The Philippines is best known as Asia’s melting pot because of the uniqueness and variety of its food. Filipino cuisine has found a global niche and made its mark in Qatar through initiatives like Kulinarya Qatar that has been active in promoting Pinoy culture and tourism through culinary arts.
The group continues to uphold the Philippine culinary heritage through a programme showcasing some of the finest dishes of the Philippines, in collaboration with celebrity Chef Luis Rey ‘Niño’ Logarta. The recent event was held at Cocina de Rose Filipino restaurant with the presence of local media.
Some of the Pinoy dishes that Chef Niño prepared during the media night are the best of Luzon and Mindanao cuisine, cooked to perfection and presented in a sophisticated way by the chef himself.
Kulinarya Qatar
“Part of the objective of Kulinarya Qatar is to promote our Filipino cuisine. We’re honoured to have Chef Niño to showcase a special Pinoy talent in preparing a presentation to campaign for our Filipino dishes especially prepared by him. We aim to promote the Philippines among the best travel destinations and give the public a glimpse of what they can expect from the Philippine culture through our food,” said Dahlia Agbanlog, the founder and chairperson of Kulinarya Qatar, when asked by Qatar Tribune about the purpose behind this initiative during the press conference.
Kulinarya Qatar is a cultural movement through Filipino cuisine established since 2015 under the guidance of the Philippine Embassy to Qatar.
Pinoy Celebrity Chef
A familiar face in Philippine television, Chef Niño has been a host and Chef/Kitchen Manager for GMA-QTV Channel 11’s cooking shows such as ‘Ka-Toque: Lutong Barkada’, ‘Daddylicious’ and ‘Sarap at Home’. He also guested at The Ryzza Mae Show and worked with Filipino celebrities like Marian Rivera. He is the first Philippine Chef Brand Ambassador of the world’s first cream cheese brand — Philadelphia Cream Cheese.
The renowned chef-entrepreneur, who hails from Quezon City, has been championing Pinoy food abroad and modernising the cuisine while preserving its rich and authentic taste that has been passed down through generations.
Albeit sharing his expertise, experiences, and tips with aspiring chefs for nearly two decades now, he still stresses the importance of constant learning.
“I’ve been through a lot of countries. Of course, it adds on to my experience as a chef. But, even if you’re studying or a chef already, you’re still learning. It’s basically teaching your palate on how to appreciate things, which flavours are good or don’t go well with other ingredients. It’s an ever-evolving thing”, added Chef Niño.
For him, integrating other flavours to the local cuisine, tracing back the roots of each recipe and exploring other cooking techniques are prerequisites to make the Filipino food more appealing and palatable to the world market.
The acclaimed chef has joined a bevy of celebrity chefs at the annual Qatar International Food Festival. During his recent stay in the country, he conducted special culinary classes in partnership with Kulinarya Qatar and WASAHQ Culinary Training Program. He also joined another Pinoy Chef MJ Pepania at a “Filipino Night” event.
In his workshops, he delved into the difference between Culinary Lifestyle Class as the study of recipes and Culinary Course as the Science behind cooking.
Cocina de Rose
As the host venue for Chef Niño’s showcase of Filipino cuisine to the media guests, Cocina de Rose serves all-time favorite Filipino dishes in a cozy ambiance with contemporary interiors.
“We want the Filipino dishes to be showcased here in Qatar and now it’s our chance to introduce the uniqueness of the Filipino cuisine in the country,” said Mary Rose Uy, the restaurant proprietor, while urging the public to patronize Filipino restaurants.
When asked if Cocina de Rose will also be serving international cuisine, she said, “We will not just welcome our Kababayans, but we will also encourage everyone to visit here where they can experience the Philippines in Qatar.”
“We built this place with a heart. From entering the restaurant to leaving the place, you will feel at home because of thewarm welcome and Filipino hospitality you will experience here,” added Uy.
