how to think outside the box.

These same traits are what has made

With so many clients and so many

him effective as the chef consultant he

recipes that need to be developed,

always wanted to be.

doesn’t he run out of ideas? He says he just has to find ways to continuously

What does he do exactly? He is

stimulate his creativity—like eating

primarily a product development chef,

out, going online, or traveling. Asked

developing concepts, menus, and

about other challenges of his chosen

recipes for clients. He is also

line of work, he says that sometimes

THE ONE DISH THAT I CAN EAT EVERY SINGLE DAY IS

MY 3 MUST-HAVE COOKING/BAKING UTENSILS ARE:

MY FAVORITE REALITY COOKING SHOW IS

WORLD FOOD | CULINARIAN 7

He is tireless and constantly on the

Talking about his work as consultant

What’s next for him? More recipes

go. But one thing he has learned

gave him pause. Sometimes, he

and menus to develop, as his client

through the years is how to delegate

says, he still can’t believe that he

list continues to grow. Maybe open his

and trust. “I was doing everything

has achieved his dream. “I had a lot

own restaurant in the future. Travel to

when I started—from conceptualizing,

of anxiety before, daming iniisip.

more places to savor unique flavors.

to marketing, cooking, and cleaning

Pinagdadasal ko ito dati pa pero hindi

Continue to vie for gold medals in

up,” he relates. Today, he works with

ganito kalaki. Minsan naiiyak ako

international competitions. Maybe,

a team and has a full-time sous chef.

when I realize na sinagot ng Diyos ang

even, find himself being watched

Having a team means more work can

mga dasal ko.”

on TV by a young child dreaming of

be done and faster. It also leaves him

becoming a chef … one day.

time to pursue his other interests.

wf Cris C. Abiva

ALIMASAG AT KALABASA 50 grams Ginataang Kalabasa puree 3 pcs. spring roll tubes 45 grams Alimasag Salad 6 grams orange ebiko 3 grams spring onions Malunggay leaves, for garnishing Ginataang Kalabasa: 15 grams minced red onions 10 grams minced garlic 30 ml cooking oil 500 grams cubed kalabasa (squash) 100 ml coconut cream 1 gram white pepper 15 grams patis 250 ml shrimp stock Alimasag Salad: 450 grams alimasag (crab) meat 120 grams white onion, minced 3 grams salt 1 gram white pepper 150 grams mayonnaise 90 grams Dijon mustard 1. To make the Ginataang Kalabasa: Sauté red onions and garlic in oil. Add kalabasa, coconut cream, white pepper, patis and shrimp stock. Simmer until kalabasa is soft. 2. Puree the cooked mixture. Transfer to a piping bag. 3. To make the Alimasag Salad: Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and blend well. 4. To Assemble: Pipe the kalabasa puree inside the spring roll tubes. Arrange on a plate. Top with Alimasag Salad, ebiko, spring onions and malunggay leaves. 24

WORLD FOOD | CULINARIAN 7

Knowing what you want is half the battle. Working hard to get it will win you the war.

Destined for

Great Things A

rvi-Christopher Agra, or AC as he is more commonly called, has fond memories of watching cooking

shows with his mom—from age five. “I grew up watching Cooking with the Dazas and the shows of chefs Fernando Aracama and Jackie Ang-Po,” he muses. It is no wonder that he always wanted to be a chef. After graduating with a degree in Hotel & Restaurant Management, he tried to get work in a cruise ship, but only entry level positions were open to those with no work experience. He thought about going to culinary school to learn to do what he has always loved. His mom told him, “Pag-ipunan natin.” One day, after taking his mom to the doctor for a check-up, they decided to drop by Global Culinary and Hospitality Academy. “Akala 26

WORLD FOOD | CULINARIAN 7

MY 3 MUST-HAVE COOKING/ BAKING UTENSILS ARE:

GIVEN A CHANCE, THE CHEF I WOULD LIKE TO COOK FOR IS

MY FAVORITE REALITY COOKING SHOW IS

ko magtatanong lang kami, but they enrolled me

Not one to choose the easy path, he took on

already.” He didn’t know that his parents had been

another big challenge when tasked with the role of

saving up for his tuition. That day, he cried all the

executive sous chef for the restaurant operations

way home.

of the Sydney Football Stadium and Sydney Cricket Ground—each holding a maximum capacity of

At Global, he found what he was looking for. He

45,000 people. Agra was in charge of a team of 150

took to it like a duck to water. He had read the entire

chefs and 100 kitchen hands. A year later, he was

Professional Cooking textbook by Wayne Gisslen

hired as executive chef of The Goodsline, a café of

even before classes started and applied himself to

hospitality veteran, Jack Hanna. There, he was able

learning everything he could. His mom bought him

to apply his fine-dining touch to a café set-up.

all the books that he needed, and more, and through it all, they both continued their TV watching

Agra lived in Australia for almost eight years before

ritual—adding the shows of Gordon Ramsay to

deciding it was time to come home.

their list of favorites. He returned to the Philippines in 2023 and found Agra earned his stripes working in local

a home at Chef Tonyboy Escalante’s Antonio’s

establishments before finding work abroad. In

Group of Restaurants. As corporate executive

2016, he was told about a job opening in Australia.

chef he handles the various concept restaurants

Out of the 24 Filipinos who had applied, two were

of the company including Antonio’s, Breakfast at

hired—he was one of them. He started as a commis

Antonio’s, Balay Dako, and Azela by Balay Dako.

assigned to peeling potatoes for two months. After

Antonio’s was the first Filipino restaurant to be

six months he was moved to fine dining as chef de

named in Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants back in 2015

partie. He was sous chef in a year’s time, a senior

and this year was lauded as a Michelin-Selected

sous chef in his second year and by his fifth year

establishment. With Agra’s vast experience, he

became head chef of Bathers Pavilion Restaurant,

is perfectly suited to helming the multi-awarded

a two-hat fine dining establishment in Sydney.

group of restaurants.

“Pinaghirapan ko ito,” he says. There is another facet to Agra’s culinary life Adjusting to a new environment can be difficult,

though, and that is his love for competition. His

but anyone who is serious about advancing one’s

first foray in the Philippine Culinary Cup (PCC)

career must learn to adapt, be open to learning, and

in 2010, as part of the team from Lyceum of the

be ready to jump into the fray. Agra says, “I needed

Philippines University, earned him a highest gold

to learn about the seasonality of ingredients so I

in the Filipino Cuisine category. In the succeeding

could design menus based on what was available.

years, he would continue to vie in various local

I visited the markets to learn about ingredients

and international competitions. As competitor or

that were unfamiliar to me. I had to learn different

coach, he would rack up medal after medal. At the

culinary styles, as Australia’s food scene is defined

2019 PCC, he took home seven medals. In 2023,

by a ‘no boundaries’ approach.” He is grateful for

he earned the highest gold at the Global Chef’s

the great help and support he got from his French-

Challenge Vegan Asian Finals. The following year

Canadian boss.

he competed in Singapore for the World Finals of WORLD FOOD | CULINARIAN 7

FLAT IRON STEAK WITH CHOY SUM, CARAMELIZED CAULIFLOWER AND SLOW-COOKED ONIONS 200 grams flat iron steak Salt and pepper, to taste Oil 10 grams butter 1 clove garlic 1 sprig rosemary

the same competition and won a silver medal. The year 2025 saw him coaching the team of Antonio’s at PGA to three highest golds, one gold, and one silver medal. He continues to be excited about competing as he says, “With every mistake, you learn and become better.” This highly-decorated chef, a proud member of LTB Philippines Chefs Association, says he plans to work for the promotion of modern plant-based cuisine in the country and to mentor and develop young local talents as his way of sharing what he has learned through the years.. wf Cris C. Abiva

WORLD FOOD | CULINARIAN 7

Cauliflower Puree: 20 grams butter 100 grams cauliflower 30 ml cream Salt and pepper, to taste

Choy Sum and Slow-Cooked Onions: 2 pcs. choy sum 10 ml olive oil 1 small white onion 50 ml beef sauce

1. To make the Flat Iron Steak: Season steak with salt and pepper. Heat a cast-iron pan. Add some oil. Sear the steak on both sides until well-caramelized. Add butter, garlic and rosemary. Baste steak with butter until cooked to medium. 2. To make the Cauliflower Puree: Melt butter in a pan. Add cauliflower and cook until browned. Add cream. Season with salt and pepper. Puree in a blender until smooth. 3. Blanch the choy sum in boiling water. Season with olive oil, salt and pepper. 4. Sear the onion in a hot pan, cook until soft. Season with salt and pepper. 5. Plate the steak with the cauliflower puree, choy sum, cooked onions and beef sauce.

A CHEF ON A MISSION

Maverick Javier is living up to his name—fearless and trailblazing like the film character he was named after and willing to push the envelope to achieve his goal.

n 2024, he wrote on his Instagram page, “Today, I am finally able to tick off that coveted item from my bucket list.” That item was his wish to win Best

Chef in the Philippine Culinary Cup (PCC), an award he finally won after nine years of participation that saw him earn 12 golds, 5 silvers, and 10 bronze medals in total. He, is Chef Maverick Javier, a gifted chef determined

to carve his own niche in the industry. “Cooking runs in my family,” he says. His grandmother used to run a carinderia while his father worked as a cook, first in a local restaurant then later aboard a cruise ship. While he knew he loved the kitchen, he chose to finish college first. Armed with a degree in Mass Communications, he worked for six years with one dream in mind—to save enough money for culinary school. When he had enough money saved, he enrolled at Global Culinary & Hospitality Academy, finally ready to realize his dream of becoming a chef. He was very excited and eager to start this new chapter, then quickly found that it 30

WORLD FOOD | CULINARIAN 7

wasn’t going to be a walk in the park. He

numerous and varied. That lit a spark

These do not, however, mean that he

immersed himself in his studies—pored

in him. He started competing at the PCC

has closed the doors on competing.

through the books, bought ingredients

in 2015 and in the succeeding years

and practiced the recipes at home,

would continue to practice and improve

In 2024, he was tasked to represent

honed his skills studiously, and learned

his skills. He says he started dreaming

the country at the Worldchefs Global

all he could from his chef instructors.

of winning chef of the year in 2015,

Chefs Challenge Finals in Singapore. It

inspired by Chef Kenneth Cacho. “I said

was his first international competition.

After his internship at Mama Lou’s he

to myself that one day my name will be

The following year, at the Worldchefs

was hired as a line cook and eventually

called for that award and I would go up

Global Chef Challenge Asia in Malaysia

rose through the ranks to become an

the PCC stage to receive it,” he recalls.

he earned a silver medal. He plans to

area kitchen manager. In 2021, Javier

continue on this path to gain more

found himself working for world-

He got his wish in 2024. With his family

experience in global competition, to

famous furniture retailer, IKEA, which

in the audience, Javier was crowned

earn recognition for the country, and to

had opened its biggest store in the world

Chef of the Year (COY) after earning four

continue to challenge himself.

at the MOA Complex. Here he was the

highest golds plus one gold, two silvers,

kitchen production team leader, a stint

and one bronze medal. He later wrote on

With his talent, competitive spirit, and

that taught him a lot about business

his social media post, “It took me nine

dedication there is no doubt that more

management. But there seemed to be

challenging years filled with doubts

international wins are in store for him.

something missing. “What else can I

and disappointments … the road to

As he said in his post after winning COY,

do?” he pondered. He needed an outlet

reach the goal was long and winding …

“I do not intend to rest on my laurels …

for creative pursuits.

heartbreaking at times … but it was also

Onward to the next impossible dream.”

beautiful, humbling, and inspiring.” It is easy to dream, but you need to work

Doing consultancy work paved the way for him to challenge his creativity and

“I’ve been blessed,” he says, “and I am

hard to make it happen. This maverick

versatility, particularly in R&D. He had

thankful to everyone who mentored

chef certainly knows that, and is ready to meet the challenge. wf Cris C. Abiva

previously worked with Chef Pauline

me.” He is paying it forward by doing

Benedicto of Mr & Mrs B restaurant in

the same for younger chefs. Rather

Davao and he would eventually be back

than competing himself at PCC, he now

in the company fold through Rekado

coaches. How does it feel to be in the

Global Food Solutions. The company

thick of competition but have to stay

is involved in industrial-scale meal

in the sidelines? He laughingly says

production, food service management,

he still needs to learn patience and

and commissary operations. Javier is

not let the stress levels frustrate him.

currently the corporate executive chef

Still another hat that he has donned

and is focused heavily on R&D.

in the realm of culinary competition is as a judge. Javier is a member of LTB

Culinary competition was another

Philippines Chefs Association and

arena he focused on to test his mettle

is currently a rookie judge for WACS

as a chef. Here, the challenges where

(World Association of Chefs’ Societies).

MY ALL-TIME FAVORITE COMFORT FOOD IS

MY 3 MUST-HAVE INGREDIENTS ARE:

IF I WERE NOT A CHEF, I WOULD PROBABLY BE A

WORLD FOOD | CULINARIAN 7

PORK BELLY HUMBA WITH MANGO CILANTRO SALSA & FRAGRANT HERB RICE PILAF Braised Pork Belly Humba: 700 grams boneless pork belly Salt and pepper, to taste 2 tablespoons cooking oil ¼ cup liquid seasoning 3 tablespoons white vinegar ¼ cup banana ketchup 2 pcs. star anise ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon 10 cloves garlic, minced 3 stalks lemongrass, bruised 2 pcs. bay leaf ¼ cup brown sugar 2 tablespoons pre-cooked black beans 20 grams banana blossom Mango Cilantro Salsa: 1 pc. ripe mango, diced 3 pcs. red tomato, seeds removed and diced ¼ cup diced, seeded cucumber ½ pc. red onion, diced 1 pc. siling labuyo, thinly sliced (optional) 1 tablespoon cooking oil Salt and pepper, to taste 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro Fragrant Herb Rice Pilaf: 1 tablespoon coconut oil 1 clove minced garlic 2 pcs. shallot, minced 2 teaspoons grated ginger ¾ cup white rice ½ cup coconut milk 1½ cups water 2 pcs. kaffir lime leaf 2 stalks lemongrass, bruised 2 pcs. pandan leaf Garnish: Fried garlic Spring onions, thinly sliced Cilantro, chopped

WORLD FOOD | CULINARIAN 7

1. To make the Braised Pork Belly Humba: Season pork belly with salt and pepper. Set aside. Set a large pot over medium-high heat. Add oil. Sear the pork belly until brown on all sides. Remove the pork from the pot. Add the remaining ingredients. Stir until sugar is dissolved. Add back the pork, skin-side up. Bring to a quick boil. Lower the heat and simmer partially covered. Cook until pork is fork-tender. 2. Remove pork from the pot. Cool before slicing. 3. Continue simmering the sauce until it thickens. Taste and adjust seasoning, as needed. 4. To make the Mango Cilantro Salsa: In a large bowl, put the diced mango, tomatoes, cucumbers and onions. Mix well. Add siling labuyo, if using. Dress the salsa with oil then season with salt and pepper. Add cilantro and mix well. Chill the salsa for at least an hour. 5. To make the Fragrant Herb Rice Pilaf: Set a pot over low-medium heat. Add oil. Sweat garlic, shallots and ginger until fragrant. Add rice, mix well so the rice grains are coated with oil. Pour in coconut milk and water. Give a quick stir. Add kaffir lime leaves, lemongrass and pandan leaves. Cover the pot and simmer until rice is cooked. Once done, remove the leaves. Fluff the rice grains with a fork to release steam. 6. Transfer rice to a serving dish and garnish with fried garlic, sliced spring onions and chopped cilantro. 7. Arrange sliced pork belly on a plate. Glaze with the sauce and serve with salsa and rice pilaf.

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A Tribute to

Chef Gaita A. Forés Margarita “Gaita” Araneta Forés has left an indelible mark on Filipino culinary history. Many know her as a chef and restaurateur, but she was more than that.

rained in Italian cuisine by chefs in Rome, Milan, and Florence, she always acknowledged all that she also learned from watching ordinary Italian families prepare and cook

food. In 1997, she opened the first Cibo in Glorietta, a modern

caffe-paninoteca offering traditional Italian food. To date, there are 32 Cibo branches, including those in Cebu and Bacolod. She opened other restaurants thereafter, namely, Lusso, Grace Park, and Alta. Lusso is an elegant European-Italian chain described as ‘Old World Cuisine Meets Filipino Warmth.’ Chef Gaita missed seeing Lusso make it to the 2026 MichelinSelected List of the first Michelin Guide Philippines. Grace Park is a farm-to-table restaurant that features heirloom recipes while Alta is an upscale dining concept located at the Ascott BGC. Chef Gaita had many interests—many of them notably starting with the letter “F,” like her surname. She was in finance, fashion, food, and florals. She graduated magna cum laude with a double degree in Accountancy and Management and eventually became a Certified Public Accountant (CPA). She worked in the fashion industry in New York for the couture house of Valentino before the pull of food brought her to Italy. After finding her calling as a chef, she built a business anchored on catering, Cibo di M, and restaurant chains. Her success in 34

WORLD FOOD | CULINARIAN 7

catering gave birth to

Photo of Chef Gaita on cover is from cibo.ph Additional photos from the Margarita Forés Photo Archive

another business, Margarita Floralscapes which today is called Margarita Florals. Chef Gaita had the perfect personality for a culinary travel show with her fondness and wide knowledge on the two subjects. Her first show was called Harvest with

Margarita Forés, a 4-part series aired on CNN. She also hosted My Italy with

Margarita and The Crawl. Her last television appearance was as guest in the Manila episode of the Netflix show,

Somebody Feed Phil. Though she was well-known for her excellent Italian dishes and love for Italian food and culture, Chef Gaita was a proud Filipino first. She advocated for Filipino cuisine and local ingredients, supported the government in promoting Filipino culinary culture both here and abroad, and brought attention to sustainable agriculture and the plight of local farmers and fishermen. She was a co-author of the book Kulinarya: A Guidebook

to Philippine Cuisine with Glenda Barretto, Jessie Sincioco, Myrna Segismundo, Conrad Calalang, and Claude Tayag.

authentic Italian cuisine abroad.

Chef Gaita played a key role in

civilian honor bestowed by the

the country’s hosting of the first

Italian Republic.

This is the second highest

Madrid Fusion Manila in 2015. She and fellow chef, Myrna Segismundo, were the

In 2019, she was appointed United Nations World Trade

first Filipino chefs to present at the Madrid

Organization (UNWTO) Ambassador for Gastronomy and

Fusion congress in Spain. Their presentation

last year, Chef Gaita was posthumously conferred the

included a talk and demonstration on kinilaw.

Presidential Medal of Merit by President Ferdinand

This led to the congress being staged for the

Marcos, Jr. for services in the culinary field.

first time in the Philippines and the first time in Asia. It was followed by two more editions.

Chef Gaita will be missed, but her legacy will live

A very accomplished chef, entrepreneur, and

has touched. Her culinary stronghold is in the

on in the hearts of all the people whose lives she advocate, she has received top honors for her work. In

safe hands of her son, Chef Amado Forés, who is also

2016, she was named Asia’s Best Female Chef as part

making a name for himself with his own establishments—

of the Asia’s 50 Best Restaurant list—the first Filipina to

A Mano, Ramen Ron, and Steak & Frice. She will forever be

be honored as such. In 2018, she received the Cavaliere

remembered for her culinary and entrepreneurial skills, her

dell’Ordine della Stella d’Italia, or Order of the Star of Italy with the rank of knight for championing

selflessness, her love for country, and her unique style. wf Cris C. Abiva WORLD FOOD | CULINARIAN 7

SPECIAL FEATURE

FROM SAN SEBASTIAN TO TAGAYTAY – A JOURNEY OF FOOD AND LIFE Life has been good to Mikel Arriet, and he is sharing his blessings by paying it forward.

rowing up in one of the world’s most celebrated gastronomic destinations— San Sebastian in the Basque Country—

young Mikel would watch people as they cook and it made him want to be a chef. His father wanted him to choose another path but the stubborn son was set on this one. He trained at the Escuela Superior de

Hosteleria de San Sebastian then went on to work in notable places in Spain like Ibiza, Canary Island, Barcelona, and Cantabria. In 2004, his good friend, Alfredo Roca, invited him to come to the Philippines to promote Spanish food for the Spanish embassy. “I was looking for a change, so I said, yes,” he recalls. He has been here since. Arriet has found a second home in the Philippines, working for a management group that manages first-rate hospitality properties. Since 2018, he has been the General Manager of Anya Resort Tagaytay, a splendid retreat that is acclaimed for its elegant accommodations, excellent service,

WORLD FOOD | CULINARIAN 7

SPECIAL FEATURE and superior culinary offerings, that include Samira by Chele Gonzalez. Anya is a member of the Small Luxury Hotels of the World (SLH). His title may be GM but Arriet is a chef at heart. While management tasks may take most of his time, he will always answer the call of the kitchen. He will step in when the resort kitchens are short of hands, will work on developing recipes when needed, will cook a giant paella whenever he is called upon! Last February, he and fellow LTB Philippines Chefs Association members trooped to Bacolod to cook the biggest paella for the benefit of the Kalipay Negrense Foundation. It was the second Gigante Paella they did in Bacolod. It took 100 kilos of rice and 150 kilos of other ingredients (all from donations), and the combined hands of 20 chefs and culinary students. It was a spectacular vision that spoke of shared culinary culture, camaraderie, collaboration, and love for others. Arriet has been supporting the work of Kalipay for 17 years,

Photo credit (Chef Mikel and food shot): Joel Pascual

ever since his friend Alfredo introduced him to its president and founder, Anna Balcells. “The moment I arrived and stepped inside the house, what I saw were beautiful smiling children.

moving on. “I always come back to help because I believe in

Each child looking for a hug, looking for a little contact, just two

what they are doing,” he avers.

minutes of attention,“ he says. They did get his attention and he vowed to return and visit regularly.

On kids moving on, he says, “To say goodbye is an achievement.” A poignant statement of reality and acceptance.

Kalipay Negrense Foundation is a nonprofit working for the

It is one that will soon test him even more.

causes of disadvantaged children – homeless, abandoned, neglected, malnourished, physically and sexually abused,

Though he has been based here for more than 20 years, he

victims of child labor and trafficking and foundlings. They

goes back to Spain once a year to visit his family. His next visit

rescue children and give them shelter, food, education, health

will be a bit different as this time around he and his son, Jon,

care, and counseling. It was started in 2007 by Balcells and

will be scouting for a university – a good school where he can

some friends in Negros Occidental. Kalipay is Visayan for joy or

study computer science.

happiness, which is what Balcells hopes to bring to the rescued children’s lives.

Jon is his adopted son, placed with him when he was just four years old. It took nine years to legalize the adoption. It

The foundation houses about 170 children today, from infants

wasn’t easy, Arriet says, what with all the requirements, tests,

to teens below 18 years of age.

evaluations, and monitoring. “I wanted to be a father,” he says, “even more so after meeting Jon.” The two are inseparable, with

The work is never done, as even when the older children move

Jon patiently waiting as his dad cooked and was photographed

on to college or to live independently, there are always more

for the magazine. They are a family with their three dogs and

children needing help. Through his years of involvement with

two cats.

Kalipay, Arriet has seen two of his sponsored children move on. He is currently sponsoring two more children.

While work may take most of his schedule, Arriet will always make time to help when called upon, especially for a very

Doing the Gigante Paella is just one of the ways he continues

worthy cause – even if it means cooking an even larger paella

to support the foundation. He is there for fund-raising events,

than the last one! What better way to pay it forward than with

always ready to tell people about the work the foundation

a dish that best exemplifies him, the paella of his native land

does, and tries to be there for other special moments like kids

adapted to the flavors of his adopted land. wf Cris C. Abiva WORLD FOOD | CULINARIAN 7

SPECIAL FEATURE

CHOPITOS & JAMON PAELLA 3 tablespoons olive oil 100 grams Parma ham 150 grams chopitos (baby squid) 1 onion, diced 2 cloves garlic, diced 2 fresh tomatoes, grated 1 tablespoon sweet paprika 100 grams paella rice Water or chicken stock 100 grams edamame Salt to taste 1. Heat oil in a paella pan and sauté half of the ham and half of the chopitos. Add the onion and garlic. Cook slowly until softened. 2. Add the grated tomatoes and paprika. Cook until the tomato liquid has evaporated. 3. Add the rice and stir to combine with the other ingredients. Increase the heat. 4. Pour in water or chicken stock using a 2:1 ratio of stock to rice. Boil for 3 minutes, then lower heat. Add half of edamame. Simmer until cooked or finish the cooking in a preheated oven. Season with salt, as needed. 5. Before serving, top with remaining ham, chopitos and edamame. 6. Serve paella with aioli and lemon wedges.

MY ALL-TIME FAVORITE COMFORT FOOD IS

A DISH THAT REMINDS ME OF MY CHILDHOOD IS

WORLD FOOD | CULINARIAN 7

MY 3 MUST-HAVE INGREDIENTS ARE:

SPECIAL FEATURE

PAELLA GIGANTE BACOLOD 2026 Last February 28, 2026, for the second time in Bacolod, LTB Philippines Chefs Association cooked the biggest paella in the Philippines (11-foot diameter pan for 1000 portions) for the benefit of the Kalipay Negrense Foundation. In it was over 300 kg of Spanish olive oil, garlic, onions, peppers, chorizo, chicken, prawns, squid, mussels, rice and 250 liters of stock! This event took place at Villa Olivia in Talisay City, Negros Occidental. Consul General of Spain, Ignacio Sanchez Taboada was on hand and personally participated in the cooking of the giant paella. He praised the organizers and the attendees for continuing to support the foundation’s mission and cause. Special thanks to Chef Richard Ynayan and the culinary students of the Institute of Culinary Arts - De La Salle Bacolod who helped in the preparation and cooking of the paella. The LTB Professional Members who participated included: Mikel Arriet, Jerome Valencia, JA Ventura, J Gamboa, Fernando Aracama, Margarita Marty, Sito Senn, Mia Yan, Cherrie Uy-Tan, Alejandro Lazaro III, Anton Abad, Rommel Hinlo, OJ Gomez, Louie Vincent Chua, Sherwin Estrella, Ramona Olga Ko, Reyman Gapas, and Jeffry Sayo. Kalipay Negrense Foundation Inc. is a non-profit organization dedicated to helping disadvantaged children — those who are homeless, abandoned, neglected, malnourished, physically and sexually abused, victims of child labor and trafficking, and foundlings. The foundation is accredited by the Philippine Certified NGO Council (PCNC). For more information about Kalipay Negrense Foundation, you may check out their website at https://kalipay.org or contact them at +63917 700 2345. (Source: LTB Philippines Chefs Association website)

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FARM2TABLE

WORLD FOOD | CULINARIAN 7

BEFORE THE MENU

PRACTICE WHAT YOU PREACH IS SOMETHING SHE LIVES BY, AND BY DOING SO, SHE IS ABLE TO HELP UPLIFT OTHERS.

hef Waya Araos-Wijangco rarely starts with a recipe. She starts by understanding a place. “I

always go to the market first. Before the menu, before anything—I need to understand the place,” she relates, all bright-eyed. Whenever she visits a new destination, her first stop is the public market, where farmers unload freshly picked vegetables, fishermen sort the day’s catch, and vendors know exactly which produce is in season. She walks the aisles without rushing, asking about unfamiliar ingredients while paying attention to what people actually buy. Before planning a menu, she wants to understand the community and how people eat. That habit has shaped her career, whether she is running Gypsy Baguio by Chef Waya or consulting for restaurants around the country. Rather than arriving with a fixed concept, she looks for what already defines how a community eats. She pays attention to the ingredients and the people behind them because they often reveal what makes a place’s food unique. The palengke is only the first step. Wherever she travels, Araos-Wijangco also makes time for the neighborhood’s carinderia. These modest eateries rarely appear in travel guides, yet she considers them among the best places to understand regional cooking. “Carinderias [sic] are repositories of regional cuisine. That’s where you really taste where you are,” the chef explains. WORLD FOOD | CULINARIAN 7

Unlike restaurants that constantly

In Vietnam, Malaysia, and Indonesia,

for appearance. “Farm-to-table is not

reinvent themselves, a carinderia

she encountered ingredients that also

just a label. The real question is: How

cooks for regular customers who

grow in the Philippines but are used

much of the farmer’s harvest are you

come back because the food tastes

differently. Torch ginger flower, for

actually willing to take—and use?”

familiar. Recipes survive through

instance, appears regularly in everyday

she challenges.

repetition rather than reinvention.

cooking across Southeast Asia, yet

A stew simmering since morning or

to many Filipinos, it is an unfamiliar

For Araos-Wijangco, supporting local

vegetables prepared the way local

ingredient. She noticed that same

agriculture means more than buying

families have cooked them for years

pattern with wild greens growing along

nearby. It means recognizing value

can reveal more about a region than

roadsides and farms. In neighboring

beyond cosmetic perfection. Once

an elaborate tasting menu.

countries, they are harvested and

vegetables are chopped, roasted, or

cooked. In the Philippines, many are

folded into a dish, few people can tell

This same approach guides her

overlooked because the people do not

whether they started out perfectly

consulting work. Before discussing

recognize their value.

shaped. Choosing only the most

food cost or menu engineering, she

attractive produce leaves behind food

watches how people eat. She looks at

During one visit to a farm in Benguet,

that is actually good enough to eat, yet

which ingredients are abundant and

Araos-Wijangco noticed edible shoots

goes to waste.

what dishes keep customers coming

that farmers routinely pulled out and

back. She also pays attention to how

tossed because they were considered

That is one reason she encourages

home cooks make the most of what

weeds. Curious, she cooked them

chefs to think beyond recipes. Every

is available. Those observations help

without disguising what they were.

purchasing decision affects the

restaurant owners build an identity

The farmers who tasted the dish came

farmers and workers who produced

rooted in local ingredients and eating

back for seconds. It was the same

those ingredients.

habits, instead of one borrowed from

“weed” that was habitually discarded,

somewhere else.

but she managed to change how people

Her advice to aspiring restaurateurs is

viewed it.

equally practical. Many of them dream of opening a restaurant because they

Years of traveling across Southeast Asia have reinforced this practice.

Experiences like that deepened her

enjoy cooking. She reminds them that

concern about food waste. Diners

the profession demands much more

usually see only the vegetables

than creativity over the stove. “You

that reach markets and restaurant

stop being just a cook. You become HR,

kitchens. They seldom see perfectly

maintenance, logistics, everything,” she

edible produce left behind because it

teaches. The point is simple: culinary

is crooked, undersized, or blemished.

talent alone is not enough. Running

Farmers call these “class B harvests”—

a restaurant demands as much attention

rejected not for taste or nutrition, but

to operations as it does to cooking.

THE ONE DISH THAT I CAN EAT EVERY SINGLE DAY IS

GIVEN A CHANCE, THE CHEF I WOULD LIKE TO COOK FOR IS

WORLD FOOD | CULINARIAN 7

MY 3 MUST-HAVE COOKING/BAKING UTENSILS ARE

Her respect for local food extends to ingredients that have quietly endured despite changing tastes. Philippine artisanal salts such as

asin tibuok and tul-tul, along with traditional vinegars from different regions, remain an important part of Filipino cooking, despite receiving far less attention than imported seasonings. The same thinking shapes how Araos-Wijangco talks about

kinilaw in Mindanao. Rather than describing it by comparing it with foreign dishes, she believes it should be appreciated on its own terms. Ingredients such as tabon-tabon, lanzones

CHẢ CÁ LÃ VỌNG 500 grams firm white fish (lapu-lapu, maya-maya, tilapia or catfish), cut into 1½-inch pieces 4 tablespoons cooking oil Salt and pepper 30 grams spring onions, cut into 1-inch pieces 50 grams dill, coarsely chopped (thick stems removed) Marinade: 15 ml oil 10 grams garlic, grated 10 grams ground turmeric 15 grams galangal, grated 15 ml patis 10 grams sugar 5 grams salt

Dipping Sauce: 75 ml water 60 ml freshly squeezed lime juice 30 grams sugar 30 ml patis 5 grams garlic, minced 5 grams red chili, chopped 10 grams cilantro, chopped Accompaniments: Cooked vermicelli noodles ¼ cup whole perilla leaves, no stems ¼ cup whole mint leaves, no stems ¼ cup whole Thai basil, no stems Sliced red radishes Sliced cucumbers

bark, and regional souring agents give kinilaw flavors unique to the communities where the dish developed. Recipes vary from one place to another, but each remains rooted in local tradition. For Araos-Wijangco, preserving Filipino food is not about chasing novelty. It begins with understanding local ingredients and acknowledging the people who produce them. That approach has guided her work for years, and it continues to shape the way she cooks, travels, and advises restaurants. . wf Cesar Cruz Jr.

1. Place marinade ingredients in a bowl or bag, making sure ingredients are mixed well. Add fish, cover the dish or close the bag and place in the refrigerator 30-45 minutes. 2. Mix the ingredients for the dipping sauce until sugar is dissolved. Set aside. 3. Boil vermicelli according to package directions. Drain and rinse with cold water. Set aside. 4. Remove the fish from the marinade. Place on paper towels and pat dry. 5. In a large nonstick pan, heat the cooking oil over medium-high heat, until oil is shimmering. 6. Gently add fish to the pan. Cook until golden brown and cooked through. Transfer to a plate 7. Add the spring onions and dill to the pan for about 30 seconds. Remove from pan and transfer to a bowl. 8. Serve fish family-style for small or large groups: 1 bowl with vermicelli (at room temperature), 1 bowl with perilla, mint, and Thai basil leaves, 1 bowl with fish, spring onions, and dill and 1 bowl with dipping sauce. 9. Or plate and serve in four bowls: serve in the same order as above. WORLD FOOD | CULINARIAN 7

THE KITCHEN WAS ONLY THE BEGINNING Chef Dino Datu says initially, his love for food was limited to just cooking. That thinking has definitely changed through the years. 44

WORLD FOOD | CULINARIAN 7

t the beginning of his culinary journey, he saw food in straightforward terms. Cooking was the goal, and the kitchen seemed like the obvious destination.

That interest started early. Like many aspiring chefs, he learned by watching cooking shows and helping out in the kitchen at home. Formal training eventually gave structure to that curiosity, turning enthusiasm into discipline and instinct into technique.

Formal culinary training was never

Datu is head of operations for Ted’s

part of the plan. After graduating

Hospitality Group, which includes

from Ateneo de Manila University, he

Ted’s Kitchen/Aurora Filipino Cuisine,

found himself uncertain about what

Teds Bed and Breakfast, and Ted’s

came next, except for one thing—he

Warehouse Events Venue. The

wanted work that was food-related. He

business was started by Chef Day

spent a little over a year in corporate

Salonga and his sister, Gel, who is

work before enrolling at Le Cordon

Datu’s wife. They met when Datu was

Bleu London, where he discovered

still working for Cook Magazine.

THE ONE DISH THAT I CAN EAT EVERY SINGLE DAY IS

GIVEN A CHANCE, THE CHEF I WOULD LIKE TO COOK FOR IS

that learning to cook meant far more than mastering technique. the school

He got into magazine work as

emphasized the connection between

a freelance contributor but soon found

cuisine and place. Students learned that

himself immersed in the various

ingredients and recipes are shaped by

aspects of the work. “That’s where I

geography, climate, and local tradition.

discovered that there’s another world

“You’ll learn basic techniques and

to food,” he said.

MY FAVORITE REALITY COOKING SHOW IS

then regional cuisine,” he explained. “In Provence, it’s olive oil, tomatoes,

Being part of the magazine exposed

oregano. Then you move to another

him to possibilities he had never

region and everything changes.”

considered. Publishing showed him

Writing, however, remains part of his

that food knowledge could travel in

life. He used to do a weekly column

The lesson stayed with him. Years later,

many directions. Recipes still had

for The Daily Tribune then moved to

he would notice a similar shift taking

to be tested for photo shoots, but the

Business Mirror, where he now covers

place in the Philippines as more people

audience was different. Instead of

golf. For the past three years, he has

became interested in the origins of

serving diners, he was helping readers

written about courses, equipment, and

ingredients and the traditions behind

recreate dishes in their own kitchens.

industry developments, allowing him

them. Foods that once attracted

He eventually became full-time food

to stay connected to another interest

little attention were beginning to be

editor and when longtime Editor-in-

outside the kitchen.

appreciated differently. A bottle of

Chief Nancy Reyes-Lumen retired, he

vinegar, a jar of bagoong, or a regional

succeeded her.

The kitchen gave him his start. What followed showed him that a life in

delicacy carried a story about the people who made it and the place it

After the magazine ceased publication,

food could reach far beyond it.

came from. For Datu, that growing

he devoted his time running their

wf Cesar Cruz Jr.

appreciation matters because it can

hospitality group. He and his wife

help preserve traditions that might

are also actively involved in efforts

otherwise disappear.

to promote and celebrate the rich culinary heritage of Laguna, to support

“But if you give value to artisanal

sustainability efforts in Sta. Cruz, and

products, you support the family, and

continue to tell the stories of local food.

the next generation won’t hesitate to continue it.” It is why, he and his wife, Chef Gel, are active in the promotion of Laguna artisanal products, particularly the local kesong

puti. They not just use local produce and products in their restaurant but also take part in various activities that can bring attention to them. WORLD FOOD | CULINARIAN 7

Keeping Heritage at the Table For Chef Maria Angela “Gel” Salonga-Datu, preserving heritage begins with listening.

efore creating desserts inspired

That place is Ted’s Kitchen, a restaurant

local producers, artisans, and cultural

by Laguna, she spent time

she and her brother, the late Chef Day

advocates. The experience reinforced

speaking with the people who

Salonga, opened in 2012 in honor of

something she had already begun to

knew the province best. She visited

their father. She was actually working

discover in the kitchen: food cannot be

homes and shared meals with elderly

abroad, but decided to come home

separated from the people who grow it,

residents, asking about the food they

when Day was diagnosed with an

make it, and keep its traditions alive.

grew up with—what was commonly

autoimmune condition. Together,

available, what appeared on family

they worked to make it a success and

tables, and what flavors defined

today, she continues to run it with her

to know were the makers of kesong

daily life in Santa Cruz long before

husband and fellow chef, Dino Datu.

puti in Santa Cruz. Earning their trust was not immediate. “They were very

dining trends and social media began influencing local tastes.

Among the communities she came

“When I came back to Laguna, I didn’t

guarded.” Rather than asking for recipes

know how to bake.” She spent time

or techniques, she spent time getting to

Those conversations shaped how

beside her mother in the kitchen,

know them. As relationships developed,

she works. Instead of relying only on

repeating recipes until they felt

the cheesemakers became more willing

recipes, she paid closer attention to

natural, adjusting as she learned how

to share their knowledge and eventually

the stories behind them. They brought

ingredients behaved. Ted’s Kitchen

agreed to participate in demonstrations

back memories of family gatherings,

began with comfort food inspired

and events in Manila—something many

seasonal ingredients, and cooking

by American and Western classics

had never done before.

methods that had quietly faded from

before expanding to embrace Southern

everyday use. In many cases, they

Tagalog cuisine and Laguna’s own

revealed ways of cooking that had

culinary traditions.

never been written down. Her interests gradually reached “I would talk about what they used to

beyond the restaurant. Through the

eat when they were young, what the

Slow Food movement in Laguna and

ingredients available were. From there,

initiatives supporting Laguna tourism,

I would build the food of our place.”

she began working more closely with

THE ONE DISH THAT I CAN EAT EVERY SINGLE DAY IS

THE CHEF WHO INFLUENCED ME THE MOST IS

A DISH THAT REMINDS ME OF MY CHILDHOOD IS

WORLD FOOD | CULINARIAN 7

Those efforts later aligned with broader initiatives, including the formation of a cheesemakers’ association and programs that continue to raise the profile of kesong puti within Laguna. For her, these developments are encouraging, but they also point to a larger concern. “The generation of cheesemakers is already old.” Her concern is not simply preserving recipes. It is whether younger people will continue making them. Traditions survive because someone chooses to practice them. Beyond kesong puti, dishes such as

minanok and cachuela continue to tell the story of Santa Cruz. Built around ingredients that were readily available, these dishes reflect the habits and resourcefulness of earlier generations. What once served everyday needs has gradually become part of the town’s identity. Santa Cruz itself, she says, is not known for beaches or mountain resorts. Visitors come away remembering something else: the food, the people behind it, and the small businesses that continue to keep local traditions alive. For her, heritage is not preserved by documentation alone. It survives because people continue to cook, make, teach, and share what they know. Every conversation with an elder, every visit to a producer, and every dish served at Ted’s Kitchen becomes another way of ensuring those traditions remain part of everyday life rather than memories of the past. In the end, preservation is not anchored in written records alone. It lives in what people continue to practice and pass on before it fades. It begins not with recipes, but with conversations.. wf

Cesar Cruz Jr.

WORLD FOOD | CULINARIAN 7

CACHUELANG KANDULI 2 tablespoons vegetable oil 1 red onion, sliced thinly 4 cloves garlic, chopped 1 ripe tomato, quartered 8 pcs. fresh kamias, sliced into thin rounds 2 pcs. large kanduli, cleaned and sliced into sections (hito, dalag or bangus may be substituted) 1 tablespoon kasubha 1 liter hugas bigas water 1 tablespoon patis 1 bunch mustasa (about 8-12 leaves) Ginisang Miso Paste: 2 tablespoons vegetable oil 1 tablespoon chopped onion 1 tablespoon chopped garlic 1 ripe tomato, seeded and chopped ½ cup miso 1. In a large pot, heat oil then sauté onion, garlic and tomatoes. Add the sliced kamias and sauté for 3-4 minutes, or until soft. 2. Add fish to the pot. 3. Add kasubha and hugas bigas water. Simmer for 10 minutes or until fish is completely cooked. Season with patis. 4. Just before serving, add the mustasa leaves. 5. To make the Ginisang Miso Paste: Heat oil then sauté onion, garlic and tomatoes. Add miso and a splash of water or soup, to loosen the paste. Continue cooking over low heat for a minute. 6. Serve Cachuelang Kanduli with miso paste on the side. Diners may add as much or as little miso to their individual soup bowls as they please.

WORLD FOOD | CULINARIAN 7

CHEF EDUCATORS

WORLD FOOD | CULINARIAN 7

or Chef Marc Chalopin, culinary education begins before a student ever picks

up a knife. It starts the moment they step into a kitchen they are still learning to read—how they pause at the entrance, how they process instructions delivered in quick succession, how they react when nothing feels familiar yet. Technique comes later. As executive chef of École Ducasse

Manila at Enderun Colleges, he leads faculty training, curriculum direction, and alignment with culinary standards shaped by the philosophy of Alain Ducasse. His background spans decades in Michelin-starred kitchens in Paris, though in teaching, it rarely takes center stage. His approach is shaped less by background than by method:

HE IS TASKED TO SHAPE THE NEW GENERATION OF CULINARY PROFESSIONALS AND HE IS MEETING THE CHALLENGE HEAD-ON

TEACHING BEYOND THE TECHNIQUE 50

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how students are introduced to repetition, corrected without interruption, and observed until movement holds under pressure. A principle from Ducasse often frames his thinking, “The older I get, the more I think I know nothing.” In practice, it keeps students from leaning on certainty too early. Even basic tasks are treated as something still being rehearsed, not something already mastered. That mindset carries into how he speaks to students in the kitchen. “Do not be frozen in your mind. Be open.” Before any cooking begins, students must spend time observing. They stand at the edge of the kitchen and watch how stations operate, how orders move, how space tightens during

service. Entry into actual production is delayed. Awareness of structure comes first. The early phases are repetitive by design. The same movements are repeated until hesitation disappears— when memory takes over. Chalopin watches for small inconsistencies—someone rushing a step, skipping sequence, or breaking timing under pressure. These are corrected through repetition, not extended explanation. Some lessons are deliberately withheld. “If I showed you that at the beginning, you wouldn’t understand,” the master likes to reiterate. Inside the classroom kitchen, instruction stays minimal. Focus remains on proportion, timing, and placement rather than decoration or excess detail. Plating is reviewed first as structure, then as compositions. Students are trained to see balance before execution. Even within this structure, he is direct about what cannot be rushed, claiming, “The difficult part is to make a tasty plate. Taste and emotion are difficult.” Chalopin teaches that technique can be broken into steps. Taste, on the other hand, develops differently. It comes from repetition, correction, and exposure to service conditions where timing and judgment cannot be rehearsed. Students today arrive at culinary school with a strong familiarity shaped by constant exposure to global cuisine online. Recognition often precedes practice. He does not resist this, but it changes the starting point of training.

MY 3 MUST-HAVE COOKING UTENSILS

French culinary foundations remain the focal point at École Ducasse Manila. While students must also work with what is available in Philippine markets—adjusting technique to variations in quality and availability—some ingredients are non-negotiable and must be imported. However, ingredients do change daily, and students must be able to adapt. Over time, some students move into kitchens abroad, others

GIVEN A CHANCE, THE CHEF I WOULD LIKE TO COOK FOR IS

stay in local restaurants, and a few return to teach. Chalopin does not measure progress through titles or position. He looks instead at whether habits remain once instruction is no longer present.

MY FAVORITE REALITY COOKING SHOW IS

He also extends training beyond the school through programs with Tuloy Foundation and the Don Bosco community, offering professional culinary instruction to students who could not otherwise enter professional kitchens. WORLD FOOD | CULINARIAN 7

Some of these students later moved on to established restaurants. Even after years of teaching, Chalopin’s method remains unchanged: observe closely, correct when necessary, and let repetition do most of the work. In the kitchen, he moves between stations without interruption, checking details as service unfolds. Instruction is brief and practical, delivered in passing rather than explained at length, then absorbed through—once again—repetition. Service ends without ceremony. Stations are cleared and tools put away. The kitchen settles, waiting for the next class. wf Cesar Cruz Jr.

WORLD FOOD | CULINARIAN 7

SCRAMBLED EGG FOAM, LAPU-LAPU GRAVLAX, LATO & PICKLES Lapu-Lapu Gravlax: 200 grams lapu-lapu fillet (skinless and boneless) 300 grams salt 150 grams sugar Scrambled Egg Foam: 6 eggs 80 grams cream Salt and pepper, to taste 90 grams Greek yoghurt

Garnish: 100 grams lato (seaweed) 2 pcs. lemon 50 grams pickled red onion 100 grams pickled cucumber 30 grams garlic flowers Olive oil

1. To make the Lapu-Lapu Gravlax: Cover the fillet with a mixture of the salt and sugar. Cure under refrigeration for 6 hours. Rinse, dry and slice thinly. 2. To make the Pickles: Slice red onions and cucumber. Place in a bowl with light vinegar and some salt and sugar. Keep refrigerated until ready to use. 3. To make the Scrambled Eggs: Cook the eggs gently with the cream while stirring constantly until creamy. Season with salt and pepper. Add Greek yoghurt. Blend until smooth then pass through a chinois. Transfer mixture into a siphon and charge with 2 gas cartridges. 4. Roll the thin slices of gravlax with lato and a few drops of lemon juices at the center. 5. To plate: Dispense the scrambled egg foam on a plate. Top with rolled gravlax. Add the pickled onions and cucumber. Finish with lemon zest, garlic flowers and a drizzle of olive oil.

WHEN THE KITCHEN BECOMES THE CLASSROOM

ike Yap did not set out to become a chef educator. At one point, he was preparing

to migrate to the U.S. and viewed teaching as little more than a temporary stop along the way. The plan was simple: Keep busy while waiting for his immigration process to move forward, then leave. That plan never materialized. “I remember telling my first boss, honestly, this is a temporary thing for me. I’ll probably stay one, one and a half years. And then, as fate would have it, that plan of going to the U.S. did not push through. I discovered that I had a knack for teaching.” What began as a placeholder eventually became a profession. Years later, Yap remains in academia, drawing on experience from professional kitchens in the Philippines and abroad while helping train future chefs. The transition did not lessen the excitement that first attracted him to the culinary world. It simply changed where he found it. Professional kitchens thrive on urgency. Every service demands focus and execution under pressure. Teaching, he discovered, carried a different kind of energy. “As I transitioned to teaching, you also get that same adrenaline rush

Chefs don’t always have to be in the kitchen and teachers don’t always have to be in a classroom. 54

WORLD FOOD | CULINARIAN 7

MY ALL-TIME FAVORITE COMFORT FOOD IS

IF I WERE NOT A CHEF, I WOULD PROBABLY BE A

THE CHEF WHO HAS INFLUENCED ME THE MOST IS

remaining before the competition, Yap’s

you’re much better than you were

frustration boiled over.

then.” Improvement, in his view, comes through repetition. That is why he

There was little reason to expect what

spends more time discussing technique

followed.

than recipes. While food trends change, and menus change, techniques remain.

when you have a classroom or kitchen

On competition day, the same student

full of aspiring chefs who are eager to

delivered his strongest performance

Rather than encouraging students to

learn. And that somehow translates to

and earned the highest gold medal in

follow recipes, Yap encourages them

my personal eagerness to share as well.”

his category against competitors from

to understand the methods behind

around the world. For Yap, it remains

them. The ability to sauté properly, for

For Yap, the classroom became another

a reminder not to judge a competitor by

example, applies whether someone is

place where skills, habits, and hard-

a single practice run.

preparing Filipino, French, Chinese, or

earned knowledge could be put to

Japanese food.

use. Some of those lessons came the

The experience also reflects one of the

hard way. Before attending culinary

realities of teaching. Students do not

Competition coaching has reinforced

school in the U.S., he completed an

always progress in a straight line,

another lesson. One of the hardest

apprenticeship at Tagaytay Highlands.

and coaches do not always know

parts of training students is resisting

During that period, he mishandled

when a lesson has finally taken hold.

the urge to step in and solve problems personally. The objective is not to

a cleaver and cut his left middle finger. The scar remains visible today. He has

One misconception he regularly

demonstrate what he can do. The

never repeated the mistake.

addresses is the assumption

objective is to prepare students to

that culinary school graduation

perform on their own when it matters.

Over the years, Yap has coached

automatically turns someone into

That approach extends beyond

numerous students in competitions,

a chef. Whenever he speaks to

competitions and into the

but one experience from 2011 remains

graduating students, he reminds them

classroom itself.

especially memorable.

that professional titles are not awarded by ceremony alone. In the culinary

Throughout the years, students have

He was preparing a student for the

industry, experience remains the

introduced him to family recipes,

Hong Kong International Culinary

ultimate credential—a practicality that

unfamiliar techniques, and questions

Classic. This involved weeks of

often also inspires when students begin

that send him back to do the research.

research, development, and practice

questioning their own abilities.

He readily admits that he does not

sessions. Then, during one of the final

always have immediate answers.

rehearsals, everything seemed to

“That’s why you’re here, to learn. There

When that happens, he investigates and

unravel. Components were overcooked,

is no shortcut or fast track to learning.

returns to the discussion later.

seasoning was inconsistent, and the

It’s all baby steps. If you aim to improve

performance fell far below expectations.

even by just a centimeter every day, look

“I learn as much from them. Sometimes

With only one practice session

back after 365 days and you’ll realize

somebody shares a family recipe or WORLD FOOD | CULINARIAN 7

SEAFOOD ADLAI CALDO

a technique, and that is learning as well. Even a question thrown by a student is an opportunity to learn.” Yet, the students change every term. The questions are rarely the same, and many of those questions still send him searching for answers after class. Years after entering academia, Yap still finds himself doing work he never saw as part of his future. He teaches technique, discipline, and the realities of professional kitchen life to aspiring chefs preparing for careers of their own. Years after taking what he thought would be a temporary job, Yap remains in the classroom, teaching what once came from kitchens he only expected to pass through. wf Cesar Cruz Jr.

WORLD FOOD | CULINARIAN 7

Combination of shellfish (shrimps, clams, mussels, squid, etc.) Oil 1 tablespoon grated garlic 1 tablespoon grated ginger Spring onions Calamansi oil 10 grams julienned ginger (for fried ginger hair)

Adlai Caldo: 1 tablespoon cooking oil 1 tablespoon grated ginger 1 tablespoon minced garlic 80 grams adlai, rinsed 350 ml chicken stock 1-2 teaspoons taba ng talangka (optional) Patis, to taste Salt, pepper and turmeric, to taste

2.5 grams thinly sliced spring onion, for garnish 2.5 grams spring onion batons, for garnish Calamansi Oil: 5 tablespoons neutral oil (canola or grapeseed) 5 pcs. calamansi, zest only (no white pith) 1 teaspoon grated ginger 1 tablespoon calamansi juice Pinch of salt

1. To prepare the shellfish: Heat a tablespoon of oil in a pan. Add garlic and cook briefly until aromatic. Add mussels, clams, grated ginger and some water. Cook until the shells open. Discard those that remained closed. Add the remaining shellfish and cook through. Finish with a sprinkling of spring onions and calamansi oil. 2. To make the fried ginger hair: Heat some oil to medium. Fry julienned ginger until crisp and golden. Drain. Keep light and frizzled. 3. To make the Adlai Caldo: In a pot, sauté ginger and garlic in hot oil until aromatic. Add adlai and toast lightly. Pour in chicken stock and simmer for 35-40 minutes until mixture is creamy and porridge-like. Add taba ng talangka, if using. Season with patis, salt, pepper and turmeric to taste. 4. To assemble: Spoon hot adlai caldo into a bowl. Top with cooked shellfish, fried ginger hair and garnishes. 5. To prepare the Calamansi Oil: Heat oil, in a small saucepan, on low just until warm not hot. Infuse the aromatics – calamansi zest and ginger. Turn off heat. Let steep for 15-20 minutes. Once oil is lukewarm, whisk in the calamansi juice. This will keep the citrus bright and prevent bitterness. Season lightly with salt. Strain. Store in a squeeze bottle or small jar.

PINOY ARTISANS

WORLD FOOD | CULINARIAN 7

A BUDDING ENTREPRENEUR AT AGE NINE, PO DIANA ANG UY HAS PROVEN THAT, IN BUSINESS, AGE DOES NOT MATTER.

BUSINESS IS IN HER BLOOD A

s a young girl, she would purchase soft drinks and instant

Her quiet grace and warm smile belie an undeniable strength

noodles to sell to the workers at their garment business.

of will. “I am no stranger to sleeping in the kitchen,” she

Come pay day, armed with her Little Twin Stars notebook

says. She has never shied away from hard work—be it

and matching Little Twin Stars money box, she would collect

going around Farmer’s Market buying meat and vegetables,

payment. “I wanted to have extra money. I had my allowance

washing dishes the day after a catering job, scouring

but I wanted to earn my own money,” Uy says.

the streets for an ice cream cart to rent, driving to the supermarket to purchase supplies, serving guests, or being

Earn she did. Decades later, she is still earning her own

the calm and gracious host despite turmoil in the kitchen.

money by selling food, albeit on a much bigger scale.

Uy says, “When you love what you do, it’s not work.”

Uy started her catering business right after finishing Hotel

It’s the same sentiment she has for the bottled tuyo that she

& Restaurant Management. It was a fairly easy decision to

started making 20 years ago. Simply Delish Crispy Tuyo

make as she comes from a family that loves to cook and

Flakes is as unique as its name. It is flaked dried fish that’s

entertain. The family kitchen became her base as it was

fried to a crisp and steeped in premium olive oil. How does

well-equipped with the what she needed, their home garden

the tuyo stay crisp in the oil? Magic, she says.

was a perfect party venue, but more importantly, she had her family and friends to help her out.

It is artisanal, meticulously made by hand, a true labor of love. Made in small batches, with a nod to sustainability as

Po Diana Catering Service debuted in 1991. The first event

the bottles are reusable and the fish locally sourced, it is the

was the dinner at her cousins’ Junior-Senior prom. “I served

taste of home—familiar and comforting.

baked chicken, but made a mistake in computing the amount needed for 300 guests. We ended up having to eat baked

“This is God’s gift to me. That’s why making it came easy.

chicken for a whole week,” she laughingly recalls. Still,

This is my baby,” she proudly proclaims, “The star of my

it was a success and they ended the night joining in the

business.” Last year, she came out with Relish Tuyo Flakes,

dancing. The next years saw her business grow and evolve,

a version made with minced vegetables, that proved to be

transitioning into Simply Delicious Catering Food Corp.,

another hit. In the works, is the spicy variant of her Crispy

specializing in corporate catering, institutional foodservice

Tuyo Flakes.

management, concessionaire operations, and handcrafted food products.

There is more up her sleeve, as Uy is all set to launch her line of frozen food products that include her specialties like beef

Like other businesses, catering can have its pitfalls. Through

belly tapa, salpicao, and gambas. Like her bottled products,

it all, Ms. D, as her clients call her, says she has learned to

these use only the best ingredients, are handmade with care,

take things in stride. Her advice: Learn from your mistakes

and proudly Pinoy in flavor.

and don’t repeat them. You must have presence of mind and address issues at once.

Despite her busy schedule, Uy has carefully balanced her life with children, Matthew and Nicole and their fur baby, Frosty, a Bichon Frisé who is the apple of their eye. Though

WORLD FOOD | CULINARIAN 7

THE ONE DISH THAT I CAN EAT EVERY SINGLE DAY IS

MY 3 MUST-HAVE COOKING/BAKING UTENSILS ARE:

MY FAVORITE REALITY COOKING SHOW IS

not working directly for the family business, they support her in their own way. Matthew, who has a PhD in Clinical Psychology, advises his mother on the financial aspects of the business while Nicole, who is also a photographer and food stylist, aside from being a teacher, helps prepare their marketing materials. “I am blessed to have wonderful children,” Uy says. They are her inspiration. If a measure of success is one attaining what one envisioned one’s business to be, then Uy has certainly passed the test. She has often said, “Food has always been my way of bringing people together and creating memorable moments … to share a taste of home and Filipino tradition.” She’s accomplished all that and isn’t stopping any time soon. wf

Cris C. Abiva WORLD FOOD | CULINARIAN 7

PASTA AGLIO OLIO WITH SIMPLY DELISH CRISPY TUYO FLAKES 300 grams spaghetti Water Salt 5-6 tablespoons olive oil 5-6 cloves garlic, thinly sliced ¾ teaspoon chili flakes (adjust to taste)

Black pepper, to taste 4-5 tablespoons Simply Delish Crispy Tuyo Flakes ¼ cup green olives, sliced ¼ cup black olives, sliced Fresh basil leaves, torn

1. Cook pasta in well-salted boiling water until al dente. Reserve aside ½ cup pasta water then drain the cooked pasta. Set aside. 2. Heat olive oil over low-medium heat. Sauté garlic until lightly golden. 3. Add chili flakes and black pepper. 4. Toss in cooked pasta, adding a little pasta water to loosen the pasta strands. 5. Add crispy tuyo flakes and olives. Mix gently. 6. Turn off heat then add fresh basil. Adjust seasoning, as needed.

WORLD FOOD | CULINARIAN 7

BEHIND THE

SCENES

WORLD FOOD | CULINARIAN 7

World-Class Filipino Chocolate Made By A World-Class Filipino Chef

e was making pandesal at age 13. After school and during summer breaks, he would work at their

family bakery, not because he had to, but because he wanted to. He knew then that the kitchen was what he was destined for. After completing his college degree in Leyte, Salar was hired by the confectionery shop in the U.S. where he did his on-the-job training. “I missed my graduation because I had to report to work,” he remembers. “I felt sad, but I was thinking that the point of studying was for me to get a job—so I should actually be happy.” After his stint at the confectionery shop in the U.S., he worked as a barista in Dubai then as dining supervisor for a French restaurant in Singapore. He then decided to try his luck in Canada and ended up working there for 10 years. Gaining experience and wisdom from every job, Salar rose to the top of the pastry ladder. Certified as a journeyman baker and Red Seal Chef, he worked hard to earn his place as executive pastry chef, first for Delta Hotels by Marriott then for the 62

WORLD FOOD | CULINARIAN 7

Cacao farmer. Chocolate maker. Chocolatier. Entrepreneur and pastry chef—Ely Salar is committed to putting filipino cacao on the world stage.

Hotel Arts Group, both in Calgary. The

Farms, as well, as other farms and

Aside from Patisserie Le Choux-

unassuming young man who always

cooperatives across the country.

Colat and Aton Cacao, Salar also

wanted to be a pastry chef had at last achieved his dream.

runs Chocolatier’s Lab, an artisanal

Aton is Waray for “ours”—so this is

chocolate and pastry studio, where he

cacao that is proudly Pinoy. It is small-

conducts masterclasses and training

On to the next big dream: Having his

batch craft chocolate couverture with

sessions. With this school, he seems

own business. This meant coming back

variants that include 58% Luzvi dark

to have gone full circle—from planting

to the Philippines, to his beloved Leyte,

chocolate, 38% Mariete milk chocolate,

cacao to manufacturing his own

32% Misamis white chocolate, tablea,

chocolate, to using the chocolate to

a unique ube chocolate, and the 64%

create recipes of delightful pastries

He invested his savings on a farm

Samar dark chocolate. He proudly says

and confections to sell in his shop and

planted with 1,500 calamansi trees.

that cacao from Calbayog, Samar has

teach in the school. No one can doubt

With no concrete plans yet, he decided

been named to the Top 50 Best Cacao

his passion for chocolate.

to sell his harvest. He would be at

Beans in the World.

to see what the future held for him.

the market at 5 a.m., rent a table for PHP 20, sell calamansi, and earn from

Like other pastry chefs, he used to rely

PHP 20–30,000 pesos per harvest.

on imported European chocolates. Today, he only uses his own chocolate

To make better use of the land, he

for all his products. Aton Cacao is

decided to plant cacao. Having worked

starting to make waves—they are

often with chocolate in his years

already being used by chefs in hotels

abroad, he thought it would be the

and cafés and are being sold in retail.

perfect crop for him to invest in. With

Salar also collaborates with other

his knowledge of processing cacao

chefs to promote his local chocolate.

into chocolate, then using chocolate to

The goal is to get more and more chefs

make exquisite chocolates and pastries,

to use Aton Cacao home-grown, top

it seemed the perfect fit.

quality chocolate.

Salar, with his wife, Jiannina, started

“I believe that our local chocolate

selling his signature pastries in 2020,

can be world-class and we want it to

after pandemic restrictions had eased.

be recognized globally,” he says. He

Patisserie Le Choux-Colat started small

continues to perfect his local chocolate,

but grew faster than they had expected.

to develop and share unique recipes

He happily found himself inundated

using them, and to find ways to better

with cake and chocolate orders that

help the cacao farmers. “We need to

they eventually needed to get a bigger

help equip them with the technology

space. His travel cake—Gateau de

needed to grow good quality cacao so

Voyage—became very popular with

we can make good quality chocolate

people who were missing the taste

that is competitive with global brands.”

of pastries they enjoyed while abroad. He was even noticed by luxury fashion brands, like Louis Vuitton

MY ALL-TIME FAVORITE COMFORT FOOD IS

and Gucci, looking to have bespoke chocolates made.

IF I WERE NOT A CHEF, I WOULD PROBABLY BE A He is unique in that he is both a chocolate maker and a chocolatier. He is able to do this through Aton Cacao Philippines, his bean-to-bar chocolate

A DISH THAT REMINDS ME OF MY CHILDHOOD IS

manufacturing company that sources cacao from his own Elfortunella Cacao WORLD FOOD | CULINARIAN 7

It seems all his life’s work has been leading to this moment. He is reaping the rewards from his years of working abroad and his knowledge of cacao gained through his consultancies and actual farming experience. He considers himself fortunate

UBE CHEESECAKE PETIT GATEAUX Biscuit Génoise: 300 grams whole eggs 120 grams sugar

90 grams all-purpose flour

Mairete Chocolate Crunch: 105 grams Aton Cacao Mairete Milk Chocolate 38 grams unsalted butter, melted

15 grams dulce de leche 75 grams feuilletine

Vanilla Custard: 6 grams gelatin powder 30 grams cold water 60 grams sugar 60 grams egg yolk

4 grams vanilla paste 112 grams full-cream milk 112 grams 35% fat cream

to be able to indulge his creativity while working on his mission to make Filipino chocolate globally recognized for its outstanding quality. He is happy, but knows his work is not done. He is, however, okay with that because he knows he is on the right path. wf Cris C. Abiva

WORLD FOOD | CULINARIAN 7

No-Bake Cheesecake: 500 grams 35% fat cream 275 grams cream cheese 150 grams ube halaya 30 grams egg yolk

125 grams sugar 50 ml lemon juice 10 grams gelatin sheets (bloomed) 2 drops violet food color

Violet Mirror Glaze: 16 grams silver gelatin sheet 100 grams water (for syrup) 150 grams sugar 150 grams glucose syrup 150 grams Aton Cacao Halaya White Chocolate (White Couverture Chocolate) 106 grams condensed milk 60 grams neutral glaze Violet food color 1. Preheat oven to 180°C. 2. To prepare the Biscuit Genoise: In a mixing bowl, whip the eggs and slowly add the sugar. Whip on high for 2 minutes. Reduce speed to medium and continue whipping until mixture is pale, thick and reaches the ribbon stage, about 8-10 minutes. Sift flour then fold into the egg mixture, in 2-3 additions. Spread on a 13 x 18-inch baking pan. Bake for 10-12

minutes, or until sponge is light golden and springs back then touched. 3. To prepare the Mairete Chocolate Crunch: Melt the chocolate and butter together. Add dulce de leche and blend well. Stir in feuilletine until evenly coated. Roll and spread to 2mm thickness on a baking sheet. Freeze then cut into discs. 4. To prepare Vanilla Custard: Bloom the gelatin in water. Prepare an ice bath. Make a crème anglaise by combining sugar, egg yolk and vanilla paste. Boil the cream with the milk then temper the egg yolk mixture and cook to 82°C. Stir in the gelatin. Cool down in an ice bath. Pour into a round silicon mold or pour into a baking tray. Freeze then cut into round discs for insert. 5. To prepare No-Bake Cheesecake: Whip cream to soft peaks and set aside in the chiller. Whip cream cheese and ube halaya together. Set aside. Cook the egg yolk, sugar and lemon juice in a double boiler to 75°C. Add bloomed gelatin and the cream cheese mixture. Process with an immersion blender until smooth. Fold in whipped cream. Transfer to a piping bag. 6. To Prepare Violet Mirror Glaze: Soak the gelatin in ice water until softened. Squeeze out excess water then set aside. In a pot, bring the water, sugar and glucose syrup to a boil (103°C/219°F) then add the drained gelatin. In a bowl, put the chocolate. Pour in the hot mixture and emulsify. Stir in condensed milk and neutral glaze. Mix with an immersion, adding food color as desired. Keep in the chiller for at least 6 hours or overnight. 7. To assemble: • Cut the biscuit génoise into 1.5-inch rounds using a pastry cutter. • Ensure the Mairete Crunch and Vanilla Custard inserts are fully frozen and cut to the appropriate size. • Using a 2-inch silicone mold, pipe a layer of the prepared cheesecake mousse, ensuring the mousse is evenly spread up the sides of the mold to avoid air pockets. • Place the frozen Vanilla Custard insert at the center of the cheesecake mousse then pipe additional mousse to cover. • Add the frozen Mairete Crunch insert. Place the genoise on top, pressing gently until level with the mold. • Cover with plastic wrap and freeze for a minimum of 6 hours or until completely firm. 8. Reheat the purple mirror glaze in the microwave to 31°C. Blend with an immersion blender until smooth, avoiding the incorporation of air bubbles. 9. Remove the cheesecakes from the freezer and unmold. 10.Place the cheesecakes on a glazing rack and glaze evenly with the purple mirror glaze. Allow excess to drip off before transferring to a serving board or cake base. 11. Finish by placing the prepared chocolate decoration on top.

WORLD FOOD | CULINARIAN 7

A “

friend gave me like 25 boxes of queso

de bola,” he recalls.

Unsure what to do with the unexpected surplus, Gonzales began making pimiento spread. He brought it to the office, shared it with colleagues, and soon found himself fielding requests for more. The spread eventually became one of the products offered through Ronskyeats, alongside a growing selection of creations inspired by familiar Filipino flavors. The episode reflects a pattern that has followed Gonzales throughout much of his life. By his own description, he is someone who always needs a project. Once he learns one skill, his attention often shifts to another challenge. Over the years, that instinct has led him into different creative pursuits. Food became one of the most rewarding outlets

THE IDEA BEFORE THE RECIPE

for that curiosity. Although many people now know him through his food products, Gonzales still considers himself a writer first. He approaches ideas much the same way

TWENTY-FIVE BOXES OF QUESO DE BOLA WOULD OVERWHELM MOST HOUSEHOLDS. FOR WRITER AND FOOD CREATOR RON MOJICA GONZALES, THEY BECAME AN OPPORTUNITY TO EXPERIMENT.

he approaches ingredients— with a willingness to see where they might lead. Whether working on a story or experimenting in the kitchen, he is drawn to possibilities more than formulas. Long before he began selling food, Gonzales enjoyed

WORLD FOOD | CULINARIAN 7

recreating dishes he encountered in

which he found too structured,

He appreciates its straightforward

restaurants. If he liked something, he

cooking gives him room to improvise.

nature and the way it fits naturally into

would try making it at home. Friends

Experience has taught him to trust his

gatherings. A meal does not need to be

often became willing taste-testers.

senses more than measurements.

elaborate to be memorable. Some of the

Eventually, however, reproducing

meals he remembers most fondly are

recipes became less interesting than

Ingredients are adjusted according to

also among the simplest—shared with

exploring what else could be done with

taste, texture, and aroma. Recipes serve

friends and family around a table.

the ingredients themselves.

as guides rather than strict instructions. The process is experimental, but it is

Asked about meaningful food

That mindset is evident throughout his

also informed by years spent cooking

experiences, Gonzales does not discuss

work. A queso de bola pimiento spread

for family and friends. The goal is not

recipes. Instead, he talks about people

became the filling for a lumpia that

necessarily to be precise, but to create

sitting together, enjoying a meal

offered a richer take on the familiar

something that feels right.

and each other’s company. Whether

cheese stick. Tinapa found its way into

preparing food for a large gathering or

preparations beyond the usual serving

Many of Gonzales’ products begin with

a simple meal shared among friends,

suggestions. Familiar ingredients

ingredients that Filipinos already know

what stays with him is the experience

became starting points, rather

well. Queso de bola, tinapa, and garlic

of eating together.

than limitations.

appear repeatedly in his work because

When asked how ideas such as Queso

they offer flavors that people recognize

“I really like feeding people,” he says. wf

and enjoy—and that he enjoys as well.

Cesar Cruz Jr.

de Bola Aligue Pasta come together, Gonzales offers a characteristically

“I like cooking Filipino food because

simple answer.

it’s simple and it’s not pretentious,” he explains.

“I just think of something that’s like, That preference shapes the identity

this might work.”

of his creations. While the The remark sounds casual, yet it

combinations may be unexpected,

captures the way he approaches food.

they remain approachable. The

Rather than beginning with a detailed

ingredients are familiar, even when

plan, he often starts with a possibility.

presented in a different form. People

An ingredient catches his attention.

may encounter a flavor pairing they

A flavor combination comes to mind.

have not tried before, but there is

The next step is simply to try it and see

usually something recognizable and

what happens.

often, delightfully surprising.

His cooking style follows the same

The appeal of Filipino food, for

instinctive approach. Unlike baking,

Gonzales, goes beyond ingredients.

THE ONE DISH THAT I CAN EAT EVERY SINGLE DAY IS:

GIVEN A CHANCE, THE CHEF I WOULD LIKE TO COOK FOR IS

FOR A POTLUCK, I WOULD BRING

WORLD FOOD | CULINARIAN 7

RECIPE TRIO FROM RONSKYEATS 1 ALIGUE PASTA: 1 jar Ronskyeats Quezo de Bola Aligue Spread Pasta water 200 grams spaghetti, cooked al dente Cooking oil 1 tablespoon minced garlic 3-4 pcs. prawn, deveined

2 QUEZO DE BOLA TINAPA LUMPIA

3 TRUFFLE PASTA: 2 tablespoons butter 1 jar Ronskyeats Truffle Spread 250 ml heavy or all-purpose cream 1 cup sliced shiitake mushrooms 300 grams spaghetti or penne, cooked al dente Grated Parmesan cheese

Put some Ronskyeats Quezo de Bola Tinapa Spread on lumpia wrappers and roll into cylinders. Fry until golden brown.

Melt the butter in a pan. Add the truffle spread, cream and mushrooms. Simmer 2-3 minutes. Add cooked pasta and toss to combine. Serve topped with grated Parmesan cheese. You can serve this with sliced grilled chicken breast.

Put the aligue spread in a pan with some of the pasta water. Add the cooked pasta and toss to coat with the sauce. Set aside. In another pan, heat some oil then sauté garlic. Add prawns and cook until done. Arrange pasta on a plate and top with the cooked prawns.

WORLD FOOD | CULINARIAN 7