Celebrity Life

Drew Barrymore collaborates with Pinay chef Pilar Valdes for a new book project

By Bong Godinez

Hollywood actress Drew Barrymore is cooking up something new for this year.

The 46-year-old celebrity announced in the April 21 episode of her talk show, The Drew Barrymore Show, the upcoming release of her cookbook on November 2.

The book titled, Rebel Homemaker: Food, Family, Life, is a collaboration between Drew and Filipino chef Pilar Valdes.

Pilar is Drew's close friend and personal chef, and is described by the actress as her “culinary partner in crime.”

“I feel like I'm about to burst because I'm so excited to tell everyone about it. It feels like a birth announcement,” said Drew during the announcement.

“So you all know at this show, if you've ever watched it, how much we love cookbooks, how much we embrace it.

“And we have Cookbook Club, which is a very important part of the show. So guess what? We wrote a cookbook!” Drew and Pilar excitedly revealed.

The two unveiled the book cover showing Drew happily eating a bowl of pasta dish.

“It's been such a wonderful journey. When we first started working together it was around the kitchen island and we had like cookbooks and we're just sharing stories, talking about food. That's where I think the idea of the cookbook was born,” Pilar told Drew.

Pilar described Drew as a “dreamer” and that the book project was the actress's idea from the get-go.

Drew also looked back at the beginning of their friendship and how it helped her cope during a chaotic time in her life.

“I met you at a point in my life where I was living in a rental apartment. I was moving from Los Angeles to New York. I was looking to start new endeavors so that I could be home with my kids,” recalled Drew.

“I was like 'I'll start a company! I'll write a book! I'll do anything!' Like, how can I be a mom first?

“My life felt very unanchored and there was a lot of transition and I met you at that time and we ended up dreaming and finding an anchor together.

“You and food and our friendship was a huge saving grace for me and something that I could hook into when my life felt so floating. Here we are three years later and I feel like our lives are so anchored individually and together.”

Later in the show, Drew and Pilar whipped up one of the dishes featured in their cookbook--a Vietnamese-inspired lemongrass beef skewers.

Meanwhile, here are Filipino chefs to follow on social media: