Around Manila Bay: Pansit at Kaldereta
CHEF’S TAKE
Pansit Pusit
I’ve always been drawn to Italian food, especially pasta. One of my favorite kitchen memories is spending an entire day making pasta by hand rolling, shaping, and finding a rhythm in the process. So when the idea of creating a pansit dish came up, I saw a chance to bring that love of working with dough into Filipino cooking.
Early in my career, I worked at Sienna Italian during the pandemic. That was a difficult period, physically and mentally. Making pasta became the one thing that grounded me. It gave me structure and focus, and it played a big role in helping me recover and rebuild my energy.
This pansit also connects to my passion for seafood. I’ve always fought to stay on the fish station in every kitchen I’ve worked in, and if I could spend my life working the fish line at Robuchon, I’d be happy. It’s where I feel most at home.
For this dish, I wanted to balance playfulness and technique. The ikura on top isn’t just garnish, it’s a burst of flavor that surprises you with each bite. Combined with the crunch of chicharrón and the freshness of vegetables, it creates layers of contrast. That tension between texture and flavor is what makes the dish exciting, and it’s how I like to cook: respecting tradition while adding something that keeps you curious.
- Chef Dio
Kalderetang Kambing
I didn’t grow up eating kalderetang kambing often, it’s more of a special occasion dish, something you’d see at town festivals or gatherings. But when I visited Batangas as a kid, I remembered how rich and memorable it was. So when we started mapping out regional dishes for this chapter, I felt drawn to it.
Interestingly, kaldereta wasn’t even part of our original plan. When it came my way, I saw it as a challenge and an opportunity. I started digging deeper, reviewing what sets Batangas-style kaldereta apart, rewatching footage from our own team’s trip to Taal, and learning from what I could observe. In one of the videos, the store owner never fully revealed their process—it was almost like keeping a quiet family secret—but even that gave me a sense of how guarded and meaningful this dish is.
For me, cooking this dish has been about rediscovery. Piecing together memory, research, and observation, and then finding my own way to honor it.
- Chef Coco (Co-Chef, Istorya)
ON THE MAP: THE CULINARY CULTURES OF CAVITE
Given its proximity to Manila, Cavite hasn’t historically been known as a “foodie destination” to people from the metro. In college, I commuted by bus to and from the University Belt of Taft Avenue through the smog-choked Alabang-Zapote road, which had a turnoff to Bacoor, Cavite. At 35, I finally got off the bus and transferred to a jeep heading into Cavite’s heartland.
One of my all-time favourite food books is Republic of Taste: The Untold Stories of Cavite Cuisine by Ige Ramos. The mystery, history, allure and sheer variety of the region’s gastronomic treats hooked me in. I imagined what Cavite’s shipyards would have looked like, at their height in the 1500s, when the galleon trade was in full swing and those massive ships that sailed across the treacherous ocean started as lumber from Philippine trees, transformed by shipbuilders in the safety of Bacoor Bay into hulking vessels whose cargo literally shaped world history. I wanted to taste what I could of that history, today.
Further inspo:
The Culinary Capitals of the Philippines: Food Writer Ige Ramos’ Guide to Cavite from Tatler Asia for a tantalizing taste of the region’s foodways
My travels to Cavite to sample local specialties, accessible by local transportation
- Nastasha