Marketman’s Day with Bobby Chinn of World Cafe Asia…

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A day before I flew to Cebu to roast pigs with another television show host, I had the wonderful opportunity to spend the morning and a late afternoon with Bobby Chinn, the host of World Cafe Asia which shows locally on the Discovery Travel & Living Channel. Who would have guessed that in a span of four days I would have to take two hosts on market tours and have them over for a meal or merienda, and in two different cities! Bobby is an incredible example of how small the world has become… Born in New Zealand to an Egyptian mother and Chinese father, he was educated in England, calls San Francisco his home and now lives in Vietnam where he runs his eponymously named restaurant in Hanoi. From his base in Vietnam, he flies all over the region to shoot his television program…

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I was first contacted by email and asked if I would be interested in helping in the shooting of their show featuring Manila. At first, the focus seemed to be heavily on street food, an area I am less knowledgeable about, but I figured I could certainly point them in the right direction. The discussions evolved a bit and it was decided that perhaps I could accompany Mr. Chinn to a market and explain some of the items that might be on offer there…

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We spent nearly two hours filming in the relatively small but food packed Salcedo market and as with the Bourdain shoot, I can tell you that cameras make me sweat. Literally and figuratively. I honestly don’t know how tv anchors or hosts seem so natural in front of a machine recording their every move and word…

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Bobby’s crew of 5 or 6 including the director, producer, cameramen, etc. were all incredibly nice but it is strange to walk around a market with cameras and microphones in your face! We purchased several items, many of them would appear later on the buffet at the late afternoon merienda at home…

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I welcomed Bobby to our home (actually, his outfit including skull? cap caused me to think “mugger” for a brief second or two…) and he joined us and about a dozen guests for a calorie filled merienda. :)

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Merienda was served in the garden and we had two buffet tables with goodies on offer…

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You think the flower arrangement was as self-conscious as I was in front of a camera?

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Some intense color contrasts will hopefully look good on film…

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…while sugar in several guises lay in wait on the tables…

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…stuff purchased at the market was paired with home baked or made merienda fare…

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…and a halo-halo buffet was laid out so folks could not only pick and choose their preferred type of vessel (tall glass, bowl, etc.)…

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…but also take only the things they liked to eat. We had all of the typical bottled goodies that go into a halo-halo but we also made minatamis na saging, our own preserved langka, several types of ice cream, etc.

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Take note of the old fashioned ice shaver in the background of this photo which makes the perfect ice for a hearty and cold halo-halo…

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We also shot Bobby preparing a simple Filipino recipe (bettyq, take note when this program comes out!) which hopefully makes it through the editing process. A great day all around with a terrific guest, a wonderful and professional crew, and a bunch of friends who agreed to be filmed and shown on television in January or February 2009!

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47 Responses

  1. that merienda spread looks awesome! hope someone posts the segment on youtube for us that don’t have access to watch it on tv.

  2. Your budbod kabog was really good, btw. I see you made a lot and had enough spare to give away :)

  3. Hehe he does look like a mugger. a nattily attired one at that! the food and floral arrangements look lovely MM.

  4. what an incredible yet simple spread! wow, 2 international shows in such short a span of time… MM, your wanting to be anonymous and out of the camera seems to be difficult for you nowadays.hehe

  5. wow! you’re an international host yourself by now, MM! Btw, I’m glad I got to see you with Bourdain full-length before you sliced it ;-). So there!

    Very nice table set-up! Quite considerate touches for the art director :-D!

  6. Wow, awesome spread, MM!!! I can’t help but admire your front door…is that made out of Narra? and look at that green lush grass…and the GUBAT!!! How I wish I had a “GUBAT” like that growing in our backyard!!!!

    Oh, I saw that ice shaver on E-bay!!! But you do need ice blocks for that, don’t you?

    Another date to add to my calendar…I wonder if Rachel Ray or Martha Stewart could be sending you any e-mail soon..never know!!! I am sure if Martha Syewart saw your place, her jaws would drop as well!!! And I guess, that’s a GOOD THING!…right, Natie?

  7. Calorie-fic merienda indeed! But some things are worth it. =) I finally bought Michelle’s ube puto and i did appreciate its ube and buttery taste. Unfortunately, our backyard ube did not thrive this year so not homegrown ube. Will have to buy in the market. But if i’m too lazy, Michelle’s will do.

  8. Great spread!! Simple yet so colorful !It’s so wonderful to entertain!

    You make us proud MM. I envy your ube-puto. You’re so good at hiding from the camera…Ha ha ha!Hope I bump into you at Salcedo Market.
    Hope Oprah’s next!

  9. wow, galiiing! that buffet spread is perfect, from the flower arrangements to the serving dishes to the food. these tv shows couldn’t have chosen a more fitting resource person.

  10. MM,
    WOW! Two International TV Hosts in a week’s time.
    Basi, next thing we know, you will be hosting your own tv
    show too. How we would love that!

  11. dare i say it, you might actually get an offer to host your own show, MM! i’m sure you’d give chefs rob pengson and bruce lim(? of tablescapes fame) a run for their viewership!

    funny, i was just thinking about cleaning up the old ice shaver we have in marikina.. i saw it when repairs started last wednesday. keep up the great work! if i haven’t said it lately, you’re one of the reasons i’m still proud to be pinoy! =)

  12. Yes, please, please post it on YouTube… congrats on another successful gig hosting an international talent. Galing talaga!

  13. i really really like your house!!! sana yung interiors mo naman ifeature mo MM! sana you feature your kitchen first- the layout, equipments, etc. :)

  14. next siguro… the herbs and spice plants in your garden? i really want to see that makrut plant of yours in the flesh… :)

  15. juls… the interiors were intentionally off-limits to the camera crew (except for the front door area) to retain a degree of privacy… our kitchen in the city is horrible. My kitchen is at a home outside manila, and can be partially seen in previous posts on the Viking Stove and other entries…

  16. Wow, sarap! It’s interesting to see the variety of goodies, many of which you’ve written about recently, so I realise ah sige that was the research, now kainan na talaga! Bobby looks astig. Love his show, too. Congrats on another great ‘performance,’ MM.

  17. Wow MM! For someone who is camera shy, you sure attract a lot of exposure these days hehehe. Ang galing naman nitong Marketmanila.com, napapansin pati ng international shows. That just means maganda talaga ang laman nitong blog na ito :).

  18. Congrats, MM!

    I think 2009 will be THE year Filipino food finally gets the recognition it deserves worldwide!

    Hope it really is a lucky year, especially for you and for the blog…

    Who knows, we might have MarketManila Live! on the tube soon!

    Kudos!

  19. asia society through its cookbook kulinarya aims to put filipino cuisine into the global market with standardized recipes and tips on presentation. that plus the two tv shows you have actively participated in should do the trick.

    congratulations . . . and thanks!

  20. Oh, WOW!! congrats again Mr MM. You’re a big celebrity! before we know it you have your own tv show. Maybe they’re warming you up for one? Let us know when you have your very own show.KUDOS!

  21. The buffet spread looks awesome! Nakakagutom talaga and the colors are eyecatching. I am not familiar with Bobby Chinn but I am so impressed that you have been chosen to play host to two internationally-renowned chefs.

  22. can’t wait to see this..i love watching food and travel shows especially about the philippines…helps with the homesickness..

    love your blog, seems i haven’t left whenever i read it.

  23. Love the table and food setting. this would certainly give the impression to Bobby that Pinoy food is not just street food, exotic etc. Thanks for showing him the sophisticated side of our snacks and desserts! You make us proud, MM!

  24. bettq: Nakita ko sa Divisoria yung “Pinoy Ice Shaver” na yan sa Divisoria (May 2008 visit),when we were actually looking for Puto Bumbong Boiler & bamboo (which MM inspired me to look for). Presyo nung chinese eh P4,000 daw. I am telling my hipag to purchase it soon, to bring to the children’s mission house in Quezon. Kasi next year’s outreach, I will be serving halo-halo to the kids.

    MM, congrats, ganda nung “backyard?” nyo. And the table arrangements, wow, very simple yet very inviting. Walang plating-plating, talagang nakaka-takam yung mga pagkain. Same with the flower arrangements, really with a personal touch.

  25. Your table looks gorgeous, MM! I’m sure that everyone from the show thought so, too. When will it air? I’m a big fan of the show and it’ll be a double treat to see my 2 favourite food experts together on cam!

  26. I rather like the nonchalant stick-me-in-a-clear-glass green floral arrangement. Actually I enjoyed looking at all the colors grouped in this merienda buffet (love the putong ube, they’re in different sizes – home made ba?). Nakakagutom :)

  27. its around 5 am (dec 28 manila time) and i just saw the show! i googled your blog to see when it was taped. =) nice episode! it made me want to reconnect with our culture. i wished they supported their video with info written or something haha

    cool ice shaver btw! =)

  28. I saw this episode in Planet food and loved it. I’ve been gone from the Philippines for so long and it was nice to see how things are over there — food wise anyway. I heard so much about the Salcedo market and will definitely make an effort to go there when the opportunity presents itself. I think you had an awesome merienda spread, although I think Bobby had a bit of sugar overload by the end of the show. It was hysterical, I must admit. We Filipinos do like to eat sweet stuff, don’t we. Keep up the good work — I love reading our blogs and the pictures are super. Best.

  29. U DID NOT PRESENT SALCEDO MARKET WELL AT ALL! SHOWING PAELLA INSTEAD OF OUR “OWN FOOD” LIKE BARBEQUE..DINUGUAN..OR INASAL..

    UH! SAYANG HIS TRIP IN SALCEDO!

  30. Lucky, Bobby Chinn was also shown adobos, local produce, crickets from pampanga, ensaimadas, bibingkas, puto, local coffee, grilled tilapia, and lechon. The editors chose to show what they wanted. We spent 3 hours at the salcedo market and did 75% of the stalls there. It ended up as less than a minute in film. So frankly, your comments are uniformed and in my quick opinion, obnoxiously stupid. Why don’t you tour a tv chef around and hope everything you brilliantly say comes out unedited! And hello, Mr. Chinn is MOSLEM so PORK was not a high priority for him or his show.

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