SM Hypermart brings back Master Chefs Cooking Marathon

Known with their annual SM Master Chefs activity, SM Hypermart on its 10th year as leading wholesale and retail store brings back this activity with a bigger program that will start from July until September of this year. In partnership with 19 cooking brands such as Knorr, Nestle All Purpose Cream, Unilever Food Solutions, Tabasco, Lee Kum Kee, Lady’s Choice, Maggi, Clara Ole, Kikkoman Soy Sauce, San Remo, McCormick, Bounty Fresh Chicken, CDO, Purefoods Tender Juicy Hotdog, Purefoods Star Hotdog, Magnolia Cheeze spread, Magnolia Purefresh, Magnolia All Purpose Cream and Magnolia Dari Crème they aim for a weekly cooking marathon that will touch in both international and local cuisine that all shoppers especially the mothers will learn alternative recipes that is easy to prepare and that their family will love.

Sooo Pinoy: Rediscovering the Filipino Cuisine

In line with the growing demands of diners for different flavors and food preparation they end up dining in non-Filipino restaurants. Now with Unilever Food Solutions advocacy Sooo Pinoy, they wanted to bring back diners to the authentic Filipino home cooking and to promote culinary tourism here in the Philippines.

With this project, they will empower small karinderya up to the large scale Filipino restaurants as they promote regional cuisine with a touch of modern cooking to make it more appealing to the younger crowd. I was fortunate to join the Sooo Pinoy Food Tour with Unilever and fellow food aficionados as we go deep in the taste and flavors of Filipino cuisine as it reflects the cultural heritage, and regional influence.

Café Adriatico: Spanish-Mediterranean Cuisine with a Filipino twist

Last June 11, I am with the Sooo Pinoy group and we had dinner at Café Adriatico in Malate Manila. It is one of the LJC Restaurant Group that serves Spanish-Mediterranean cuisine that has a modern Filipino twist. This was not my first time visiting Café Adriatico, but in my opinion I rather want to visit the place for dinner to enjoy the cozy ambiance of the restaurant on a night time. But still you can still enjoy the place on day time letting natural light outside entering their wide glass window to give a very lively feeling while having lunch or after noon snacks at the restaurant.

Excelente and Master Hopia in Quiapo Manila

In Quaipo, Manila the Sooo Pinoy group also brought us to Master Hopia Factory Inc., and Excelente Chinese Cooked Ham. These are the two products that became part of the Filipino tradition and cuisine though generations.

Nihayah Halal Food: Embracing Maranao's Cuisine

It's been a while since I tried the dishes made by our brothers from the Islamic faith. Thanks to Sooo Pinoy of Unilever Food Solutions we visit Nihayah Halal Food in Quiapo it is located near the Manila Golden Mosque (Globo de Oro). The restaurant is a simple "carinderia" that serves Maranao cuisine, that halal and cooked with unique spices to bring out the flavor in the beef, chicken and fish.

Kabigting’s Halo-Halo: Something to cool down with

In the Philippines, we have two seasons; Dry Season (Summer) and Wet Season (Rainy Days). Having those seasons as basis for our dishes and desserts we have so many options to choose. If its rainy or cold season we enjoyed warm bowls of Arroz Caldo, Champorado, Goto or Ginataang Halo-Halo and as for summer we Filipinos love to cool that summer heat with creamy and sweet Halo-Halo. Like Nathaniel’s Bakeshop that serves Buco Pandan, another Kapangpangan (from Pampanga) based restaurant is known with their specialty in Halo Halo – Kabigting’s.

Nathaniel’s Buco Pandan Salad: Sweet, Creamy and Comforting

Filipinos have their own way of killing down their stress and depression with what they call comfort food; well in my case Buco/Buko Pandan Salad is one of that comfort food that really kicks that blues away. Nathaniel’s Bakeshop is known with their famous Buco Pandan Salad and other delicacies that are perfect for pasalubong. The restaurant originates in San Fernando, Pampanga and has only one store in Metro Manila and it is located at Timog Avenue, corner Panay Avenue in Quezon City.

Adarna Food & Culture: Good food and rich culture combined

It is very rare for me to dine in Filipino restaurant especially this kind of dining place are either hard to find the area I usually hang out or it is very expensive. Luckily with the Sooo Pinoy campaign of Unilever Food Solutions, in their advocacy on culinary tourism that promotes different Filipino dishes for tourist and locals, I had the chance to try the Adarna Food & Culture in Kalayaan Avenue in Quezon City.