Filipino fine dining: does it exist, and what is it?
Filipinos are everywhere – and if one knows anything about Filipinos, it’s that they love sharing food
At first, Filipino fine dining might seem like a paradox to many local Filipinos.
We are brought up on the humble yet richly flavoured adobong baboy, or braised pork belly stew, marinated with whole peppercorns, bay leaves and vinegar. Or fried boneless bangus, the Filipino milk fish, which is sliced down the centre – head, eyes and all. The cut exposes the jellylike pewter-grey belly – the best part of the fish, by all accounts.
The food is hearty, wholesome and sprawled on your dining table without a starched white cloth. Your corner of the table will inevitably be covered in stains, grains of rice and other signs of a convivial family meal.
Today, there are restaurants the world over with “reimagined” Filipino cuisine, sourcing ingredients locally and using modern or Western cooking techniques.
According to the Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO) estimate, there are more than 10 million overseas Filipinos, which is around 10 per cent of the population, living permanently or temporarily in another country.
In Hong Kong, we have around 150,000 overseas Filipino workers (OFW) residing and working in the city.
So, when one thinks about the rise of Filipino cuisine – and that of Filipino fine dining – it should come as less of a surprise.
