Exploring Filipino Kitchens

On this episode we chat with Bettina Makalintal, senior reporter with the national team at . We chat about a range of topics on Filipino food and culture through a diasporic lens, so let’s get to it!

Episode highlights
04:40 Filipino food in today’s media
10:45 Identity, frozen in time?
12:55 Windows into worlds
15:00 On the Philippines Michelin Guide
19:35 Natural interest in regional cuisines
23:35 Tracing coffee routes
26:45 Food as a gateway
28:40 Doreen is back in print!
32:30 Storytelling is alive
39:40 Lunchboxes then and now

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On this episode we chat with Abi Balingit, author of the cookbook Mayumu: Filipino American Desserts Remixed. It landed on the New York Times’ Best Cookbooks list in 2023 and won her an Emerging Voice award from the James Beard Foundation ✨

Her desserts are truly one of a kind - and this cookbook makes a lovely present! 🎁 🎄☺️

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On this episode we chat with Walbert Castillo, Monica Blanco, Andrew Dizon about the stories behind , a Las Vegas-based pop-up restaurant that aims to showcase the diversity of cuisines across the Philippines, interpreted by chefs in the diaspora.

Earlier this year, we collaborated on the Captain’s Log for Galeon: Part One, a dinner series inspired by the far-reaching influences of the Manila-Acapulco galleon trade. How amazing was that?! ⚓️

The next Galeon dinner is happening on Dec. 9 and tickets are going fast!

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So excited for this episode with none other than ! 🤩 We chatted about testing recipes, cooking at home, cheesesticks, langka, her journey as a creator, getting judged by your content, and so much more… find the ep on Spotify, your podcast app or through link in bio.

Thank you so much Team Abi -you got our love and support for always!! ✨💛

On this episode we chat with Chef Budgie Montoya, who envisioned and brought to life Sarap and Apoy - two uniquely Filipino restaurants in the heart of London, UK. I caught up with Budgie on his last few weeks in El Nido, Palawan, where he’s started work on his next project - a visiting guest chef program linking cooks and local food producers with the tourist market in El Nido. We talk lots about other things that overlap in our diasporic worlds, too! 🧑‍🍳

Stay connected

☀️ memories of El Nido
- this halo-halo for me in the middle of Toronto’s heatwave
- Budgie’s kinilaw by the beach 🐟

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On this episode we delve into the evolving landscape of global Filipino cuisine with restaurateur, hospitality consultant, and author of the “I Am A Filipino” cookbook, Nicole Ponseca.

We chat about seeing ourselves in the industry, the success of her restaurants Jeepney and Maharlika, things we think about when we go out to dinner, strategies to mindfully and continually grow the presence of cuisine from the Philippines across the U.S., and how one after-school snack stop with her dad left a lasting impression.

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Join us for the kinda chat that reminded me of why we do the things we do… I hope you find as much comfort and a sense of belonging as I did after this conversation!

On this episode we chat with , a photographer based in Sydney, Australia. She’s worked with some of the most influential publishers and authors in the industry and her images have been featured in best-selling cookbooks, including The Wild Adventure Cookbook recognized by the James Beard Foundation.

Her Substack newsletter “In the Foreground” explores the deep contrasts of food, and how it shapes identity, memory, and belonging, particularly in the context of Filipino cuisine. (A recommended subscription!)

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On this episode, we chat with author Mia Manansala about the world of her characters in the Tita Rosie’s Kitchen Mysteries Series novels. My kind of winter reading!

Super excited for this interview, we talk about Mia and her work, some favourite food memories, cooking at home, and visiting the Philippines as an adult. Also, we talked a lot about writing the world of Shady Palms, and the narratives that shape us.

Find the show on Spotify and wherever you subscribe to podcasts, then pick up a book and get cozy! 🧣

Life can just roll on by and while I finally crawl out of hibernation, I’ve realized it’s really never too late for anything 💛

New podcast episodes are back after a long hiatus! I want to learn from all of you, and all I really want to ask is: What’s your favourite memory or experience of eating Filipino food?

One of mine, is from this truly unforgettable meal we had with the performers of Gono Ye B**g, an ensemble of T’boli musicians from Lake Sebu, South Cotabato. Forever grateful to my friend for the invitation to visit this part of the Philippines in 2023!

Home’s a complex concept, that like many great feelings are sometimes hard to explain. My version of home lately has looked like a lot of W.H. Scott in coffee shops I guess ha ha

Our guide had a contact at a local school that, we learned, was one of the first in the country to develop a curriculum dedicated to indigenous studies at the high school level. We visited and met some teachers on break in between classes. I remember we sat at a table that overlooked a field and introduced ourselves as visitors who were very interested in learning about T’boli culture, arts and textiles included. After class, another teacher showed us to a room where students practiced weaving, woodworking, and brass casting, to create traditional items such as jewelry (with those little bells) and musical instruments. They also made souvenirs, keychains carved in the shape of a fish. I got one and carry it around with me everyday here in Toronto 💛 We greatly appreciated the opportunity to visit and learn about the community!

Next on the tilapia menu…kinilaw (marinated in vinegar) with sliced cucumbers, with the heads and tails grilled then stewed - gotta say I am a fan of prepping seafood this way. It makes a very rich tasting soup! 🔥