MANILA, Philippines - There’s no excuse for not eating well, claims food enthusiast and professional chef, Jeremy Favia. This idea is well-portrayed in a television program that he stars in with his mom in TV5 dubbed as Chef vs. Mom. Here, they challenge each other to a cook-off where his mother leans towards the traditional way of cooking, competing against his experimental culinary style. At the end of the show, they have guest judges give a verdict on who cooked up the better meal. Whether it’s his or his mom’s dish that wins, he asserts that cooking healthy food is always possible.
“We live in a tropical country, which means that we Filipinos are very lucky to have fresh, healthy and colorful produce. We have a lot of fruits and veggies with vibrant flavors that are very versatile and go well with almost anything. May it be from the farm or a local market, everything is within reach,†he says. His cooking style is very much resonant of that thought as his signature dish is a vegetable-stuffed zucchini boat.
Chef Jeremy also stars in Take-Out, a travel and cooking show in one where he goes around different places in the Philippines to try out dishes and delicacies in different regions of the country. As a concluding note to each episode, he creates his own version of the food that he tried.
One of his favorite bases is the tomato sauce. He found that Filipinos apparently have a fondness for it as some local favorites include kaldereta, puchero, and mechado. He’s very specific about Dole Tomato Sauce because of its taste and health benefits.
“As compared to other sauces, they’re made from real tomatoes, so when you think of a recipe that has a fresh tomato, or any dish where you can incorporate a tomato, light bulb! Use Dole Tomato Sauce, †he says.
Another favorite is the newly introduced Dole Spaghetti Sauce. All three variants go hand-in-hand with the different cravings of the Filipino palate. There’s Sweet Style for those who prefer their pasta dishes on the sweeter side. For the adventurous, Italian Style successfully captures the zesty flavors of different Italian herbs and spices. Dole Spaghetti Sauce Filipino Style is perfect for the Pinoys that look for the ideal sweet and sour blend in their spaghetti. Dole Spaghetti Sauce is made from fresh, real tomatoes that are rich in lycopene that helps prevent certain kinds of cancer.
“Just always be curious and experimental,†chef Jeremy add. “In this huge culinary world, there’s always something new to learn. Keep discovering.â€