Pinoy Culture Catching Up in the US

by Terree Rola

Terree (far left) in action at the Collaboration Kitchen, a non-profit organization

It’s an exciting period of time to be “growing up Filipino-American.” People in America are getting a better understanding and are more accepting of our culture, and older generations can now feel more comfortable practicing it openly. We are no longer thought of as the tan Asians whose women are all nurses and men are cooks in the Navy, not that there is anything wrong with that.

Manny Pacquiao has shown Americans not to take our shorter stature lightly, because pound-for-pound, we are tough people. The Mexicans know that, although our children prefer school over street gangs, our quiet mild-mannered Manny will beat their champions in eight different divisions and four different weight classes.

The standard to which all other street dancers aspire is not some black rap group, but the mostly-Filipino Jabbawockeez. They are the first season winners of America’s Best Dance Crew, and the show’s only group to gain international acclaim and their own show in Las Vegas. Lea Salonga, Jose Llana, George Salazar, Jo Koy, Edwin San Juan, Phoebe Cates(1/4 Filipino), and Rob Schneider(1/4 Filipino) have made their marks on Broadway, comedy clubs, movies, and television. Interesting to note, I met Rob Schneider and his mother Pilar at the taping of a pilot show in Studio City. The show’s announcer proudly announced and demonstrated that he spoke several languages, including Filipino. At which point Pilar stood up and corrected him saying, “You speak Tagalog, NOT Filipino. I’M the one who speaks Filipino, because I speak ILOCANO!”

Most exciting for me though, is that Filipino food is finally out of the culinary closet, and we no longer have to call dinuguan “chocolate meat.” Thanks to Anthony Bourdain and Andrew Zimmern of CNN and The Travel Channel respectively, our native dishes are now considered trendy and exotic by foodies all over America. Balut has been downgraded from horrific, to something as exotic as snails or monkfish liver. Eating neatly sans spoon and fork has gone from a primitive habit, to a worldly diner’s skill also practiced by sophisticated cultures in the Middle East, Eastern Europe, and Asia.

Even more, any Filipino Top Chef fan was thrilled to watch Chef Paul Qui(1) win Top Chef: Texas in Season 9. Born in Manila and trained in classic French and Japanese cuisine, Paul Qui is chef/proprietor at qui restaurant and East Side King, a group of food trailers and restaurants, in Austin, Texas. Chef Josie Smith-Malave(2) was in two seasons: Top Chef: Los Angeles in Season 2 and Top Chef: Seattle in Season 10. Chef Dale Talde(3) was also on two seasons: Top Chef: Chicago in 2008 and Top Chef All-Stars in 2010-11. More recently, was Chef Sheldon Simeon(4) in the 10th season of Bravo Network’s Top Chef: Seattle as a finalist and winning Fan Favorite. It was a moment of national pride for Filipinos when he won “Best Dish” by wowing the judges with his pork belly, shrimp and snapper sinigang.

However, we can’t forget the highest ranked chef in the country - - White House Executive Chef Cristeta Pasia Comerford(5). Chef Cristeta is a Filipino-American chef who has been the White House Executive Chef since 2005. She is the first woman to be selected for the post, and also the first of Asian descent.

(1)Paul was the recipient of the James Beard Foundation Award for Best Chef: Southwest 2012, and winner of the San Pellegrino Cooking Cup 2013. Paul was also named one of Food & Wine magazine's 2014 Best New Chefs and Top 10 Empire Builders of 2012.

(2)The very busy Chef Josie is currently working on a music-driven cooking show, The Rock and Roll Cooking Show®; a baked potato takeout concept, Global Soul To Go ™; and a popsicle and ice cream company, Pop Queens®.  Currently, Chef Josie can be found in San Francisco at Thee Parkside with her pop up Global Soul Corner™.

(3)Since Top Chef,Dale moved to NYC for the opportunity to work with Chef Masaharu Morimoto and restaurateur Stephen Starr at the celebrated Japanese restaurant, Morimoto. Continuing to work with STARR Restaurants, he then joined the kitchen of Buddakan, serving as Chef de Cuisine. In 2011, Dale was named Director of Asian Concepts for STARR Restaurants, consulting on various projects and assisting with the opening of Makoto in Bal Harbour, Fla.

(4)Sheldon Simeon is currently executive chef at Mala Wailea and recently opened his signature restaurant MiGRANT, both located in the Wailea Beach Marriott Resort & Spa on Maui. Recently Sheldon was named on Hawaii Magazine’s Top 5 Best Hawaiian Chefs of 2014 and voted FOOD & WINE Magazines 2014 People’s Best New Chef for the Pacific & Northwest.

(5)Cristeta Comerford was born as Cristeta Pasia in the Philippines and grew up at Cataluña St., (now G. Tolentino) Sampaloc, Manila. She completed her secondary education at the Manila Science High School. She attended the University of the Philippines, Diliman in Quezon City, majoring in food technology. However, she left school before completing the degree when she immigrated to the United States at the age of 23.

About the Author

Terree comes from the Terrenal clan in Magsingal.  Having been born "stateside," she does not speak any of the dialects and hasn't been to the Philippines -- yet.  Terree and her family are members of the Magsingal Association of Southern California (MASC).

Terree is very active in the food industry.  She was picked to be 1 of the 8 Finalists at the San Diego Fair's Next Food Network TV Star Competition. She's also been invited to write for a few food websites, review food products, and review culinary travel books.

She is honored to have served as a World Food Championships Judge, alongside such respected notables as American Culinary Federation President Thomas Macrina, Johnson & Wales University Dean of Culinary Development and WACS Global Master Chef Karl Guggenmos, James Beard Award-winning food writer Josh Ozersky, Food Network Iron Chef America Judge & author/writer/broadcaster Simon Majumdar, and several other James Beard Award-winning and Michelin-starred chefs.

A proud Culinarian member of the Chefs de Cuisine Association of San Diego, KCBS Certified Judge, and ardent supporter of Collaboration Kitchen & Front Burner non-profit organizations.

Terree also curates content on cool chefs, restaurants, purveyors, & food-focused friends, by sharing culinary news, deals, events & recipes through daily posts via her Frugal Foodie Daily Newsletter, Gonzo Gourmands Facebook Page, Gonzo Gourmands blog and website (http://gonzogourmands.com). Although she specializes in Culinary and Hospitality, Terree also curates content for Social Media Marketing in other business to consumer industries.

She is also helping chefs connect with each other in order to hone their skills and share their knowledge via Chef's Roll. Chef's Roll is a medium similar to LinkedIn, but created exclusively for chefs (www.ChefsRoll.com). You can get in contact with Terree with any questions at terree@chefsroll.com or terree@facebook.com or http://about.me/Terree.