1. JP Anglo
With his surfer dude cool, JP Anglo is among the new breed of rock star chefs blazing a trail through the Filipino culinary scene, racking up a legion of followers on Instagram along the way.
Whether he’s wielding a wok, riding the waves or perfecting his swing on the green, this Bacolod native lives and breathes the “work hard, play hard” ethos.
More importantly, Anglo also offers his followers glimpses into his travels around the Philippines (and abroad) in search of good food.
A passionate advocate of authentic Filipino flavours, the man behind Manila’s Sarsa Kitchen + Bar was voted T.Dining Champion for Philippine Cuisine 2020 by Tatler Philippines in recognition of his efforts.
Believing that “good food should have soul”, Anglo highlights locally sourced ingredients, particularly those from the island of Negros where he’s from.
This can be seen in his contemporary spins on Filipino favourites like sisig (grilled minced pig’s face), batchoy (pork offal soup) and sinigang (tamarind stew).
Among the locally sourced ingredients he favours is batwan (Garcinia binucao), a wild fruit and traditional Negrense souring agent.
The fruit features in Sarsa’s flavourful sinigang fried chicken marinated in a batwan-infused broth and kansipanada with batwan gravy, or empanadas bursting with succulent beef and served with a tangy gravy.
2. Janice Wong
Asia’s undisputed queen of edible art, Janice Wong was reading economics at university when she decided to pursue her passion for all things sweet.
After graduation, she enrolled in Le Cordon Bleu in Paris, and through sheer grit and determination, earned her spot in the kitchens of culinary maestros such as Thomas Keller, Grant Achatz, Spanish chocolatier Oriol Balaguer and French pastry chef Pierre Herme.
Still, it is Wong’s own artistic flair, evident from her decadent posts of plated desserts and edible art installations, that makes her stand out as a pastry chef par excellence.
If you’re in Singapore, you can always pop by 2am: dessertbar in the city-state’s bohemian Holland Village neighbourhood.
The menu here showcases tantalising treats like Cassis Plum, a cassis bombe made from aerated blackcurrant and white chocolate and filled with elderflower choya shiso foam, served on a bed of yuzu pearl-studded granita.
Another stunning creation is her Cacao Forest, whisky vanilla ice cream ensconced in an Earl Grey and cherry “cacao pod” atop a candy floss nest.
And fret not, no one will judge you for salivating over Wong’s seductive bonbons, which come in flavours that range from laksa leaf lemongrass to barbeque pork praline Pop Rocks.
3. Ili Sulaiman
Asian Food Network (AFN) fans would be familiar with the bubbly host of Home Cooked: Malaysia and Family Feast with Ili, whose enthusiasm for cooking is catching.
Few chefs have Ili’s gift for making cooking seem so effortless and fun that you’ll be raring to whip your old wok back into service.
The chef – whose heritage is a melange of Malay, Sri Lankan, Chinese and British cultures – stays true to her roots with scrumptious dishes that celebrate the melting pot that is Malaysia.
Whether you’re new to cooking or know your way around the kitchen, Ili’s step-by-step IGTV recipes are a godsend when you’re pressed for time and have hungry mouths to feed.
Her array of mouthwatering recipes include seafoodchar kway teow with oysters, ayam percik (spice-marinated grilled chicken) and cashew nut-rich creamy vegan curry.
All about keeping it real, the chef also regularly updates fans on her struggles with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) and endometriosis to create awareness and spark conversations on women’s health.
4. Renatta Moeloek
Don’t let MasterChef Indonesia judge Renatta Moeloek’s glam TV persona fool you – she’s a force to be reckoned with in the kitchen.
Renatta, who shot to fame after joining the Indonesian version of the hit reality TV series in 2018, honed her skills at the prestigious French culinary school Le Cordon Bleu.
Though still in her mid-20s, the chef has run pop-ups in Belgium and Slovakia, and prior to her MasterChef debut, worked as a private chef for upscale clientele.
A scroll through Renatta’s Instagram feed will reveal the chef’s loves, which include food, food, and more food, as well as her Shiba Inu, Maio.
Passionate about Indonesian ingredients and regional cuisine, the young chef is on a quest to promote her country’s culinary heritage and showcase dishes other than nasi goreng and sate.
A veritable feast for the senses, her Instagram uploads include creative dishes such as brisket in keluak, or beef brisket in jus infused with the seed of the kepayang (Pangium edule) tree, served on a bed of bone stock porridge and garnished with lime leaves and basil.
Another interesting creation is Renatta’s snapper, soft shell crabs and prawn in sambal kencur, which combines her French training and love of Indonesian flavours.
5. Thitid ‘Ton’ Tassanakajohn
The head chef of Bangkok’s Michelin-starred Le Du, Ton is among the city’s most respected chefs, particularly for his dedication to using only locally-sourced ingredients.
Interwoven with holiday snaps, Ton’s Instagram offers his fans a glimpse into his personal life, but delve a little deeper and you’ll notice that his feed also spotlights seasonal and local produce.
His posts show how these delicious ingredients are incorporated into dishes served at Le Du and sister restaurants Nusara and Michelin-listed Baan.
The mouthwatering offerings include crab curry with crispy betel leaves, pork blood pudding with coffee and Thai basil, and smoked coconut ice cream.
Despite the accolades, Ton, who trained at the Culinary Institute of America, manages to stay humble and continues to seek out other cooks across Thailand to learn more about the kingdom’s culinary traditions.
As he puts it: “You can try to make everything modern and fancy, but without roots, it would be incomplete.”
Alongside his own creations, followers will find images of his favourite street eats and delectable dishes served up at other illustrious Thai restaurants, including Gaggan Anand’s G’s Spot.
According to airasia.com
