World Class Chefs
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Ramilo (Ram) Villaluna
Ram is a budding chef from Iloilo City (Molo). He gained his training in Culinary Arts at the Center for Asian Culinary Studies under food guru Gene Gonzalez, Institute of Culinary Education (formerly Peter Kumpps) in New York. He took up bread making, and he studied food styling under Delores Custer of the Culinary Institute of America. It all started in Antique where his father owned a restaurant many Antiquenos learned to love. He continued the culinary legacy of his father and now, Ram owns a catering business, Cindy\'s Catering. Food is Ram\'s life, seriously speaking. I am short in saying that he is married to the food industry that, he spends most of his time teaching and mentoring at the Department of Culinary Arts at the University of San Agustin in Iloilo. If one cannot find him in the classroom, Ram will be on the road crisscrossing Iloilo and Antique having first hand in the management of his thriving businesses from both provinces. He also has a once-a-week TV show in GMA 7 \"Food Trip\". I met with Ram once before and he exudes perfectionism, the character that will beam him up to the limelight of culinary arts. At present time, Ram is extremely busy in Manila. I believe he is one of the finalists in The National Food Showdown 2010 sponsored by ABS-CBN. We wish you all the luck, Ram! Maybe, after this showdown, Ram will have the opportunity share favorite recipe here at ILONGGO LIVING.
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Peppy Thai Experience
January 27, 2010
My long quest for Peppy Thai Deli has been finally fulfilled. Thai foods are my top three favourite Asian foods because of it’s signature flavor. What made my quest more exciting is that, the restaurant itself is located around my childhood neighborhood in Jaro mercado (El 98 area). Nothing fancy about the place, just an ordinary old house converted to a restaurant. Not even a hint of Thai ambiance inside compared to other expensive and fancy Thai restaurant. BUT, the food is as authentic as it could be, no doubt about it! Definitely, the Thai element can be found in each entree I ordered and the serving is just right. So as the saying goes… one cannot judge the book by its cover. This holds true with Peppy Thai Deli.
My first having fried rice with coconut milk. The excitement begins...
Then followed by cold pork loin salad (back, left), Thai chicken (foreground) wrapped in pandan leaf to preserve moisture & flavor, and, beef curry (back, right).
Pork satay (right) and my new found favorite, papered squid , left side (tenderized squid deep fried in 5 seconds. Yummy & crunchy!).
The Thai beef noddle soup (back row) was very light and refreshing. Just plain and unadulterated kind of soup.
looks like we’ll have to visit it again to buy the papered squid for your pasalubong back in canada