Filipinos angry at American chef’s ‘white-washed’ take on adobo

Filipinos have been firing back at American chef Geoffrey Zakarian’s take for his “Americanized” take on adobo.

The video, posted in 2019, showcases the chef making the Filipino national dish with habanero, lemon, onion, and parsley. In the video, which was a clip from an episode of the Food Network Show ‘The Kitchen,’ Zakarian refers to his rendition as “traditional Filipino adobo.”

The clip of Zakarian came to the forefront of public after Malaysian comedian Nigel Ng, also known as Uncle Roger, reacted to it in a YouTube video. Uncle Roger commented that the chef had used too much water and too little garlic and bay leaves.

“Use the right amount, not the white amount,” Uncle Roger said.

Filipino viewers in the comments expressed their disappointment and annoyance, with one stating, “That’s the most soupy adobo I’ve ever seen in my life.”

Other commenters shared similar sentiments, with another adding, “This is how American chefs try to ‘Americanize’ asian dishes and they get the cooking instructions wrong.”

Read more: The Best Filipino Food to Try When Visiting the Philippines

However, viewers praised Uncle Roger’s knowledge of the Filipino national dish, despite not being Filipino.

“Thank you Uncle Roger for avenging my murdered culture,” one commenter said.

“This suited guy invoked the wrath of many Full-Blooded Filipinos including myself…” another expressed.

Photo Credit: Food Network

Geoffrey Zakarian is a leading figure in the culinary world, and has made a name for himself as a chef, television personality, and restaurateur. He has three nationally acclaimed restaurants and is an author of an award-winning cookbook. However, this does not exempt him from criticism on his dishes.

“As Filipinos, we always say that everyone has the freedom to make their own twist into the humble adobo due to how simple it is…” a viewer expressed on Uncle Roger’s video. “But seriously just because you can doesn’t mean you should, if you’re gonna make your own twist into the adobo, don’t caall it traditional and at least have the decency to have it resemble adobo.”