About Town | Ten Filipino Chefs Compete at the First-ever Funlasang Pinoy Twist Fest
The Unilever Food Solutions hosted the Funlasang Pinoy Twist Fest Competition where the winning chef brought home PhP 100,000, while the winning recipe will be featured in the Funlasang Pinoy Cookbook! Chefs and cooks from across the country unleash their creativity in putting a twist on the featured Pinoy dishes (sisig, tapa, kaldereta, sinigang or pansit) using any of the selected Unilever ingredients.
After a rigorous selection among 160 mouthwatering recipes of different Filipino dishes with a twist, only nine finalists battled it out at the grand cook-off held at Eastwood Activity Center last August 26, 2017.
“We are very excited for this day to come as we witness our very talented Pinoy chefs showcase their ingenuity in making a classic Filipino dish stand out like we’ve never seen nor tasted before. This competition was created to provide an avenue for our chefs and cooks to showcase their talents and creativity to reignite everyone’s love for Filipino food,” said James Benedict Carreon, UFS Philippines Managing Director.
![]() |
A staunch advocate of food innovation and modernization is Aracama Filipino Cuisine Executive Chef Fernando Aracama. |
“Food innovation is not about changing the original recipe of a dish. It is about staying faithful to the original concept of the dish but adding creativity to improve the taste and overall experience of your diners as they eat it,” shared Chef Fernando Aracama. “We chefs need to remember this to cater to the ever-changing palate of diners who continue to seek a different kind of dining experience, and to stand out from the clutter of food choices available these days.”
The finalist chefs were challenged to deliver the best-tasting and most innovative take on the classic Pinoy dishes with fun twists that will surely fuel the love of Pinoys for the Filipino cuisine.
THE FINALISTS AND THEIR PINOY DISHES WITH A TWIST
Chef’s Name
|
Dish Name
|
Christian Lenard Lachenal
| |
Miguel Valdez
| |
Fernando Joson
| |
Mel Adrian Tobias
| |
John Alouette Jugo
| |
Jeane Cruz
| |
Junrey Remiter
| |
Danilo Puga II
| |
Rossana Rosal
|
Chef Danilo Puga was recognized as the first-ever Funlasang Pinoy Twist Fest 2017 Champion and brought home the P100,000 cash prize, exclusive publicity features, and a special feature in the official Funlasang Pinoy Cookbook for his Octopus Sisig creation.
“The talent and creativity of Pinoy chefs are definitely something to be proud of. As a team of chefs who understand the needs of the culinary industry, we at Unilever Food Solutions are always finding ways to provide them avenues to gain more inspiration, knowledge, and access to the right products that will complement that and help them improve the dining experience of their loyal diners,” added Carreon.
As a side event, various food stalls also allowed foodies and mall-goers to enjoy their products. Here are some photos:


Even a quick glance at this scrumptuous meals is truly satisfying! What more if the concessionaires gave FREE taste of their products? Hence, after the event, everyone went home with a smile on their face and a full stomach! :)
(The writers and photographers, Ella Perez & Julius Donaire, with Mr. Tonipet Gaba, the event host.)
Unilever Food Solutions – Who We Are
At Unilever Food Solutions, we help food operators all over the world serve tasty, wholesome meals that keep guests coming back for more.
We create ingredients that save precious prep time in the kitchen, without compromising on flavour or flair, and constantly provide ideas and inspiration that keep your menu fresh and exciting. Our ingredients are some of the staples of professional kitchens in 74 countries around the world: Knorr, Lady’s Choice, Best Foods, Lipton and more.
We’ve been in food since the 1880s. We’re chefs ourselves. So we understand that critical balance between impressing your guests and making a profit. And how to keep your menus and recipes fresh and exciting, as times and tastes change.
For more information on Unilever Food Solutions, please visit: www.ufs.com.