Philippine cuisine is shaped by a medley of cultural influences — Chinese, Spanish, American and Indo-Malay, among others. But one globally acclaimed cuisine appears to be an outlier: French.
On April 5 and 8, 2025, Le Cordon Bleu Ateneo hosted “The Philippines to France Tasting Tour,” in collaboration with the Culture and Senses class of noted anthropologist Dr. Fernando Zialcita. French master chef Cyrille Soenen and pastry chef Julien Bispo curated the menu alongside Filipino chefs Jigo Viray and Judex Banzuela.
The two-day event explored how both nations transform the same ingredients into distinct culinary expressions, showcasing differences in taste preferences, textures, flavorings, aromatics, cooking methods and plating styles.
A cross-cultural tasting tour reveals how shared ingredients take on bold new lives in Filipino and French kitchens. (SHARED PHOTOS)
Egg
For this versatile staple, the Philippine entry was “kwek-kwek,” a beloved street food made by coating a hard-boiled quail or chicken egg in orange batter, then deep-frying it until crisp. It’s typically served with a spiced vinegar dip featuring raw onions and chili. The orange hue comes from annatto powder, used to make the dish more visually appealing.
France’s counterpart was the classic œuf mollet, in which the egg white is fully set while the yolk remains warm and slightly runny. Served peeled, it’s commonly placed over salads or toast.
Beef broth, meat, marrow
Both the French “pot-au-feu” and the Filipino “bulalo” are hearty, slow-cooked one-pot meals. Bulalo traditionally includes potatoes and corn, flavored with whole peppercorns. Pot-au-feu uses garlic, thyme, parsley and peppercorns to create a more herbaceous profile.
Snails
Filipinos have “ginataang kohol” — snails stewed in coconut milk with ginger, garlic, onions and chilies, creating a rich and creamy dish.
The French served “escargot,” an appetizer featuring snails baked in butter infused with garlic and parsley — a preparation that has become globally iconic.
Pork blood
“Dinuguan,” a savory Filipino stew, is made with pork meat and offal simmered in pig’s blood, vinegar, garlic, chili and spices. Despite its intense components, the dish is known for its depth and balance — the vinegar cuts through the richness with a tangy kick.
France’s “boudin noir,” a traditional blood sausage, features pork blood, fat and seasoning, and is known for its earthy flavor and creamy texture. It was served with mashed potatoes and apples.
Puff pastry
For dessert, the Napoleons of the Bacolod region were compared with France’s mille-feuille. Both are made of flaky, layered puff pastry. The Filipino version is filled with a custard made of egg yolks and condensed milk, while the French version uses a richer pastry cream flavored with vanilla, butter, milk and egg yolk.
