The satisfying combination of Mindanaoan grain adlai and Kapampangan signature dish buro earned the top spot in a nationwide culinary contest.
Chef Victor Barangan bested the competition in this year’s Certified Funlasang Pinoy—a nationwide search that celebrates Filipino cuisine—with his Burong Salmon Adlai. He received P100,000 cash prize.
For his winning dish, Chef Victor used adlai instead of rice and introduced salmon cured in Knorr Rostip Chicken Seasoning Powder in a bowl of buro with richer, umami flavor. He paired it with pork belly marinated in Knorr Sinigang Sa Sampalok Mix, and slices of fresh lettuce and tomatoes.
“I had to process and cure salmon to elevate the humble buro. The result was amazing,” said Chef Victor. Certified Funlasang Pinoy panelists—Aracama Filipino Cuisine managing partner and executive chef Fernando Aracama, Locavore chef and owner Kel Zaguirre, Eatsplorations’ Mark Tan, Philippine Daily Inquirer’s Vangie Baga-Reyes, and UFS Philippines senior sous chef Carlos Aluning—were all in agreement.
Chef Aracama explained, “It takes belief in one’s self and true knowledge of your ingredients to be able to turn and elevate classic dishes into something innovative and modern without disregarding our own traditions and culture.”
Aside from Chef Victor, four other chefs each won 20,000 pesos in cash for their superb take on Filipino cuisine.
Chef Belinda Moldez-Evangelista with her Stuffed Kimchi Fried Rice in Roasted Chicken Inasal; Chef Gerry Austria with his Sizzling Bangus Sisig; Chef Striessand Casallo with his Ginataang Tortang Dariway; and Chef Wilson Adriano with his Beef Serkele completed this year’s top five.
The top five dishes were selected from hundreds of recipes submitted by chefs and cooks at the beginning of the search. From there, diners selected a festive spread of 22 dishes that captured the Filipino taste and interest. All 22 winning chefs received plaques and certificates from Unilever Food Solutions.
“We at UFS Philippines recognize that the secret ingredients to our favorite sisig, sinigang, or kare–kare are the passionate chefs and cooks behind these straight-from-the-heart Filipino dishes. That is why it is a pleasure for us to continue creating more platforms for chefs and cooks to take pride in their creations,” enthused UFS Philippines managing director James Benedict Carreon.