Sleeping Beauty Awakes: Filipino Cuisine, Bourdain, Ramsay, and Us

(SPOT.ph) Filipino cuisine has spent decades flirting with global recognition, often heralded as the “next big thing” but never quite stepping into the spotlight. Two powerful moments encapsulate this narrative. The first was Anthony Bourdain’s heartfelt declaration of sisig as the “gateway dish” to Filipino food, a dish he predicted could “win the hearts and minds of the world.” The second is Gordon Ramsay’s recent visit to the Philippines, where he described Filipino cuisine as the “Sleeping Beauty of Asia,” praising its depth, diversity, and untapped potential.

Both moments sparked waves of pride and action among Filipinos. Each time, there was a collective rallying cry: This is our moment! Yet, while Bourdain and Ramsay’s endorsements are undeniably meaningful, they also reveal an uncomfortable truth. We still seem to crave validation from the West. We celebrate when Western celebrity chefs discover our food, but we don’t shine nearly as bright a spotlight on the incredible work being done by Filipino chefs, restaurateurs, and food entrepreneurs who are already shaping the future of Filipino cuisine.

This isn’t about dismissing the praise of Bourdain or Ramsay. It’s about recognising that the real power to define and share our cuisine lies within us. The proof? Look no further than the Filipinos who are breaking barriers, achieving greatness, and inspiring the next generation. Not because someone “discovered” them, but because they believed in their craft and worked relentlessly to share it with the world.

Also read: Here's What Happened When Gordon Ramsay Visited Manila

Bourdain and Ramsay: Two Milestones in the Same Pattern

Bourdain’s love for Filipino food felt deeply personal. He didn’t just taste lechon or adobo, he connected with the stories behind them. When he declared sisig the “gateway dish,” it was more than just a compliment, it was a challenge. He saw its potential to bridge cultures and spark curiosity about the broader world of Filipino flavours. And he wasn’t wrong. Bourdain’s words inspired a wave of Filipino chefs, myself included, to embrace our food with pride and to share it with audiences far beyond our kitchens.

Fast forward to 2025, and Gordon Ramsay’s visit to the Philippines has reignited that energy. His description of Filipino food as the “Sleeping Beauty of Asia” resonated deeply, casting our cuisine as a hidden treasure waiting to be discovered. He praised dishes like sisig, celebrated our culinary creativity, and marvelled at the diversity of our flavours. It was another moment of validation, another reminder that the world is starting to see what we’ve always known: Filipino food is something special.

But there’s a pattern here, isn’t there? Each time, we wait for someone from the West to point to our food and say, “This is good.” Each time, we rise up in celebration, only for the momentum to fade. Why does it feel like we’re always on the brink, stuck in a cycle of being rediscovered but never quite arriving?

Filipino Excellence: Breaking Barriers, Building Legacies

The truth is, Filipino cuisine isn’t waiting to be discovered, it’s already making waves, thanks to the hard work of Filipinos who believe in its power. Consider Kasama in Chicago, the first Filipino restaurant in the world to earn a Michelin star. Chefs Timothy Flores and Genie Kwon didn’t dilute their vision to cater to anyone, they created a tasting menu rooted in Filipino flavours, unapologetically and beautifully. Their success is a testament to what happens when we tell our own stories, our way.

In the Philippines, Toyo Eatery has earned global recognition for its thoughtful approach to Filipino food, and Chef JP Anglo’s work embodies the boldness and energy of contemporary Filipino cuisine. His ability to merge tradition with innovation, whether through his restaurants in the Philippines and Dubai or his work in the media and social channels is inspiring the next generation of chefs to be fearless in their creativity.

Abroad, Filipino chefs are redefining what it means to cook Filipino food in the diaspora, blending tradition with personal narratives to create something unique. Each chef, each restaurant, each dish tells a story. Not just of food, but of identity, culture, and pride.

What We Learned from the Bourdain Era

When Bourdain declared Filipino cuisine as the next big thing, it felt like a rallying cry, and for many of us, it was. It inspired us to take risks, to start projects, to share our food with more people. But it also taught us a tough lesson: the momentum sparked by one person’s praise isn’t enough. What followed Bourdain’s era was a surge of Filipino food businesses and pop-ups, but many struggled to sustain that energy. The global attention faded, and the same questions lingered: Why didn’t we make it stick?

The answer lies in where we place our validation. As much as we celebrated Bourdain’s words, we didn’t do enough to celebrate and support our own. The lesson is clear: it’s not enough to wait for another celebrity chef or critic to call us the “next big thing.” We have to be the ones to sustain the movement, to support each other, and to amplify the work of the chefs, restaurateurs, and food entrepreneurs who are carrying the torch forward.

Shining the Spotlight on Us

There’s nothing wrong with feeling proud when someone like Ramsay or Bourdain praises our food. It’s a beautiful thing to see people appreciate what we’ve always loved. But let’s make something clear, their words shouldn’t outshine the work of Filipinos who are already putting in the effort.

The real stars of this story are the people who keep pushing forward, even when no one is watching. The chefs opening small restaurants in neighbourhoods where no one expects them to succeed. The farmers growing the ingredients that bring our dishes to life. The entrepreneurs taking the risk to bottle our flavours and share them with the world. The storytellers and influencers reminding us why our food matters.

If we’re going to break free from this cycle of being “discovered” over and over, we need to celebrate these people louder than we celebrate anyone else. We need to take a leaf out of Erwan Heussaff’s book and shout about our own stories, amplifying them on every platform we can. The way he’s used his influence to celebrate and document Filipino food is a model for how we can champion our cuisine, not just for the world, but for ourselves.

Moving Out of Purgatory

Filipino cuisine doesn’t need to be elevated or legitimised, it already is! But if we don’t learn to validate our own food, our own people, and our own stories, we risk staying in the culinary purgatory of always being “the next big thing.” We can’t keep waiting for someone else to discover us. We need to believe that we’ve already arrived.

Filipino cuisine is thriving not because Gordon Ramsay or Anthony Bourdain said it’s good, but because we know it’s good. It’s thriving because of the chefs, restaurateurs, entrepreneurs, and storytellers who wake up every day and choose to share it with the world. It’s thriving because of us.

The real beauty of Filipino food isn’t that it’s a “Sleeping Beauty.” It’s that it’s alive, awake, and full of heart. All we have to do is open our eyes and see it.

Ferdinand ‘Budgie’ Montoya is a Filipino chef based in London. He was owner and chef of the Filipino bistro Sarap and was part of Season 18 of The Great British Menu. 

Also read: Gordon Ramsay Visits Farmers Market with Chef Margarita Forés.