The Amazing Food Challenge is hotter, fresher, and more fun in the Philippines

Hospitality, generosity, warmth, and food  —  lots and lots of food; these are the words that come to mind when you bring up the word “Philippines.” And while our people are certainly something to boast about, we have also severely underplayed the wealth of our natural resources — the beauty of our local scenery, the unspoiled virgin isles that make up our 7,000-island-strong nation, the freshness and variety of local ingredients that make our cuisine far richer and more unexpected than your average adobo.

Luckily, these are exactly the things that come into play in The Asian Food Channel’s original series, The Amazing Food Challenge: Fun In The Philippines. Now, if the last part of that title sounds like a familiar slogan to you, that’s because it is. The Amazing Food Challenge comes to our television sets with the help of the Philippine Department of Tourism and the Tourism Promotions Board of the Philippines, which have widened the reach of this show beyond the usual tourist spots. Managing director Derek Chang of Scripps Network Interactive Asia Pacific — the parent network of the Asian Food Channel, together with other mainly lifestyle-related channels — says, “We believe this season to be the most entertaining season yet as we deliver exciting new personalities competing fiercely to demonstrate their culinary skills while testing their limits for adventure against the backdrop of the physical beauty and rich cultural heritage of the Philippines.”

The sights and ingredients, however, are not the only thing keeping the show fresh. As the culinary competition returns on Dec. 22 for its third season, The Amazing Food Challenge now boasts at the helm a British presenter and chef Aaron Craze. Craze is a well-known long time mentee of chef Jamie Oliver, and while having hosted several killer food shows such as Junior Bake Off and Aaron Craze’s Rude Boy Food, Craze is most often recognized for his contributions to Oliver’s online Food Tube channel.

“I’ve never been on a show like this,” says Craze. “In terms of a presenter, I present a lot of studio-based shows or if we’re outside, we’re still in a tent or something. This was like a band being out in the wild; it was like we were on tour going from place to place.” The vibrant and colorful host gives us a large smile and says, “I loved it. So much so that I wanted to stay; I didn’t want to leave.”

Joining Craze are two resident judges in the form of our very own chefs Fernando Aracama and Rob Pengson. Aracama is the man behind the eponymous Aracama, Uva, My Thai Kitchen, Canteen Simple Good Food, as well as the kitchens behind Republiq, Café Republiq, and Prive Luxury Club. Pengson, on the other hand, is the name to remember when dining at The Goose Station, but is also known to many local television viewers as “chef Rob,” the main face on QTV’s Chef To Go.

These three are thrown into the mix with 12 contestants from Canada, Europe, and all over Southeast Asia, all of whom are fighting for a chance to take home US$30,000 and an all-expense-paid trip around the Philippines. What ensues is the search for great flavor, creativity on one’s toes, and a wide berth of never-before-seen challenges, including crab fishing, harvesting local ingredients, and racing on traditional wooden bikes (which may or may not have had any questionable brakes) — aside, of course, from the actual cooking.

Craze remarks on the variety within the usual Filipino staples that make both judging a challenge and give the contestants a lot of room to work when given the opportunity. “Every region is different. Like there’s one dish, adobo, which is technically the same dish but it’s different from the north to the south. Some are done with coconut, some with soy sauce, and all the different vinegars.”

This, of course, begs the question: how do the contestants know what tastes to replicate and how do judges like Craze know what tastes to look for? “[The contestants] would actually be given the dishes cooked by the traditional cooks in the region we were in. They would then be given a short time to analyze, to do their marketing in the talipapa, and one hour to cook their dish,” says Aracama. “In one destination, we had to consult with the local tribal council that everything be done to a ‘T,’ because they didn’t want to dilute the local cuisine. They wanted it to be authentic. Even we had to taste that dish and base it on that.”

And while all this seems moderately difficult, it’s also not called a challenge for nothing. “We would actually throw them a lot of curve balls in the middle of these challenges,” Aracama says. “We would stop them in the middle of the cooking hour and say, ‘Oh, by the way, you also need to make a beverage.’” Pengson laughs and says, “All the planning just goes out the window.”

 “They had kind judges looking over their shoulder, though,” says Aracama. “We were there to egg them on to do their best. It wasn’t like ‘Spin A Win’ — I will either lead you or mislead you. We were leading them into making the best possible product.” Pengson agrees. “[We did] nothing to make a particular group win. And if we had a good tip that would give someone a competitive advantage, we had to give it to everyone.”

So does that mean that this group was particularly fierce and merciless? “I was hoping that they would be more cutthroat against each other,” Aracama says, and is immediately met with laughter from the room. “But they were really kind and they really looked out for each other. I was like, ‘You know what, guys? If I were you, I would keep that butter.’”

 “You watch a lot of these shows and there’s a lot of sabotaging,” adds Pengson. “I guess it’s so different because you have these people, and they’re like, ‘Who needs butter? I have extra butter!’ So in a way there’s kind of that Japanese culture of respect of your opponent. I will not cripple my opponent, and if they’re going to beat me, they’re going to beat me at their best,” to which Aracama swiftly replies, “That will change, Rob.”

What both chefs agree on, however, is that there are more than enough twists and turns within the season to keep audiences hooked, and it begins with the food itself. “There will be no adobo,” says Pengson. “You will be surprised, because it’s honestly one of the best cooking shows I’ve ever seen!”

Aracama adds, “[There was] even food that was foreign to us, food that we’ve never tried before. It was a beautiful experience, not just because we’re in it, but because it was just so well done across the board.”