One way by which the Goducate Training Center in Iloilo, The Philippines, aims to work towards self-sustainability is to open its premises to visitors when the center is not in use for training. The restaurant is thus an important part of the center’s attractions. Hence I was invited to help widen the menu at the restaurant by teaching the cooks non-Filipino Asian dishes.
An important step in being able to produce an authentic national dish is to know what the real stuff tastes like, so the training for Bambi and Biboy started in Singapore and Malaysia. Their first week was spent tasting and tasting—well, eating and eating. On their arrival in Singapore earlier this month, we headed to Lai Lai Kitchen for a late lunch of some Taiwanese food of braised pork with rice and bubble tea. Bubble tea? What is that, Biboy asked?
The rest of the first week was food and more food in Singapore. The spread of the buffet at Buffet Town was eye-popping for them. There they sampled Western, Japanese, Chinese, and local foods. The selection of seafoods was Biboy’s favorite. Bambi was happy to be trying everything that came to the table. Biboy’s comment was that we must have eaten at least half a cow that night.
Biboy tucking into a tray of hot-stone noodles
Bowl of "laksa" (rice noodles, fish cake, and bean curd in spicy coconut gravy), the dish that Biboy would choose if he could have only one choice. Bambi's choice was "kaya", an egg and coconut spread.
Biboy and Bambi at EcoGarden in Johor taking a break from food.
The second week took them to Johor for more food and a few cook-outs in my kitchen. There were the kaya and bread making sessions and a sweet and sour pork and yakatori cook out.
The foods they tasted during their fortnight here included prata, laksa, kaya toast, nasi lemak, prawn mee, a whole range of Chinese stir fried dishes, dim sum, roast duck, char siew, and a fish-soup hot-pot. It was definitely a big change from their norm of rice for breakfast, rice for lunch, and rice for dinner!
As to what they will offer at the Goducate Training Center restaurant, just wait and see.
Part two of their training will be held in January, when we will be cooking the dishes at the training center in Iloilo.
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