THE Queen City of the South is known best for its culinary wonders due to the Cebuanos’ intricate palate. Knowing this, Unilever Food Solutions (UFS) decided to bring to Cebu “Knorr Funlasang Pinoy” for the very first time.
Knorr Funlasang Pinoy began last year with its first winner Chef Danilo Puga II who won with his ever coveted dish, Octopus Sisig.
“It’s such an honor to be the first ever winner of Funlasang Pinoy. This [competition] allows chefs like me to showcase our talents and show that Filipino cuisines can elevate. We should always explore. We should always remember that we represent the country around the world with our dishes and that we should always think of ways how to elevate them,” said Chef Dan.
The Funlasang Pinoy is an annual cooking competition first held in Manila. In the competition, chefs compete by using Knorr products to create Filipino dishes with their own twists. This year, Unilever Food Solutions decided to make the competition even grander by bringing it to the Visayas and Mindanao as well. For the Visayas, the cook-off was held in Waterfront Cebu City Hotel and Casino in Lahug last Aug. 9. Its third and final cook-off will be held in Mindanao on Aug, 22.
Five chefs representing Cebu, Panay and Busuanga presented their dishes. Chef Chad Anton Alao presented Sinampalokang Adobong Manok; executive chef and culinary director Junrey Remiter of Ocean Breeze Resort presented his Stuffed Chicken Adobo with Atsuete Quail Egg Fried Rice. The youngest contender, Chef Nico Julius Joson presented Adobecque; Chef Wyreen Joy Alarcon, owner of Whatever You Do Café, presented her beloved Chicharong Bulaklak in Kare-Kare Sauce, and Chef Arlyn Conanan presented her Bulalo with Coconut Cream from Kalibo Aklan.
In the end, Chef Alarcon won the media’s choice award for her Chicharong Bulaklak in Kare-Kare sauce and Chef Joson won the grand prize, bringing home with him P100,000 and admittance to the UFS Chefmanship Academy.