Exploring Filipino Flavors with Chef Dan Castro: A Q&A Session
We are delighted to present Chef Dan Castro, a culinary maestro renowned for his expertise in Filipino cuisine. As the creative force behind Manila Rice and EverSoul Culinary, Chef Dan has mastered the art of blending traditional Filipino flavors with modern culinary techniques, resulting in dishes that are both nostalgic and innovative.
With his upcoming participation in the Professional Division of the Adobo Throwdown 2.0, Chef Dan Castro is ready to showcase his culinary prowess on a grand stage. You won't want to miss the opportunity to witness his culinary magic unfold live at the Schertz Civic Center on August 6, 2023, at 4pm.
In this exclusive Q&A session, we have the privilege of delving into the depths of Chef Dan's culinary journey.
Can you tell us a little bit about your background and how you became a chef?
I grew up in the Philippines and migrated to Los Angeles at 13 years old. I wanted to have a culinary career after watching the series premiere of Top Chef back in 2006 or 2007. It made sense because I did not have a direction in life, but I loved food enough and had a serious competitive streak playing high school varsity tennis. Both made sense, and I was lucky enough to compete for my scholarship at the Culinary Institute of America through Careers through Culinary Arts Program in 2009 (C-CAP). I've since then traveled to California, New York, Florida, Colorado, and now living in Austin, Texas.
How would you describe Filipino cuisine to someone who is unfamiliar with it?
I would describe Filipino Cuisine as the original fusion cuisine before it was cool. Filipino cuisine has a blend of Chinese, Spanish, American, and Muslim influences, depending on when the Philippines was colonized.
What are some of your favorite Filipino dishes to cook and why?
Some of my favorite dishes to cook are Adobo and Dinuguan. Chicken Adobo has been my white whale for a while where I've always sought the perfect cooking method and technique for it, and I'm confident that it's there. But the problem I'm currently having is what to complement it with to appease the Western palate. The second favorite thing that I love cooking is Dinuguan. Because dinuguan involves pig blood to cook, it requires a bit of chemistry to deal with it a bit.
How do you incorporate traditional Filipino ingredients and cooking techniques into your dishes?
Incorporating Filipino ingredients and recipes into a fine dining setting was the main reason why I started working at Uchiko. I felt that working there would have given me the best shot at it, and I was not wrong in that regard. I've had the pleasure of being surrounded by people who are significantly more technically proficient than I am, that when I introduced the flavors to them through the initial technique, they suggested things left and right for those recipes to be sold in that environment. For example, we did an onigiri with braised pork, paired with a six minute egg and the adobo sauce. The other one was a Kaldereta with braised shortrib scraps, a carrot, daikon, and herb salad and the traditional tomato liver sauce that it is served with.
Can you share with us a particular dish that is close to your heart, and why it is meaningful to you?
Not because it's an Adobo competition that I'm pandering to, but a particular dish close to my heart really is Adobo. It's the first thing that I learned how to cook at a young age and as I've moved from phase to phase in my career, I feel like I can manipulate that set of ingredients however I see fit. The philosophy of being able to play with my food in that manner has allowed me to for the lack of better words, "mess around and find out". Sometimes the best intentions come from curiosity and even if the result isn't pretty it can always be improved upon.
What are some of the challenges that you face when cooking Filipino cuisine, and how do you overcome them?
Honestly, that's just cooking in general. Cooking is so foreign to a lot of people nowadays whether they don't have time for it or many are not willing to try anything new recipes or ingredients away from the chicken finger and peanut butter and jelly sandwich culture (not a slight on any of these as I love them too). To overcome these types of things, I think a warm introduction to someone who knows how to navigate their way around food as a tour guide is integral because based on experience alone, a lot of people are willing to try new things when they are accompanied by somebody.
What advice would you give to someone who is interested in learning how to cook Filipino food?
Grab one Filipino Cookbook and Julie and Julia your way out of it (aka, cook all of these recipes at least once). Shameless plug, I am a Filipino by Nicole Ponseca is a great start - the book encompasses a lot of history, recipes, and a modernized take on Filipino food. Secondly, get a context of what you are eating. Go to Filipino restaurants and have something that you are interested in so that you have a basis of comparison and find out what you like, or don't about it. Educate yourself frequently in what you are curious on and naturally, it just comes to you in due time from experience.
How do you think Filipino cuisine is evolving, and where do you see it headed in the future?
Filipino Cuisine is evolving because of its gradual exposure to the Western Crowd. I remember last year going to Aspen, Filipino Food was on the cover of Food and Wine Magazine. It no longer gave me an excuse to hide behind. Because of that evolution, a lot of people are starting to put out their modern versions of Filipino Food and starting to learn that the fried foods like Lumpia and Crispy Pata are the gateway foods versus the adobos and the dinuguans. Because it is evolving that way and the extensive knowledge that we are getting from the internet constantly, a lot of people would try to capitalize on what is a food trend at the moment through franchising to make a quick buck, and it essentially is a sink or swim moment just like any other business like a Chipotle, Panda Express or an In-N-Out.
Can you talk about a memorable experience or moment in your career as a chef?
It's probably because I'm typing this right now as I'm finishing up my second wine trip with my girlfriend's family, but I remember being selected by Hai Hospitality along with a few others to go on a wine trip to Napa Valley. At the time, I had some serious blinders on because I really had nothing better to do than climb a metaphorical mountain. In that period of time, I helped cross train some in trainees for their chef in training programs who some have now become my good friends, helped out with creating specials, and just kept myself on the grind because I did have that natural curiosity and pure enthusiasm. To be on that trip alone was special because it showed me what hard work can do, and at the same time I was still coming up to the point where I haven't been working there for a year and got selected over my peers who have had significantly more time than I did.
If I had to pick a second one, it would be my Eater article. I remember doing my Jollibee popup in Austin after I got back from Aspen last year because I got seriously upset at Jollibee for having one in Dallas, Houston and San Antonio but not one there, so I decided to make my own. I was on a trip and Nadia Chaudury, who is one of Eater Austin's writers sent me a DM asking me questions about it. I caught fire for a solid week or two, but came at a crossroads of whether or not I wanted to continue on with my Jollibee popup or personal cheffing and I chose the latter. However, to have that achievement in my pocket means that I'll always have something to come back to should I choose to do it.
What are your future plans and goals as a Filipino chef, and how do you hope to contribute to the culinary world?
My future plans and goals as a Filipino Chef is to introduce Filipino flavors through other means, like sushi rolls or cooking classes. I get this a lot with clients where they are unfamiliar with flavors, so I have to write my menus juuuuust slightly differently so that I could get them to try it.
My hope to contribute in the culinary world is to be someone who anyone is looking forward to collaborating with. I feel like in collaboration, there is something new that comes up that brings in a new partnership and an expanded network of chefs or clients for that matter. It doesn't even have to be in collaboration with other chefs with new and exciting menus but with other people in general as they work with or for me. I want to be fair and equal to anybody I work with. I've set standards in paying anybody who helps be above the industry standard because l need them to know that their time is worth something, and that their efforts in collaboration in any project is truly valued. To be different in that manner in the culinary world stands out a little bit, and a word of mouth always travels well. So, I want to be different in that way.