By Theriz Lizel R. Silvano
How would you introduce foreigners to Filipino cuisine?
A Filipino chef based in Australia thought of doing the whole thing for the opening of a Pinoy pop-up restaurant: an introduction to the several aspects of Filipino culture, from food to fashion, under the Buwan ng Wika theme celebrated here in the Philippines in August.
“I remember, when I was in high school back in the Philippines, we were forced to do performances every single year for Buwan ng Wika,” recalled Fhred Erick Batalona, head chef of Bar Pigalle at Maison Burlesque in Melbourne, in an interview with Manila Standard.
“And that basically [is] the culmination of our culture,” he continued, adding that the celebration “is the best way to showcase what Filipino culture is” and that “it encompasses everything we do, from cuisine, fashion, to performances”.
A proper introduction
The Buwan ng Wika launch concept of Batalona’s Barangay pop-up restaurant, happening on August 29, aims to push Filipino cuisine and culture in a place where they remain relatively unpopular.
Having lived in Australia for six and half years now, working as chef “throughout the entire the time”, Batalona believes it is the right time to let Australians know more about us.
“There’s only a little bit of percentage that people actually know about us or know about our cuisine, know about our culture, know about our fashion,” he said, lamenting how cultural gatekeeping prevents other nationalities from learning about Filipino culture.
“We are not too open to other cultures; we say that we are but what happens is that they (fellow Filipinos) congregate to one place where we create this barrier where non-Filipinos usually cannot go,” he shared. “And that is something I want to break with Barangay.”
Barangay’s opening promises to be “a full immersion into everything that we are and what we stand for as Filipinos”. A ticket includes a reserved seat to the entire event, with a four-course Filipino meal (which will include adobo) prepared by Batalona, special cocktails by Roy Martins Das Neves, performances by Filipino folk dance groups, and a fashion show assembled by Lilian Bermudez.
“I have a host who will basically take you on a journey on how the event should go. It will be a magical night for non-Filipinos and Filipinos alike.”
At home at Barangay
Batalona aspires his pop-up restaurant, which took him nearly three years to finally mount, to be a place where people feel at home.
“It is a pop-up restaurant, it’s not a permanent standalone restaurant, but the venue that I chose will make it feel like it’s a Filipino restaurant,” he said as he mentioned the warm, cozy ambience achieved with the use of dark wood, candles, and chandeliers “everywhere”.
“I think, the first thing Filipinos would feel [as they enter] is that there’s a sense of home. That’s what I want to create. I want people to feel at home the moment they come inside the restaurant with all the things that we’ve placed in.”
The taste, Batalona assures, is distinctly Filipino, too, but elevated to stand out on the global stage.
“I was taught by my mom to cook and I followed her methods,” he shared. “I like preparing [dishes] and making sure I use the best quality ingredients and techniques to make sure that things are getting cooked right and all the flavors are melding together.”
He continued, “Because I do things by measurement, I make sure everything is on point, that everyone will get the same food and the same feeling every single time.”
A push in the right way
Batalona owes it to the time he spent living, working, and learning about Australian culture the wisdom and experience that help him forge a path for Filipino cuisine.
“Throughout the time that I lived here, [the Australian culture] helped [me] hone my skills and experience to be able to do what I’m doing right now. Barangay wouldn’t exist if I wasn’t interested in their culture. If I’m only interested in our culture, then I won’t improve,” he said.
Passion helps, but right presentation, Batalona believes, is key to truly elevate Filipino cuisine and make foreign diners take notice. Much like how some international brands coming to the Philippines tweak their flavors to suit the Filipino palate or present food the way that would entice us, the Melbourne-based chef said, “we need to be able to make it agreeable to their terms as well”.
“To make us stand out, we need to do better. I’m trying to elevate Filipino food but not make it too expensive. I want to retain the Filipino flavors that we have and do any fusion,” he said.
Despite the cloud of uncertainty surrounding the hospitality industry because of the pandemic, Batalona is hopeful positive changes will spring forth from the challenges.
“The hospitality industry, in general, is a question mark depending on how the COVID situation will go on,” he said. “But one thing you need to know about this industry is that people are really hard workers, they are known to work incredibly long hours.”
According to Batalona, opening a food establishment, like Barangay, requires passion, business acumen, perseverance, and hard work.
“Showcasing Filipino cuisine here in Melbourne is very different […] I want to show what we can do as Filipinos, and that we can do more. Our food is amazing and I just want to share it with all the people,” he said.
As of writing, Barangay Pop-Up Restaurant: Buwan ng Wika is already fully booked. To prevent the spread of coronavirus, they follow the Australian government’s protocols such as wearing of mask, sanitizing, and physical distancing.