How a visit to Singapore changed this Filipino chef’s life, and what Martha Sherpa taught him about Hong Kong food
Laksa, rendang, sambal – Nicco Santos, the chef behind Manila restaurants Hey Handsome and Your Local, recalls how he learned to cook Peranakan cuisine by watching hawkers, and his Hong Kong lessons in Cantonese cuisine
How did you get into cooking? “I come from a broken family, so in the beginning the biggest reason for me to cook was to bring my parents back together, because they were separated before I was born.
“My maternal grandmother raised me, and I saw my mom hanging out with her friends, a group of chefs. When I was around 14 years old they showed me how to chop, make fried eggs, paella and gambas [shrimp]. What sucked me into that environment was seeing my mom happy and everyone enjoying each other’s company through food.”
How did you get interested in Peranakan cuisine? “After I graduated from high school, I visited my cousin in Singapore and he took me to a hawker centre. I had chicken rice for the first time and I still can’t put into words that first bite, but it was balanced, savoury, spicy and salty, comforting at the same time. Mostly it felt like a hug from someone’s uncle. I definitely felt warmth – I got addicted to that level of comfort.”
What did you learn from hawkers? “Since I was a quiet kid, I was observant; sometimes I’d just watch the hawker uncles and aunties and memorise how they cooked and then try to replicate it in the kitchen, but most of the time it wasn’t the same. My cousin started introducing me to his Singaporean friends, then I met their families – parents, uncles and aunties – who showed me how to make laksa, rendang, sambal.”