Cooking is more than just a chore to Filipinos. For some, it also serves as a bonding moment where people can connect.
For the growing family of Iya Villania-Arellano, cooking became a way for her to bond with her two sons, Primo and Leon.
Whenever she’s in the kitchen, the two boys would follow suit and find ways to participate in the activity. Primo, the eldest, already knows his way around the kitchen as he shares a similar interest with his mother, while Leon follows his brother’s actions.
Iya enjoys the connection she and her boys share while cooking. As a mother, Iya believes that it’s also an ideal way to teach the kids about life skills that schools don’t always highlight.
During a Zoomcon, she shared that she lets Primo do some of the brunt work, like cutting food items. She ensures that he does it safely, of course.
As a mother of a growing family of four, Iya finds her two eldest kids more reasonable. She now focuses on her two youngest children, Astro and Alana.
Other than deepening their connection as a family and teaching the kids about relevant life skills, sharing the kitchen space is also an ideal way for Iya to inspire the children on how to appreciate food and how to eat healthy. As her kids spend more time in the kitchen with her, Iya saw how their palettes matured.
Some of Iya’s recipes come from the show Eat Well, Live Well, Stay Well, which she hosts. She admitted that the show also gave her confidence in the kitchen.
The 10-minute cooking show from GMA Network and Ajinomoto Philippines Corp. aims to educate and help Filipino families prepare dishes that are nutritious and affordable. The show returns for its fourth episode this October.
Co-host Chef Jose Sarasola, the show promises to bring new recipes that bring twists to well-loved local dishes. Sarasola shared that the new season will feature recipes that viewers can replicate for the holiday season.
“It’s good to be back for the fourth season. I really feel blessed that GMA and Ajinomoto put their trust in me to be here pa rin. Hopefully, there’s more to come and we can’t wait to show you our recipes na sobrang sarap at unique,” he said.
“We have been so blessed kasi kahit during the pandemic, tuloy pa rin kami and until now, when things are going back to normal. We’re happy to serve you lalo na because there’s so many changes in our economy, supply, and produce. Buti na lang we have this show to guide us,” Iya added.
Despite the short air time, the show explores different approaches and cooking techniques for Filipinos to produce delicious yet healthy meals, without breaking the bank.
The new season will also consider the availability of produce and market prices to make the recipe more accessible to viewers.
Eat Well, Live Well, Stay Well released the first episode of its fourth season last October 14, Friday. New episodes drop every Friday at 11:05 a.m.