‘”single-handedly redefined Filipino cuisine”
Annabelle Lucero
Updated 10:45 PM, June 13,2016
Vancouver, B.C.- The heat was on as the two remaining Filipino contestants battled head-to-head for a chance to win the $100,000 prize and the title for Masterchef Canada.
Winnipeg’s Jeremy Senaris came out victorious, replicating a white chocolate ganache, lime choux and matcha tart in 90 minutes. Senaris’ speed and tenacity has won him all of the pressure tests throughout the season. Last week, he perfectly executed three scallop dishes, despite never having shucked a scallop in his life. No easy feat for a Manitoban where fresh seafood is hard to come by.
Matthew Astorga, from Pitt Meadows, BC also showed much promise with his family inspired Adobo dish last week. Although Astorga lost tonight, his passion for food and culinary techniques had garnered him much praise on the show. Masterchef Canada Judge Claudio Aprile had commented that Astorga may have “single-handedly redefined Filipino cuisine” with his elevated quail adobo plate with puffed rice.
Both Senaris and Astorga have demonstrated their talents in the kitchen and represented a cultural cuisine is steadily emerging in the forefront recently. As final 4 contestant Veronica Cham told the Toronto Sun, “Filipino food’s amazing. It’s wonderful. It’s not always the most esthetically pleasing, and it’s wonderful that Jeremy and Matthew are finding ways to make it beautiful.”
The Filipino food movement is gaining momentum and we’ll have to wait until next week to see if Senaris will move to number one.
