Is Filipino Food the Next Big Thing? No, Filipino Food Is Not What's Next—It Is What's Now!

In our vibrant local food scene, there's no doubt that Filipino food continues to shine like a fast-rising star.

- VICKY VELOSO-BARRERA

Filipino cuisine has evolved tremendously through the decades, so while Manam's traditional Pinoy dishes have just enough of a twist to create long queues at all its branches, others are redefining the boundaries. Take Toyo Eatery, Lore, or Kasa Palma, for instance, which are driven by chefs pushing the envelope in all directions. They make stars of heirloom ingredients like batuan fruit, tultul salt, or sampinit berries (chef Jordy Navarro of Toyo), incorporating the lesser-known yet flavorful dishes of Mindanao and other far-flung reaches of the country (chef Tatung Sarthou). They take traditional cooking methods like ihaw to reinvent the classics and even create smoky desserts (chef Aaron Isip). I am merely describing the tip of the iceberg here.

Nowadays, people will gladly sign up for Filipino tasting menus that tell a delicious story, as at Hapag Private Dining in Rockwell or the romantic Ninyo Fusion Cuisine off Katipunan in QC. The food scene is alive and well in the Philippines for homegrown restaurants and there is a happy anticipation of the Michelin Guide for Manila.

Yet, despite the Filipino diaspora to all corners of the world, Filipino food hasn't touched down in the same way that Thai, Vietnamese, or Singaporean food has landed on foodies' attention. Why has it taken so long for our cuisine to get on the radar, even as Filipinos abroad have introduced ube, adobo, and sinigang to a broader market? Versions of adobo appeared in Gourmet magazine; ube is increasingly used by bakeries and ice cream stores in the US; and sinigang was named the world's best soup by TasteAtlas in 2021. For a long time, Filipino cuisine has lagged behind its Southeast Asian counterparts in terms of recognition on a global scale. But that's about to change.