AVANT GARDENER
What does a traditional Tagalog dinner taste like? I don’t mean the lutong bahay of today; I mean what did it taste like decades before?
Raffy Tesoro, a partner at Bio-Genetics Agriventures, Inc. and guest cook at James & Daughters, together with guest chef Jason Drilon, tries to answer that question in their pop-up at James & Daughters in Pasig City on April 5 and 6, 2025.
Tesoro said that the concept for the dinner started as a craving for some good sinampalukang manok done the old-fashioned way without the shortcuts and instant powders.
“While hunting down the ingredients for it, I realized that many dishes, recipes and ingredients are losing traction and visibility in most menus now. What was available 20-30 years ago has slowly disappeared, to the detriment of our food culture and versatility,” Tesoro said.
The tasting menu is very simple and rustic, relying on quality ingredients and an adherence to traditional cooking techniques. “We decided on ensaladang pako na may kamatis at kesong puti, kulawong talong, sinampalukang manok, piniritong hito na may lato at suam and leche flan gawa sa itlog ng pato. A very Tagalog menu based on some of my experiences during my childhood,” Tesoro said. “Once upon a time, we could find these dishes anywhere. Now I’d like people to experience just a little of what was lost to the winds of change and give a window into some of the foundations of our culture.”
Aside from the traditional cooking methods, almost, if not all, the ingredients were meticulously sourced from all over Luzon.
“For the sinampalukang manok, I started by aligning with my poultry farmers (from Nasugbu, Batangas) on how the chickens are raised, what the ideal weight is, and how old they should be. Back in the day, chickens were usually culled at 28 days for meat, 45 for stews and roasts, or 60 for stock and stuffing.
“Now, because of the high cost of raising poultry, most chickens that are available are culled below 28 days. Somewhere around 22-25 now, or even 18. If you compare the quality of the product now versus, say, 10-20 years ago, there's a significant difference in weight, quality, flavor, and more. Chickens now are much lighter and less flavorful. I wanted to use 45 day old free range chickens so it had that classic gamey chicken flavor without too much fat,” Tesoro explained.
“While tamarind fruit isn’t that hard to find, the leaves are. Markets usually don’t carry it and we had to find suppliers with trees to harvest it directly. The kesong puti I have shipped day-fresh from Lukban, Quezon. The fern shoots come from Laguna. The catfish and seaweed is provided live from Pasay Market. The same level of detail goes into every dish. I aligned our supply chains to provide the best that we could offer for the popup and organized it to be delivered exactly when we needed it.”
The chefs are aiming for a dining experience more centered toward Tagalog culture. “Filipino food is always meant to be shared so we encourage booking for two or more people for this popup,” Tesoro said.
“Our culture is about communal experiences so all the dishes will be served at the same time with tableware that I designed for the occasion. Aside from the heritage dishes, I engaged crafts communities in Batangas, Laguna and Pampanga to make the napkins, placemats, trays and clay pots.
“I designed a new clay pot tray so we can still have a fine dining experience despite it being traditionally communal. I’d like to think that it’s a return to our path. An alternative to conventional western teaching that most of our culinary practitioners are accustomed to.
“When we eat as Filipinos, we exchange experiences and stories. We make dishes that help us remember the past and our ancestors. We support our own culture and communities by promoting our own. Also, it’s an exercise on how we can provide affordable yet fulfilling local food experiences.”
While the appreciation for Filipino dishes continues to spread globally, it would serve us well to highlight and rediscover our hyperlocal and heritage dishes. Beyond nostalgia, the dinner is also a proof of concept of Bio-Genetics Agriventures’ logistic goals.
“I would love to see more heritage dishes from every region make a reappearance in carinderias and turo-turos all over the city and this is part of why I am working on the supply systems for it,” Tesoro said. “The idea is that hopefully we can give every Filipino a taste of their own culture. While I am doing Tagalog dishes now, we could invite practitioners of other regional-traditional cuisines to join in the future.”
Interested parties can call 0917-1346625 for reservations.