Locals Welcome Season 1 Episode 5

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Transcript

00:00This is one of the many places my Filipino friends in high school brought me to share a lap and lots of delicious food.

00:12Lumpia, the iconic Filipino snack.

00:16But Filipino food is so much more than this crunchy spring roll.

00:20And I'm off to find out why it's finally getting the credit it deserves.

00:26I'm Suresh Das.

00:28I've spent my career writing about the local favorites that made Canada's food scene truly unique.

00:33I believe every bite tells a story.

00:36Now, I want to share those stories with you.

00:45Toronto is home to a wide variety of cuisines from all over Asia.

00:49But one that doesn't always get the same amount of attention is Filipino food.

00:53Canada has one of the largest Filipino populations outside of the Philippines.

00:58And a large concentration are in Toronto.

01:01Unlike other cuisines in the city, Filipino food hasn't always gotten outside recognition, as the community traditionally did most of its cooking at home.

01:09In high school, the majority of the kids that were in my grade were from the Philippines.

01:14When you get invited to your friends' houses, the feasts at home, the way it was cooked, the way it was shared, always from a very nurturing, caring perspective.

01:24In my opinion, Filipino food culture has been overlooked.

01:29But that's changing.

01:31Today I'm on a journey to learn more about the roots of Filipino cuisine in Canada.

01:35And to see how a new generation is transforming the food they grew up with.

01:39And finally giving Filipino food its moment in the spotlight.

01:42I'm starting in a neighbourhood that's pretty unique to Toronto, with just the right person.

01:52Hey, already eating.

01:54I got a head start. Good to see you man.

01:56I'm excited for this.

01:57I know.

01:58The historically Jewish neighbourhood at the corner of Bathurst and Wilson has become one of the only little Manilas in North America.

02:05It's got a little bit of everything. You got the bakery. I mean you even have somewhere to send money back home, which is a big part of our culture.

02:12Right.

02:13But everything you can possibly want is actually on this corner.

02:16Jesse Aceto is an old friend and he's been my guide to Filipino food and culture for years.

02:21And today he's introducing me to the place that connects people from every corner of the Philippines.

02:27This is the landing place for so many Filipinos in the 80s and 90s.

02:3230,000, 40,000 moved here as live-in caregivers and sponsored their families to come here, which, you know, over time now became Little Manila.

02:43Right.

02:45By the 2010s, this area had the highest concentration of Filipinos in Canada, with restaurants making traditional dishes for the local community.

02:53What are we doing today, Jesse?

02:54Inviting you to my parents' anniversary. It's going to be a great time and it's Kamayan feast.

02:59Oh.

03:00It's such a fun experience. So much food to pick from. Lechon, of course, everything.

03:05Are we talking like a whole pig?

03:06A whole pig. I can't wait.

03:08The Kamayan feast is the quintessential Filipino celebration with a long history and it's typically reserved for special occasions.

03:16This is the spot they're famous for the lechon.

03:18They're known for it.

03:19Yeah.

03:20The centerpiece of a Kamayan feast is lechon, whole-suckling pig, slow-roasted until the meat is juicy and the skin is shatteringly crisp.

03:30Thank you so much, Ate.

03:31Yes, Wilson.

03:32Hi, welcome.

03:33How are you doing?

03:34Welcome to Wilson's House of Lechon.

03:35Wow.

03:36Smells amazing in here.

03:37My mouth is salivating right now.

03:38That's how we invite you in.

03:39Yeah, seriously.

03:40Through your nose.

03:41It's working.

03:42It's working.

03:43It's working.

03:44Yeah.

03:45Wilson Martinito and his daughter, JB, have been making some of the community's favorite classic dishes for years, using unique recipes from their home island of Cebu.

03:47We're here for the lechon, but we've got to try some of this bread.

04:04Here we go.

04:06Oh, yeah.

04:07Look at this.

04:08That smells amazing.

04:09Oh, thank you.

04:10Liempo is Filipino-style pork belly.

04:13It's what caught my eye cooking outside.

04:15Wilson's is soaked for hours in a citrusy house marinade and then grilled to perfection over coals.

04:22Mmm.

04:23Oh, it's beautiful.

04:25Really delicate and soft, but you've got that nice little thin crust around it, right?

04:29I can't wait for this feast.

04:30You know, we've got to bring lechon.

04:32I mean, it's not a Filipino party without it.

04:35Lechon here is very authentic style, the way how we make the lechon, how we cook the lechon, and, of course, the taste.

04:42Eating lechon is like a ticket to Cebu City, where we're from.

04:45We want to bring what we did there in Cebu and bring it for the people here in Toronto.

04:50How long does it normally take you to make a whole animal for us?

04:53Approximately four hours.

04:55First, we've got to put this salt.

05:00You need to put the salt all over the meat to balance all the taste of the lechon.

05:05Garlic, green onion leaf, red pepper, and then the bay leaf.

05:16I got a recipe from my family, the lemongrass.

05:21Yes, it makes the aroma for the meat smell so good after we're cooking.

05:28The next step, teaching on it.

05:30This is a noodle.

05:31I made it myself.

05:33Sewing the pig, it takes me like 20 minutes, and cook it like minimum three hours.

05:39Put the suya sauce right now.

05:44Give the pig a good shiatsu massage.

05:48It makes the skin like crispy and makes the skin taste so yummy.

05:55You will see a lot of Filipino coming here if they feel homesick in one.

06:00I'll catch up with Jesse again later for the Kamayan feast.

06:10But first, I'm heading to Scarborough, to a place I've been visiting for years.

06:14Coffee Inn.

06:16Owners Jean and Eric Janinez got their start here through the Federal Live-In Caregiver Program.

06:21In 2005, during one of the biggest spikes of Filipino immigration to Canada,

06:26they opened a restaurant to serve their rapidly growing community.

06:33They renovated a small coffee shop, keeping its old name,

06:36but transforming the menu to serve Filipino specialties for their nostalgic customers.

06:41Is that for here to go?

06:42All with the help of their kids, Jared and Erica.

06:45Thank you, have a good day.

06:47If you want to understand Filipino food, this is a perfect place to start.

06:51Eric makes one of my favorite breakfasts anywhere,

06:54and it's a dish most Canadians haven't heard of.

06:57Morning, Erica.

06:58We know what I came here for.

06:59Of course, Bachoy.

07:00Bachoy, yes, please.

07:02Bachoy is a soup from Eric's hometown of Iloilo City.

07:06It's a mixture of Chinese and Southeast Asian influences

07:11that speaks to the diversity of Filipino cuisine.

07:14Hey, how are you?

07:15Hey, good, Eric.

07:16Eric and I have become friends over many bowls of Bachoy.

07:19It's the best part of my day.

07:21Yeah.

07:22Well, the soup, but also to be able to sit down with you.

07:23Yeah, I know.

07:24We've done this several times now.

07:25I know.

07:26I'm always sitting here alone, and then you always join me.

07:28Yeah, of course.

07:29Now, I hope you're going to like the Bachoy.

07:30I can't wait to dig into this.

07:37So many different flavors in there.

07:38Ramen is a little porky, but it's even more porkier, more intense.

07:42It's so good.

07:43Why is this soup so special to you?

07:45Mostly because we've done in there.

07:48They're almost like ramen.

07:51This is one of those dishes where you can tell it's arriving before you see it

07:54because of the aromatics that waft from the kitchen.

07:58It's a very popular dish in Iloilo City, but here in Canada, it's only starting to gain cult status.

08:04I bring friends here, and they will tell me this is their favorite soup.

08:08Wow.

08:09Chefs, come here from downtown Toronto.

08:11You know this.

08:12Wow.

08:13I appreciate that.

08:14Yeah.

08:15They come here for your soup.

08:17Eric has been refining this recipe for 20 years, and in that time, Coffee Hen has become a hub for the local Filipino community.

08:24Mostly 90% Filipino come to pop in to eat, to dine.

08:29Here, when they come here, we talk them our language.

08:34That's how we, you know, approach them.

08:37All the food that we cook is authentic Filipino food.

08:40That's why they keep coming back.

08:42Hi, Jean.

08:43How are you?

08:44It really feels like I'm walking into a family restaurant, but like what you're doing to me is really, really special.

08:50So I know Eric does all the bachoy, but you, you're the host.

08:55Yeah.

08:56I like to talk to the customers so that they feel like they're at home.

09:01So Jean, you have to tell me, how did you meet Eric?

09:05My first time that I met Eric at a birthday party with my friend, I said, that's why he sold me.

09:10Oh, really?

09:11Right.

09:12Love at first sight.

09:13Love at first sight.

09:14And then how did that evolve?

09:15What happened after that?

09:16I came here as a nanny.

09:18Mm-hmm.

09:19If you apply as a nanny or even you're a nurse back home, it's easy for you to come here.

09:26I don't know if you know this, but we came to Canada probably around the same time, like in the early 90s.

09:31I went to school in Scarborough and it was filled with a lot of Filipino people.

09:34And I met most of their moms who were caregivers.

09:37That's right.

09:38Yeah.

09:39And like it was just so obvious to see that nurturing, caregiving quality.

09:43Yeah.

09:44You could never walk into a Filipino home and not be fed until your stomach explodes.

09:49That's our tradition.

09:50That's why the Filipino like the hospitality and work in healthcare.

09:54Coming here and having the bachoy that, you know, Eric makes, there's so much love that he puts into this.

09:59Yeah.

10:00Like this caring in the soup and there's nurturing in the soup.

10:02Me and my husband is so excited to come here every day to rest because our customers, when they go out, they're full.

10:09They're full.

10:10They're satisfied.

10:11They're happy.

10:12Yeah.

10:13Satisfied.

10:14Yeah.

10:15From Coffee Inn's traditional fair in Scarborough, I'm making my way downtown to Toronto's upscale Rosedale neighborhood to visit Mineral, one of many new Toronto restaurants putting a modern spin on classic Filipino food.

10:30It's head chef, Danny Cancino also shares my love for Eric Spichoy.

10:37It's second generation chefs like him that are one of the reasons Filipino food is having a moment.

10:43I couldn't come here on my own though, so I've invited another second generation talent doing her part to bring her culture mainstream.

10:53Comedian, actor, and host of the great Canadian baking show, Anne Pornet.

10:58Suresh!

10:59How are you?

11:00This is a fancy place, Suresh.

11:01It's got style.

11:02Oh, it's got riz.

11:03I can't wait.

11:04Chef Danny Cancino's food at Mineral is a love letter to the traditional foods of the 7,000 plus islands of the Philippines.

11:22And it's also his unique take for a new generation.

11:29From my childhood, my parents don't go out for Filipino food because they're like, why would we go out when we can make it the way we want it to?

11:36The reason why we're at Mineral is because I think there's something exciting happening here that kind of compliments mom's cooking at home.

11:44Oh, here's Danny.

11:45Good to see you.

11:46Pleasure.

11:47I'm Danny, chef here at Mineral.

11:48So Danny, this is Anne's first time.

11:50So excited.

11:51So excited.

11:52So excited.

11:53Suresh has been talking so much about it.

11:54At Mineral here, we like to pretend we're the 7,642nd island here.

11:59And how long have you been cooking for professionally?

12:0120 years at least right now.

12:02I was going to go into classical music originally.

12:05Really?

12:06Yeah.

12:07Chose the two jobs to upset Filipino parents.

12:09I was about to say, I was like, hold on.

12:11So what were they more mad at?

12:12The music or the food?

12:13The food.

12:14Oh my God.

12:15Danny's story is so common for Canadians who grew up in immigrant families.

12:19And for Anne and I, it strikes a deep chord.

12:22Hi, Mom and Dad.

12:23I want to be the judge of the Canadian Baking Show.

12:26Honestly?

12:27Hi, Mom and Dad.

12:28I'm going to be a food writer and I'm going to leave technology.

12:30You're going to leave biosciences.

12:31Yeah.

12:32And we're going to pursue this dream.

12:34And they both look at you and like clock their heads and go like, huh?

12:37Okay.

12:38Like, this is what we came here for?

12:39Yes.

12:40My dad finally picked up the phone and called me and told me that he was proud of me when

12:43he saw my face in a newspaper in Toronto.

12:47There was that exact moment for me when they're like, wow, our daughter's on a billboard.

12:52Like, there's some things you can't explain, but you can show.

12:58As Danny prepares the first dish, it's clear he has some incredible things to show as well.

13:03Our first course is Kinilau, a dish similar to ceviche, where seafood is cooked using acid,

13:09typically a combination of vinegar and citrus juice.

13:13I definitely learned my palate through my family growing up in the Philippines.

13:18We have puff crab chip on the very bottom, coconut avocado mousse, BC albacore tuna loin,

13:23marinated in passion fruit, then calamansi citrus, lots of ginger and fish sauce.

13:27On top, we have some watermelon radish, cured salmon roe, also from BC.

13:33Danny's version comes with a little extra flair.

13:40Okay.

13:41Okay.

13:42Danny's not kidding around.

13:44Inspired from the ocean breeze in Palawan, where Kinilau is served everywhere.

13:49I feel like I'm on a beach right now.

13:52Oh my gosh.

14:02It's so vibrant, and that calamansi just rounds everything for me.

14:06This is unbelievable.

14:08It's creamy, it's salty, it's sour, it's briny.

14:13Oh, it's so lovely.

14:14Danny's cooking is all about textures.

14:17And the next dish continues to take things to another level.

14:20It's a grown-up version of every Filipino kid's favorite sweet treat, nsaimata.

14:24So this brioche we make in-house every day.

14:26It's triple-proof, so it'll be nice and fluffy, buttery, almost croissant-like when we pull it.

14:31On top, aged white cheddar, pojicha tea-infused honey.

14:40On the side there, we have a whipped porcini and truffle butter.

14:43On the top right, duck breast from Hudson Valley in Quebec.

14:46We call it Tocino.

14:47They do a very good take on it at Coffee Inn as well.

14:49Wow.

14:50Nsaimata is like as ubiquitous as anything.

14:53It's a humble bread.

14:55I don't think I've had the experience yet of something that is so humble elevated to this degree.

15:02Oh, it's so soft.

15:03It's so soft.

15:04It's like pillowy.

15:10That porcini butter with the truffle, mmm, takes you from sea to land.

15:14It's taking me to my dreams, Suresh.

15:18No cuisine of any country is a monolith, but when it comes to the Philippines, there's so much going on.

15:23Exactly.

15:24Japanese food is not just sushi.

15:25Yeah.

15:26And Filipino food is not just lumpia.

15:28It's not just sinigang.

15:29It can be so much more.

15:30If this is where Filipino food is headed,

15:32I'm so proud.

15:37After a taste of modern Filipino food,

15:39it's time to meet up with Jesse again in Little Manila to get what we need for the Kamayan feast.

15:45Our first stop is to get the rice and sides.

15:48For that, we're going to Kabbalan Restaurant,

15:50a place that specializes in traditional Kamayan dishes.

15:58We have a order for a Kamayan feast.

16:00Two boxes.

16:01I will check it for you.

16:02Okay?

16:03Thank you so much.

16:04What are some really important things that you need at the table?

16:07It's not a Filipino meal without rice.

16:09You absolutely need the rice.

16:10The garlic rice.

16:11The garlic rice.

16:12Yeah.

16:13But there's so many different textures, so many different types of food.

16:15Yeah.

16:16I mean, you can go from barbecue skewers to a fish.

16:18Sweet, savory, everything.

16:20Would you say for a proper Kamayan feast, at least 12 items?

16:23Oh, yeah.

16:24Easily.

16:25Easily.

16:26Yeah.

16:27Yeah.

16:28I think you probably do double that.

16:29There we go.

16:30Here's your back.

16:31Wonderful.

16:32Thank you so much.

16:33I know.

16:34This is going to be good.

16:35I know.

16:36This is going to be good.

16:38The smell of the banana leaves.

16:39I know.

16:40It's so good.

16:41It's just the perfect setup for a Kamayan.

16:53After delivering the rice and sides, it's time to pick up the centerpiece.

16:56Wilson's lechon.

16:57Let's do this.

16:58Okay.

16:59Here we go.

17:00Look at this.

17:01Oh, this is impressive.

17:02Oh, thank you.

17:03One thing that I'm smelling right away is the lemongrass.

17:04I can't wait to see how this tastes of the Kamayan feast.

17:05It looks amazing.

17:06Let's pull up a chair, man.

17:07Let's just do that.

17:08A feast for two?

17:09Okay, good to go.

17:10Wilson, you're the best.

17:11You got it?

17:12Okay.

17:13Enjoy.

17:14Evie.

17:15Perfect, man.

17:16Okay.

17:17Can we get in there?

17:18Oh, there's way more limpia than I thought.

17:21Ooh, yum.

17:22Gotta get on this side.

17:24The pig has arrived.

17:29All right, let's go.

17:30That's good.

17:31Let's do it.

17:32Oh, let's do it.

17:33The taste of the Kamayan feast.

17:34That's amazing.

17:35Let's pull up a chair, man.

17:36Let's just...

17:37Feast for two?

17:38Okay, good to go.

17:39Wilson, you're the best.

17:40You got it?

17:41Okay, enjoy it, bro.

17:42Abby.

17:43Here we go.

17:45You got ice.

17:47Whoa, whoa, whoa.

17:49Once the latrone arrives, Jessie's dad,

17:51Somi and Tita Rosa get to work carving up the meat.

17:55Look, these are pros.

17:56They've done this before, like, so many times.

17:57You can tell.

17:58Oh, my goodness.

17:59Look at all that lemongrass.

18:04Let's go.

18:05Got it down.

18:07That's amazing.

18:09This looks amazing.

18:11Yes.

18:12This is incredible.

18:17This is, like, the best spread I've ever seen.

18:23Okay.

18:24Kain na tayo.

18:25Somi.

18:26I can't.

18:29Thank you so much.

18:31Right?

18:32Mmm.

18:33You know the food is good when it's quiet.

18:36Yeah, yeah.

18:37It's a time-honored tradition going back centuries.

18:40No cutlery or dishes are required.

18:43In Tagalog, the word Kamayan means with the hands,

18:46and that's how we enjoy this feast.

18:49For every Filipinos you ask about Kamayan,

18:53they'll always share with you their memories that they had.

18:58It reminds me of my mother's hand.

19:01When I was growing up, from my mother's hand to my mouth,

19:05you know, it's very comforting.

19:07That's a beautiful memory of your mom feeding you.

19:09Yeah.

19:10Even when we look back now, 10 years from now,

19:12we will remember today, enjoying each other's company.

19:16Yeah, absolutely, yeah.

19:20What's your favorite part so far?

19:21You know what, I'm a sucker for the garlic rice.

19:23Oh, yeah.

19:24And I also like the lumpia with the vinegar.

19:26Now that it's been flavored with the chili,

19:28it's also working really well for me.

19:30The combination of flavors and textures are endless,

19:33and every bite is unique,

19:35but the lachon is the star of the show.

19:37Skin first for me.

19:38You're going to go skin first?

19:39Skin first, yeah.

19:42That skin is so wonderful.

19:44It's got that sort of charcoal-y sort of essence to it.

19:49Yeah, that's what I want.

19:49Yeah, absolutely.

19:52You know, it's really special to enjoy this meal with you and your family.

19:55Is this culture being preserved?

19:57I mean, like, you're a dad, you've got young kids.

20:00Are we going to be able to hold on to this and then also see new versions of it?

20:03I think in the recent, you know, last three, four, five years, Filipino cuisine has finally, you know, got some time in the spotlight.

20:11And I think as a result of that, more people know about this than ever.

20:16The most beautiful thing about this is there's no cell phones.

20:20There are no cell phones.

20:21That's the biggest positive thing about the client piece.

20:24There are no phones on the table.

20:25There's a human connection of this piece.

20:28No distractions.

20:30You know, I don't, I actually don't know if there's any other meal like that.

20:34Well, I think it's that positive side effect of eating with your hands, that you're fully committed to it.

20:38There's an intimacy that, you know, we kind of lack.

20:41It's a way of community as well, because there is love there.

20:46We're all here because of that love, that connection that we have with each other.

20:52This Kamayan feast is a testament to the journey Filipino food in Canada has taken.

20:57It's a community-focused tradition brought here by the first generation,

21:01one that second-generation kids like Jesse are carrying forward and are excited to share.

21:09Does he need another slice?

21:31Does he need another slice?

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