Adobo is one of the most beloved culinary treasures in the country. Feted for its simplicity and flexibility, households all over the nation have developed their own take on this dish through creative heirloom recipes.
Ayala Fairview Terraces, in collaboration with Datu Puti, Manam, La Rouge Products, and Our Awesome Planet, held a cook fest last Saturday seeking out the best homemade Adobo in Quezon City. Five contenders were given 45 minutes to impress a panel of three judges: Chef Claude Tayag, Chef Sandy Daza, and Chef Ernz Owera.
Find out who stood out the most in this photo essay…
AYALA FAIRVIEW TERRACES
Quirino Highway corner Maligaya Drive Barangay Pasong Putik, 1118 Novaliches, Quezon City
Telephone: +63 956 3888
Website: www.ayalamalls.com.ph
Facebook: FairviewTerraces
Instagram: @ilovefairviewterraces
Twitter: @fterraces
Left to right: Ricardo “Ricky” Loquinario III, Rebecca Lim, John Michael Marfil, Ellive Gumarang, and Roderick Obamos.
Out of a total of 9 applicants, 5 finalists were chosen by the judges based on their “auditions”–an interview and taste test was conducted weeks before the cook fest.
Left to right: Claude Tayag, Sandy Daza, and Ernz Owera.
Chef Claude “Claude 9” Tayag rose to culinary fame through his homegrown restaurants (Bale Dutung and Downtown Café) in Angeles, Pampanga; Chef Sandy Daza is owner of Wooden Spoon and the son of Pinay cooking legend Nora Daza; and Chef Ernz Owera is the executive chef of famed Filipino comfort food restaurant, Manam.
The criteria for judging.
Contenders were given 45 minutes to whip up their best Adobo.
A live audience watched as the dishes were prepared.
Chef Claude with actress-comedian, Tuesday Vargas, discussed the qualities of a good Adobo: a balanced mix of sour, salty, and tangy, the ratio of fat to protein, and a how meat cuts with bones and skin have the most flavor.
Each contender was given time to prepare earlier in the day and declare each item used in the recipe–ensuring a fair competition.
Rebecca prepared an Adobo using balsamic vinegar and cane vinegar to create a dish with well-balanced acidity.
The balsamic vinegar also adds a hint of sweetness and reduces to create a sugar-crusted layer on the meat.
Ricky prepared the Adobo Burrito as a practical and surprising way to use Adobo leftovers.
This Adobo Burrito has pork and beans, guacamole, onions, and rice–a Pinoy-Mexican fusion meal all in one!
Roderick created a pulutan-style dry Adobo with carrots, potatoes, and a hint of chili.
He opted for one of the most basic Adobos and added his own touch by finishing the dish with a knob of butter.
Ellive prepared an extra garlicky Adobo bordering on Adobong Puti.
Instead of using the typical Liempo, which requires a longer time simmer, Elive opted for pork kasim or pork shoulder for extra tender meat.
John Michael created an extra spicy Adobo with Malunggay leaves.
As a marathoner himself, he used the least fatty part of the chicken for a healthier twist.
Each contender was given time to explain their dish before the judges.
The judges tasted each Adobo and gave tips for improvement.
While the scores were tallied, Chef Claude treated the audience to a live demo and free taste test of his Downtown Café Adobo.
This delicious dish has roasted eggplant, mango salsa, salted egg, lechon kawali, and coriander on a bed of rich, liver-infused Adobo sauce.
Prizes for the cook fest are valued at more than half a million pesos worth of Datu Puti products and La Rouge goodies like stainless steel cookware, induction stoves, air fryers, and pressure cookers!
Contenders gathered onstage awaiting the results.
In 5th and 4th place respectively were Ricky Loquinario III (85%) and John Micheal Marfil (86%).
In third place was Ellive Gumarang with a cumulative score of 87%.
Second place went to Rebecca Lim’s Adobo with Balsamic vinegar with a score of 88%.
First place was Roderick Obamos with a score of 92%!
Even if nearly every household has their own version of Adobo, STANDOUT showed us how these differences in cooking techniques and recipes ultimately build one community.
Congratulations to all the finalists, judges, and sponsors for a successful cook fest!
AYALA FAIRVIEW TERRACES
Quirino Highway corner Maligaya Drive Barangay Pasong Putik, 1118 Novaliches, Quezon City
Telephone: +63 956 3888
Website: www.ayalamalls.com.ph
Facebook: FairviewTerraces
Instagram: @ilovefairviewterraces
Twitter: @fterraces
Live an Awesome Life,
Team Our Awesome Planet
Disclosure: Our experience was courtesy of Fairview Terraces. We wrote this article with our biases, opinions, and insights.
P.S. Don’t forget to sign the petition to make Adobo our national dish on www.change.org!