Chef Claude Tayag says no to mall resto

Offers to do so came left and right, what with American chef Anthony Bourdain himself giving the Filipino chef a thumbs up.

But Chef Claude said, “No, thanks!” The free-spirited artist wanted to do things his way, not the mall owner’s way.

He wanted to share his home’s cozy interiors – with furniture he himself made – with diners whom he treated as house guests. He wants them to look around, gawk at the thick foliage that greets them when they enter the house, sit on the furniture he himself made, and linger for hours after a good meal.

He did not want his guests to feel pressured into finishing their meal or conversations fast because other diners are waiting to be seated. So, he decided to adopt a by-reservation only policy in his Bale Datung (wooden house) located in Angeles City, Pampanga, a two-hour drive from Manila.

And because he and his family live in the house, Chef Claude and his wife Mary Ann can always sit down with guests and make them feel at home.

“I don’t think it’s an invasion on my privacy,” the 60-year-old artist-chef, who books guests on reservation only, says.

It is he who is careful about invading his guests’ privacy. He just slowly moves away from their table groaning with adobo, paksiw, lechon and other Filipino food, when he feels secrets or important issues are about to be discussed.

Chef Claude is on a new high these days because he will add another item to his multi-hyphenated name. He hosts Lifestyle TV’s new culinary-travel show “Chasing Flavors” every Saturday, June 3, 9 p.m.  It also airs every Sunday, 12:30 p.m., Monday, 2 a.m., Tuesday, 7 p.m. and Wednesday, 11 a.m.

True to form, Chef Claude goes off the beaten path and debunks myths about Filipino cuisine. By featuring iconic dishes per region, he crashes the myth of the national Filipino dish, which most of us assume is adobo.

“We don’t have a national cuisine,” he insists. “They force us to accept adobo as the national dish. Others say it’s kinilaw. Still, others say it‘s sinigang. It can’t be, because these are cooking methods.”

His show tackles these cooking methods, one episode at a time. For instance, the adobo episode will show each region’s take on the popular dish. The final segment will see Chef Claude demonstrating his own version of the iconic dish.

As his way of serving his country, this true-blue nationalist will use only local ingredients.

Those who know him from way back recognize his advocacy of all things Filipino, down to the way he uses traditional methods of slow cooking (e.g. using firewood) to come up with healthier meals.

“There are no shortcuts,” he vows.

Chef Claude also shows why he describes Filipino cuisine as “very democratic.”

He will travel far and wide around the country to feature cuisine unique say, to the people of Batanes, Tawi-Tawi, Cebu, Iloilo, etc. His travels have proven one thing.

“Pinoys go for the sweet, sour and salty,” and they differ from the Thais, who go for spicy food, and other nationalities, who want their meals bland.

So fasten your seatbelts and let Chef Claude take you on a culinary adventure around the country.  He promises that, like a full meal in Bale Datung, it will be worth it.