Kulinarya Cooking Competition 2010 - Innovative Filipino Cuisine Takes the Stage

Event: Kulinarya: A Filipino Culinary Showdown
Venue: City View at the Metreon, SOMA, SF
Date: December 14, 2010

Jo says: I’m sorry for the tardiness of this event recap. I can’t believe I haven’t posted this yet! Better late than never, I say. Besides, it was too great of an event not to post about it. Enjoy. Believe me, you will be hungry from the pictures of the fabulous and innovative interpretations of Filipino food.

I love events like this one.

Filipino food is something I live for. Something I want to promote. Something I want everyone to try at least once in their lifetime.

When I saw this event promoted in Twitter, I knew I had to go to it. It’s like Iron Chef for Filipino cooks!


This was the final competition. A semi-finals cook-off was held in August and the top 3 from each the amateur and professional divisions were competing at this event housed at the City View in the Metreon. I saw the flier and was absolutely happy to see Uncle Clem as one of the finalists. I met Uncle Clem and his adorable family at the Asian Culinary Forum’s Adobo Cook-Off in May. I had also met Aileen Suzara, another one of the other amateur competitors, on Halloween at Filipeanut’s Halloween party! To see familiar faces there was just great.


Franco Finn hosting the event
By the time I arrived, the competition had already begun. Sorry, I was running on Filipino time. Blame it on the PapaHobo burrito! The amateur competition was up first and here are two examples of what each cook created:


Clemente “Uncle Clem” Escopete
Left: Fish Relleno
Right: His Famous Adobo Bicolano

Aileen Suzara
Left: Aileen’s Soup
Right: Chicken Binakol

Nathan Camba
Left: Kang Kong Fingers
Right: Ginumis with Langka

The Amateur Champion!
Nathan Camba, only 19 years old, was the winner of the Amateur Division! He won a trip to the Philippines with a culinary tour of the islands. Such talent at only 19!

The Professional Competition was particularly exciting because of the caliber of these chefs’ skills.


Sisig by Kristela Nazario Mendoza

Cream of Sweet Corn, Crab Meat, and Moringa Leaves
Cornelio “Cocoy” Ventura III

Kinilaw Na Tuna
Edgar Grajo
I was blown away by the adobo round.
One dish, varying ingredients, but all Filipino.


Chicken Adobo
Kristela Nazario Mendoza

Green Papaya and Chestnut Adobo
Cocoy Ventura

Adobo Trio: Pork Belly, Squid, and Chicken
Edgar Grajo

The Winner of the Professional Division
Chef Edgar Grajo
While the other competitors brought their A-Game, in the judges' eyes Chef Grajo went above and beyond. Let’s visit his other dishes:


Fish Escabeche

Halo Halo De-Constructed
I fell in love with Edgar’s interpretations - they were just too gorgeous!


The Display Table
Before Everyone Ravaged It Post-Competition

Ron, Uncle Clem, and Auntie Ofie
Uncle Won a Trip to Hawaii
Like I mentioned before, I met Uncle Clem and his family at ACF’s Adobo Throwndown. I was so happy to see him compete again! His food is incredible and Ron is lucky to have a father who can cook so well!

Bonus - watch Uncle Clem and Ron make their famous chicken adobo
on Adobo Nation's Kusina Busina:




Aileen and Ron
Momma won a trip to Manila!
Aileen and Ron are such a great couple! You can find Aileen on her blog at Kitchen Kwento and Ron at Kulintronica. Such talented people of my generation. =)

Bonus - Listen to Aileen describe Chicken Binakol herself:




Albert, Fred, Rex, and I
Rex what size is your pun-tee?!
We just had to. Rex is a legend in the comedy scene and I’ve been a fan for over a decade. Great to meet him (again).


Kulinarya Magazine
So this was the magazine that was printed as a precursor to the event. It was distributed on December 2 as an insert of the San Francisco Examiner. I was thrilled to be a part of it.


I’m in page 15!

If you want to read the “unedited” version of my piece, please CLICK HERE.
It was exciting to be part of this event and the turnout was great. The audience was pumped to see the remarkable food that came out of the kitchen. For me, I was glad I went. I met such wonderful people and gifted cooks that day. I can only hope that Kulinarya will have another event like this in 2011.

Filipino food defintiely is ready for it’s close-up!

Special thanks and shouts to those I got to see and supported me at the event:

Fred Briones and the Briones Family of I Love Sisig, Albert of Filipeanut, Jun of Jun Blog, LeRoid of Attic Restaurant, Chef Dom of Mercury Lounge, Aileen of Kitchen Kwento, Ron of Kulintronica, Uncle Clem and the Escopete Family of Uncle Clem’s Food

To find contestant bios and more information about Kulinarya, please go to their website by clicking HERE.

xoxo,
Jo