In this edition of Kitchen Pro Files, I sit down with television host and restaurant owner Chef Sharwin Tee to talk about all things cooking and food. The curious, geeky and quirky chef (did you know he used to teach English, too?) talks about his beginnings, his television show on Lifestyle Network now on its fourth season, and his restaurant, The Quirky Bacon. And of course, Chef Sharwin talks about his favorite, bacon, in this interview.

Question: When or how early did you realize you wanted to become a chef?

Chef Sharwin: I’m basically the picture of wrongness… [laughs]

What do you mean?

Kasi ako, I first got into cooking when I watched Wok With Yan on TV. I was fascinated with the thought that he was able to entertain people just by cooking.  So, I actually wanted to be a cooking show host, before anything else. So it’s kind of wrong to think of it that way. Actually that’s what’s wrong with the young generation now; it’s that a lot of people want to go to culinary school because they see it on television and it’s all glamorous and all that. But it’s really not. So I grew up wanting to be a cooking show host. Then I got into watching Nora Daza, I got to understand more, and so I got into experimenting in the kitchen. And then, I basically dropped that dream when I was growing up because growing up, you never knew who the chefs were. It didn’t seem like a viable career. You never saw the chef–basta, if you like the food, you like the food. Unlike now, when you talk of restaurants, you talk about who’s the chef. So I dropped it, then after teaching in Xavier, I started searching the Internet again, and then, I don’t know why, basta I started searching for culinary schools. And while doing the search, I renewed my desire to cook for a living. And then I found a culinary school. That’s basically how.

How about in between finishing culinary and landing your own television show?

I actually worked first. I worked first in Tower Club and then private catering. I did everything, except cook in a restaurant–I prepared meals as a personal chef, I did private catering, I did restaurant consulting, I did cooking classes. Then the reality show,  The Clash of the Toque-en Ones was in 2010. A friend of mine called me and said, ‘Hey, you should join that.’ So yun, I felt like I needed to join because first of all, honestly I didn’t think I’d make it. But then, I’d ask, if I don’t join, I’ll forever ask myself–If I did join, would I have won? And then lo and behold, I actually won the whole thing. So I cook on TV now.

How different is the experience of filming the reality show from what is being aired and seen on TV?

Our reality show isn’t as ‘reality’ as the others. Our show is a screen test, interviews, then we did cooking demos live. That was the hard part–we did two demos live, one was ten minutes and the other was fifteen minutes, in front of the judges. It’s taped already, so you can’t stop. You just keep going, and they’ll just edit it. The different part is that after you cook, you have the judges taste it na kaagad. You don’t fix it,wala na. So you have to be able to demo it on-screen, and have it taste perfect. Which is like, impossible. [laughs] Impossible, I’m telling you. It was very very difficult to do that. So we did that, two demos like that, and then after that they picked two people for the finals. And then we did an Iron Chef thing–one hour, two dishes, three servings of each dish. Then after, we did a live cooking demo with a special celebrity guest. We had to cook with them and talk with them, and still be able to carry the demo. That’s the whole competition. We weren’t a weekly elimination thing, so we’re all kind of friends—like we never really developed animosity because we just cook. We compete but not directly.

You’re now on your fourth season of Curiosity Got the Chef. How has the show evolved from the first season?

We’re trying a lot of new things this season. I think the show has always been doing things that nobody wants to do or nobody wants to try. I mean, from the first season we tried something different. Generally when you have a cooking show the chef is very authoritative. My approach is to make it like we’re just the same people–that’s why I don’t wear a chef’s jacket, and the kitchen is very colorful. It’s really just telling people that, look, I’m just a guy cooking, and you can do it too. And if you mess it up, it’s okay, you can do it again. I think we were generally the first to try that here, locally. We also took the time to search for angles, camera angles that weren’t usually used. Even editing techniques. And we also hired a food stylist to make sure that the finished product always looks good. Now on our fourth season, we’re trying new themes, and trying to be more engaged with the camera. For this season we’re trying to be a little more different. So we’ll have me singing… [laughs]

Wow! When’s that?

Next week. And then I have one that I’m slightly dancing, and we also have a backyard barbecue, one with cocktail drinks also. A little bit different, but we retain the heart of the show: it’s still a cooking show and still family friendly, and with easy to do recipes.

What has been the most memorable shoots or episodes for you?

This season has been extra memorable, because the fifties diner episode is our fiftieth episode. I don’t know about other shows, but for us to reach fifty is a big deal, especially because I didn’t think we’d go beyond one season. So I feel very blessed that we reached fifty.  We recently did a backyard barbecue with a member of Aloha Plate who won the Great Food Truck Race, so that’s something very special also. One was also when we went to Davao, which was memorable for me because my mom’s from Davao. It was nice to be able to go and see my cousins and then cook for them, and that episode was what got us nominated for Best Lifestyle Show. We didn’t win, but it’s okay. [laughs]

And now, you also have your first restaurant, The Quirky Bacon. How was the experience, opening up your own place?

It’s fun and stressful at the same time. I’m glad to finally have the opportunity to cook for people. And I think every person that loves to cook wants to cook for people, so it’s a blessing.

Can you share what your personal favorites are or your top recommendations in your restaurant’s menu?

At The Quirky Bacon, they have to try our Tempura Bacon Salad (P310). I know that not too many people have tempura fried bacon here, I feel we’re one of the first ones to introduce it here, so I’m proud of that. Of course, our Pork Panalo Roll (P440). It’s my specialty dish, it’s been with me for a really really long time. So far, everyone who’s had it has been happy with it.

Tempura Bacon Salad: fresh Tarlac/Baguio greens served with tempura-fried artisan bacon, Zamboanga wood-ear mushrooms, cherry tomatoes, and strawberry vinaigrette

Tempura Bacon Salad: fresh Tarlac/Baguio greens served with tempura-fried artisan bacon, Zamboanga wood-ear mushrooms, cherry tomatoes, and strawberry vinaigrette

 

Pork Panalo Roll: Calumpit longganisa-stuffed pork tenderloin wrapped in artisan bacon, served with guava labuyo glaze

Pork Panalo Roll: Calumpit longganisa-stuffed pork tenderloin wrapped in artisan bacon, served with guava labuyo glaze

Oh, so it’s panalo?

Yes, it’s panalo! [laughs] It’s aptly named. I think if people don’t know what to order, that’s the thing that they should order. And the ‘2-4-7’ Grilled Cheese (P260) because everyone will react like “That’s not gonna work!” And then they eat it, and then it’s gonna work. It’s two grilled cheese sandwiches, one is mozzarella, the other is kesong puti. And inside we have peanut butter and jelly, and then bacon. I promise you, it works! In fact we even served that to Dia Frampton who’s a vegetarian, and she ate it. We’re proud of that sandwich. And we have new stuff also, we’re playing around with chocolate and bacon. We’ll probably have 2 or 3 chocolate desserts come out hopefully by July. The Bacon Mallow Bombs, and then the Problem Child. That’s the bacon champorado with Chocnut and Mik-Mik milk powder. And we’re working on a chocolate lava cake, we’ll put a fried bacon on top, like a straw, so you can pick at the liquid parts of the cake and dip it.

Oh my gosh… Okay, since we’re talking about bacon and you love bacon: is there anything that will not go well with bacon? Have you thought about that?

I honestly think na wala. But I could be proven wrong… [laughs] But I honestly think in my heart that it can work, basta lang it’s done properly and in the right context.

What’s your favorite way of eating or cooking bacon?

Actually, just a simple griddle bacon. I don’t even have to have it crispy.

You like it as a slab? Or a rasher?

Yeah, even the thin one, the rasher. Not necessarily crispy.

Do you like it salty, or glazed? Or smoky?

I like it smoky. But I like balance, I’ve always been about balance. In fact a lot of my food is the same–everything is balanced. Because I’ve always felt like the greatest dishes are those that can incoporate the five tastes: sweet, salty, sour, spicy, and bitter. If you can incorporate the five tastes in once dish, it probably tastes good. For me, as many as you can, it would probably be the best tasting dish. That’s how I like it.

Is there any food from your childhood that you miss, that you don’t get to eat now?

I don’t remember eating a lot of it, but I miss eating the flying saucer sandwich.

Oh yeah! Wow my lola even had that round pan, it’s iron, I think?

Yes, yes! I miss eating that. And it’s served super hot. I haven’t eaten that in a while. I think Aristocrat still sells that.

How about food you crave for when you’re sick?

Generally, even when I’m sick or not, it’s the same. I like chorizo, bacon, and soft scrambled eggs, and crispy corned beef. These are things that you can find any time.

If you can host a dinner for any five persons, living or dead, who would you invite to try out your food?

I wanna invite many, many people so this is a tough question! First of all it would make sense to invite Stephen Yan and Nora Daza to come, because they’re my culinary heroes. Then probably Anthony Bourdain also, because I feel like we can talk about stuff so it’d be fun to do that. Then, probably, Barack Obama. And then, si Bea Alonzo. [laughs]

And what would you cook for them?

I wanna cook them my food, the food I cook at Quirky Bacon. Filipino flavors. Not necessarily traditional Filipino food, but Filipino flavors.

(Source: http://www.clickthecity.com/food-drink/a/22737/kitchen-pro-files-chef-sharwin-tee-2)