Chef Claude Tayag pays homage to Filipino adobo in SF cooking exhibition

Chef Claude Tayag presents three Filipino adobo dishes featured in his newest book. Photo from San Francisco PCG

SAN FRANCISCO – The Bay Area-based Filipino Food Movement and the Philippine Consulate General in San Francisco recently hosted renowned Filipino food writer, artist and restaurateur Claude Tayag’s cooking exhibition spotlighting the Filipino adobo.

Tayag was in San Francisco for the 7^th biennial Filipino American International Book Festival, where he promoted his latest book “The Ultimate Filipino Adobo: Stories + Recipes from the Heart” from Anvil Publishing.

The book serves as a follow-up to “The Ultimate Filipino Adobo: Stories Through the Ages,” a gastrodiplomacy book project of the Foreign Service Institute.

Chef Claude Tayag (left) with his newest book, “The Ultimate Filipino Adobo: Stories + Recipes from the Heart” and Vice Consul Adrian Baccay. Photo from San Francisco PCG

Tayag was first  introduced to the American audience when he accompanied chef and TV host Anthony Bourdain during a tour of Pampanga in “No Reservations.”

The cooking exhibition was held at La Fusion Peruvian Restaurant in downtown San Francisco on Oct. 14.

Tayag began his presentation with the “Dalit sa Adobo” (“Hymn to the Adobo”) by Philippine National Artist for Literature Virgilio Almario: “Ay! Ang adobo ni inang, pang-tag-araw, pang-tag-ulan; parang pusong nagmamahal, mas masarap ‘pag nagtatagal.”

During the cooking demo hosted by Filipino Food Movement Vice President Keesa Ocampo, Tayag presented three Filipino adobo dishes that were featured in his newest book: Adobong Portobello Mushrooms, Adobong Pusit Pansit (Squid Adobo Noodles) and Three-Way Adobong Manok (Three-Way Chicken Adobo).

Adobong Portobello Mushrooms / Photo from San Francisco PCG

Tayag differentiated the Filipino adobo from other versions in the Hispanic world, where adobo is used to marinate or preserve food.

Tayag emphasized that more than being a dish, the Filipino adobo is a cooking method with vinegar as the primary liquid, which should allow anyone to create their own adobo recipes.

For instance, he told the audience to use any vinegar product that is accessible to them. For the cooking demo, he used balsamic vinegar for the Adobong Portobello Mushrooms and apple cider vinegar for the Three-Way Adobong Manok.

Three-Way Adobong Manok / Photo from San Francisco PCG

Attendees enjoyed plated servings of the three dishes, with San Miguel and Red Horse beers and red wine.

Consul Rowena Pangilinan-Daquipil, Vice Consul Adrian Baccay and Vice Consul Hannah attended the event.

From left: South San Francisco Councilmember Flor Nicolas, Consul Rowena Pangilinan-Daquipil, The Hinabi Project Executive Director Maya Escudero, San Francisco Entertainment Commissioner Al Perez, Vice Consul Adrian Baccay and Vice Consul Hannah Go. Photo from San Francisco PCG

On behalf of the Consulate, Vice Consul Baccay thanked Tayag, the Filipino Food Movement, La Fusion Restaurant and its owner, Chef Eddy Bonilla, and the attendees for gracing the event.

Watch the livestream on the Filipino Food Movement’s Facebook page.