Gordon Ramsay was far from his usual demeanor in his “Kitchen Nightmares” show where he would berate chefs and restaurant owners, with curses punctuating heated arguments from time to time.
He was all smiles during his visit to the Philippines. He was all praises for Filipino dishes — especially for adobo, sisig and lumpia. And he put on his mentor hat for culinary students, revealing a gentler side to his usually fiery personna.
“Filipino cuisine, for me, is like the sleeping beauty of Asia…The culture and the composite of Filipino cuisine — it’s so original, which is so lovely,” Ramsay said during an exclusive event at the Newport Performing Arts Theater earlier this week.
“It can give Southeast Asia a big kick up the ass and really become one of the frontrunners in Asia. There is no reason why it can’t,” he added.
During the event, he also tasted four interpretations of halo-halo — with black sesame polvoron (by actress and chef Judy Ann Santos), with coconut jam (by content creator Ninong Ry), with kamias compote (by CCA culinary student Danica Lucero), and with cane sugar and tibuok salt (by chef Bea Qua).
Lucero’s tangy surprise was the key ingredient to winning the 10-minute challenge.
Ramsay, on the other hand, ended up reminiscing about his childhood, noting how familiar he was with the use of evaporated milk in desserts as he grew up eating a pudding made with the same ingredient.
And his advice to aspiring Filipino chefs? Get comfortable being uncomfortable.
Build a plethora of knowledge.
Formulate your own style.
“Master your craft. Don’t tiptoe over it…It’s not the money you need, it’s the knowledge,” Ramsay added.
Ramsay likewise let on a “secret” — following the success of his Bar & Grill opened in Newport World Resorts in August, he said there are plans to bring in three more restaurant brands to the Philippines, including his iconic Hell’s Kitchen.
“We are looking at potentially three new restaurant sites here in the Philippines.
So I’d be looking at some really fun sites and stuff to come, maybe a beautiful Hell’s Kitchen restaurant,” he said.