Kitchen stars: Chefs Tina Legarda, Kevin Navoa, Thirdy Dolatre, Sau del Rosario, and Francis Lacson
IT was 1998 when chef Myrna Segismundo first sat down to lunch with the late food writer, professor, and cultural icon Doreen G. Fernandez to talk about launching a food writing contest. Although Fernandez would pass away in 2002, Segismundo and her colleagues Felice Sta. Maria, Mickey Fenix, and Marilyn Orosa would go on to launch the Doreen Gamboa Fernandez (DFG) Food Writing Awards the same year.
Last September 28, Saturday, the winners of the latest DGF Awards were recognized and the third edition of “Sangkap,” a compilation of past winners, launched at the Palm Grove, Amorsolo Square in Rockwell.
DGF award-winner Francis Lacson’s tasty Linagpang na Hipon
This year’s winners are An Mercado Alcantara, who wrote about the tasty smoked eggplant kulawo in “Liquid Inihaw”; chef Francis Lacson, whose “Linagpang: A Grilled Soup” won second prize; and Resty Odon, whose “In Inkalot Country” came in third. Honorable mentions went to “Savoring the Skies: Mystique of Inihaw na Tagakbanwa of the Tagbanwa Tribe of Palawan” by Wilson Lee Flores; “Ode to the Inihaw na Bangus” by Eugene Paul M. Lorenzo; “Chicken Inasal, Bardagulan, and All” by Vincent A. Morales; “Chicken Inasal: Ilonggo by way of Mexico” by Horatius Mosquera; and “The Premise and Patience of an Ilocano’s Tinuno” by Kaye Leah Cacho-Sitchon.
Chef Tina Legarda’s Inasal na Baboy sa Sampalok
Chef Sau del Rosario’s Smoked Apahap and Aligue
Chef Jackie Ang Po’s Tablea Q
A highlight of the event was a merienda menu put together by Segismundo’s invited chefs, who wowed everyone with the fabulous flavors that Fernandez herself would have heartily approved of. Kulawo canapés brought by DGF top winner Alcantara started things rolling. The feast started with DGF winner Francis Lacson’s incredibly tasty Linagpang na Hipon, whose smoky flavors won the day. Chef Tina Legarda of Bamba Bistro presented Inasal na Baboy sa Sampalok, which had the favorite meat bathed in a tangy sauce. Renowned chef Sau del Rosario of Sawsaw ingeniously combined a perfectly smoked apahap with adlai smothered in aligui. Hapag’s Kevin Navoa and Thirdy Dolatre prepared Tinupig na Manok. Finally, dessert queen chef Jackie Ang Po of Fleur de Lys prepared a Tablea Q as a perfect conclusion.
