Philippine Asian News Today Vol 20 No 17 | Page 20

20 PHILIPPINE ASIAN NEWS TODAY September 1 - 15 , 2018

JuanONJuan by Rosette Correa

You have an extensive background in the food industry and you ’ ve worked in several different countries . How did you originally get involved in the industry ?
On my last day at the University of the Philippines , where I earned my bachelor ’ s degree in hotel and restaurant administration , a job ad thumbtacked on the college bulletin board caught my attention . A certified Angus beef steak house in the city ’ s business district was looking for an assistant manager . I applied and was hired after two interviews .
Months later , the first five-star hotel to open in Manila in 15 years was recruiting for management trainees . I applied and was one of the 14 selected out of thousands of applicants . Seven out of the 14 were assigned to F & B ( food and beverage ) and sent to chains abroad to train before returning to Manila to open the hotel and its numerous restaurants . I was one of them .
What are some of the challenges you ’ ve experienced as a Filipina working abroad ?
At 24 , I was hired as a restaurant manager for a deluxe hotel in Dubai and offered the same salary and benefits package as my male and Caucasian counterparts . People couldn ’ t wrap their heads around that , so rumors spread that I was sleeping with the boss ( not true , of course ).
My assistant at that time was a blue-eyed , blonde German woman . Guests automatically assumed that she was the manager . One particular incident I will never forget was when I welcomed a guest to the restaurant — the guest ignored my outstretched arm , walked past , and shook the hand of my assistant standing behind me . The saddest part was that this guest happened to be a Filipina . More of the challenges I experienced appear in my story in the book .
Why did you decide to compile these stories and recipes into The New Filipino Kitchen ? How did the project come together and what was your experience working with all of the different contributors like ?
I was working on a food memoir about the food I grew up eating , the “ emotional soufflé ” of my childhood
The New Filipino Kitchen : Stories and Recipes from around the Globe is a collection of 30 stories and recipes from expat Filipino chefs , home cooks , and writers collected by Jacqueline Chio-Lauri . Between the personal stories and the food , the book serves as a nuanced , accessible introduction to the complex , though perennially overshadowed , cuisine that is Filipino food — especially in the United States where most of us are only now starting to learn the bounty

Jacqueline Chio-Lauri , Editor of The New Filipino Kitchen in the Philippines ’ culinary capital , and my lola ( grandmother )— a complex , strong-headed woman , storyteller , and cook extraordinaire . The intention was to immortalize the memories , reflections , and lessons learned so that they could be passed on to family members and relatives , but a voice in my head wouldn ’ t let up . “ What have you done for your motherland ?” it nagged .

I decided to go broader and round up kababayans ( compatriots ) around the world .
Having lived in many places with no Filipino food presence , I always longed for our cuisine to be more accessible globally . One question I was often asked and struggled to answer was , “ What is Filipino food ?” No short explanation really did it justice , because as you know , most of the time , food is not just about food . The narratives behind each dish put the food into context . It ’ s been one hell of a ride ! I can ’ t sing the praises enough of those who have contributed to and supported this project .
Interest in Filipino cuisine is clearly on the rise , especially in the United States and Canada . Why do you think Filipino food is only now starting to get the recognition it deserves ?
I have two theories . One is globalization . I ’ m not from the United States or Canada so I can only speculate . Globalization has made the world smaller . What only the privileged few could experience or taste by traveling is now available to almost everyone at their doorstep . Think of all the exotic fruits , vegetables , and spices that your local supermarket stocks compared to what they stocked years ago . I remember having to ask my mother to ship ginger to me when I lived in Croatia because I couldn ’ t find it anywhere . Nobody even knew what it was then . Now , it ’ s available everywhere . People have now become more exposed and open to different flavor spectrums and combinations .
Filipino food is for the adventurous palate , and I think many people are now ready for it . I would also go as far as to say that globalization has made us Filipinos less overprotective of our culinary traditions . What might have been considered as sacrilegious before is tolerable now . Saying that ,
I hope the Filipino food police or the guardians of gastronomy won ’ t scorn if my sinigang recipe is not like their nanay ’ s ! Knock on wood .
My second theory is Maslow ’ s Hierarchy of Needs . It is said that members of the new generation are better off than the members of the generation before them .
U n d e r s t a n d a b l y , the focus of the firstgeneration Filipino immigrant was on survival , necessities , and security ( the first stage in the hierarchy ). As those needs are met for the next generation , there ’ s a shift up the ladder of the hierarchy . The need to be recognized or accepted for our identity and for who we are became one of the priorities . This , in my opinion , is why there are more and more people of Filipino heritage who showcase their identity through food . I think that ’ s what the Filipino food movement is about .
What are the three best tips you would give to home cooks who have never made Filipino food before ?
1 . Don ’ t be daunted . It ’ s not as difficult as it seems . Witnessing my lola slave away for hours on end in the kitchen gave me the impression that Filipino food was very time consuming and labor intensive to make — until I started cooking it myself . Believe me , it doesn ’ t have to be . And the more you cook it , the easier it becomes .
2 , Don ’ t fret . If you don ’ t get the flavors or seasonings just right , there ’ s always a fallback : sawsawan , the dipping sauces and relishes that are hallmarks of the cuisine .
3 . Cook more than you need . Many dishes , especially those stewed with acid and aromatics , develop flavor and complexity when stored in the fridge . Reheat and enjoy !
What ’ s your favorite part of Filipino food culture ?
One of the most common greetings in the Philippines is , “ Kumain

Cookbook Highlights Filipino Cuisine

it has to offer .
Indeed , the popularity of Filipino food in America is on the rise , and the cuisine has been lauded by the likes of food critic Jonathan Gold , who recently noted that “ the time for Filipino cuisine is now ,” and Anthony Bourdain , who told CNN that he expected Filipino cuisine to “ explode ” in America .
What is Filipino food ? It can be somewhat difficult to define , as it melds indigenous dishes with myriad foreign influences from Chinese and Spanish to Southeast Asian and even American . And as Filipinos have left their archipelago and set down roots all over the world , it has proven to be a highly adaptable cuisine , lending itself to different diets , preferences , and ingredients .
In some ways , it resists definition , which is one of the reasons why Chio- Lauri chose a format that allowed the book ’ s 30 contributors to share more than just a recipe , providing a deeper
WWW . PHILIPPINEASIANNEWSTODAY . COM
Book editor Jacqueline Chio-Lauri Photo courtesy of Henriette Time of Studio Hjelm ka na ?” It means ,
“ Have you eaten ?” Food is always shared and everyone who comes to the house is invited to join at the table to eat . I grew up thinking that it was rude to eat without offering what you ’ re eating to everyone present . I thought this was a universal rule until I lived abroad .
Do you have a favorite recipe in the book ( besides your own !)?
Not just one favorite . I have favorites depending on my mood or the occasion . For something quick that everyone in our multicultural family would surely love , I ’ d cook
Dalena ’ s spaghetti sauce afritada . If I have non-Filipino guests and want to show off the range of the cuisine , I ’ d prepare Rowena ’ s inihaw — grilled fish in banana leaves — but I would use filleted fish ( instead of whole ) and bake it in the oven . I would also make Vanessa ’ s kare-kare using tofu as the protein . There ’ s something for everyone in the book , that ’ s for sure ! What ’ s next for you ? Getting settled in my new and seventh home country and finding the other half of my food beginnings . And who knows ? Maybe The New Filipino Kitchen II . ( source : Agate Publishing )
understanding of Philippine history , culture , and tradition .
Each contributor , including Chio-Lauri herself , may have left the archipelago , but they have taken their favorite Filipino dishes with them . In doing so , they have preserved their food memories and , if necessary , tweaked their recipes to work in a new environment or , in the case of some chefs , a more modern context . In the book , contributors share the stories behind
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