What are you excited about in the local food scene?
EH: The current food scene is incredibly dynamic. I love that we are seeing an increase in chef-driven restaurants that are delving deep into the heart of Filipino food and then challenging it from every angle. I think that’s an important step for any cuisine to grow. You need to understand its traditions and roots before you have the know-how to change and innovate on top of it.
There is also an increased interest from the larger public for forgotten dishes and endemic local ingredients and practices. The more interest there is, the better chance farmers, artisans and producers will be able to increase their production of items that were slowly being replaced by cash crop farming, importation and modernisation. This helps to preserve our long-standing culture.
When preparing content about lesser-known food, how do you start…
