LAST MAY, Unilever Food Solutions launched a culinary competition challenging Filipino chefs and cooks across the Philippines to innovate classic Filipino dishes with interesting twists. The “Funlasang Pinoy Twist Fest” competition! Take your classic Adobo and have it served in a way you never imagined, but still embodies that familiar flavor we all love, that’s the challenge, that’s the twist.
Slowly but surely, the Filipino cuisine is making its mark in the worldwide food scene and it’s something we have yet to notice as Filipinos. We sometimes take these local dishes for granted given we always see and perceive them the same way ever since, that’s one of the inspirations that this event was made for.
Unilever Food Solutions (UFS) Philippines challenged chefs and cooks across the country to make classic Filipino dishes more exciting, enticing and interesting by putting flavorful and unexpected twists that will bring highlight these dishes.
During the past months, culinary competition ‘Funlasang Pinoy’ had Filipino chefs and cooks put their creativity to the test by innovating the classic recipes of pansit, sinigang, kaldereta, tapa, and sisig! The entry submission officially ended last July 15, 2017.
So what’s the challenge? The chefs should come up with a delicious twist and go as far as they can from the original dish and create exciting new recipes using Knorr® products and Lady’s Choice® Real Mayonnaise. Various entries have been submitted to www.ufs.com and have now been judged which among them is best!
The entries will be judged according to the following criteria: creativity of the twist, food presentation, and the use of Unilever Food Solutions products included in the competition.
After a mind-blowing series of delectable food tasting and professional eating, I mean, judging; the top 10 finalists announced last July 30 have presented their chosen recipes in a live cook-off in front of esteemed experts from the Philippine culinary industry and diners during the first ‘Funlasang Pinoy Twist Fest’ that happened last August 26, 2017 at Eastwood Mall. Their recipes will also be featured in the official Funlasang Pinoy Cookbook to be published soon after.
That’s not all! The first-ever Funlasang Pinoy Twist Fest champion, who has the most unique and delicious recipe among all dishes, will received an additional P100,000 cash prize and exclusive publicity features.
Out of the many innovative dishes tasted and rated, Danilo Puga II with his dish, Octopus Sisig won the hearts of the judges! Just hearing the name of this dish makes us scream with delight! Quite a surprising take on a classic comfort food favorite that will make you indulge and love sisig even more.
It’s not all about the winning dish and the chef who made it, but UFS hopes to use this as an avenue to create a bigger impact in the Philippine culinary scene. It’s about time we bring the spotlight back to Filipino food and get it the attention and appreciation if deserves.
So congratulations to the winners and continue putting our food in the spotlight! Do you have your own innovative Filipino recipe? Share it with us and you might just be the next Funlasang Pinoy Twist Fest champion! Let’s get the ideas and cooking going!
Event Photos by: Iza Gallego
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