Chef Tony Boy Escalante: Filipino homecooked meals deserve Michelin recognition
MANILA, Philippines — If there is any Filipino food that should get a Michelin star, veteran chef Antonio "Tony Boy" Escalante believes that those are dishes cooked in Filipinos' very own homes.
Earlier this year, culinary guide book series the Michelin Guide announced it would be coming to Manila, Cebu, and surrounding areas of the Philippine capital for the first time.
The guide was created in 1900 by the Michelin tire company to support the growth of automobile mobility and has since helped individuals highlight global culinary scenes.
Independent, anonymous inspectors have already been thoroughly exploring Manila, Cebu, Pampanga, Tagaytay, and Cavite to identify which establishments will be recognized.
Philstar.com asked Escalante — owner of the Antonio's Group of Restaurants — on Filipino cuisine being recognized by the popular food guide.
Escalante admitted that many foreigners love Filipino food, something he has noticed in one of his Tagaytay restaurants, Balay Dako.
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"But I think Filipino food is still being enjoyed in private houses," Escalante noted.
The chef shared that while some Filipinos in the past migrated abroad, not many of them opened mom-and-pop restaurants that serve Filipino food compared to other Asian cuisines like Vietnamese and Thai.
Going back to his point on foreigners about enjoying Filipino dishes, Escalante said he has had Turkish and American friends over at his house who shared that they love the food he served them.
"So it's really the preparation and the place," Escalante explained.
On the prospect of any of his restaurants getting a Michelin star, Escalante just smiled and admitted the thought had not crossed his mind.
"If they award me, okay. If they don't, I'm okay. I'm okay, really. I haven't thought of that," the chef ended.
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