The fire and passion of Top Chef Paul Qui

By ROSE-AN JESSICA DIOQUINO & VERONICA PULUMBARIT, GMA News

Published March 16, 2012 9:40am

We love great food and great chefs. Thus, when we were told that celebrated Filipino-American chef Paul Qui was in town and that we could sample his dishes, who were we to pass up the opportunity? Just last February, the 31-year-old Qui was declared winner of the US cooking reality show “Top Chef: Texas,” where he was cited as one of the most consistent “chef-testants.”

Strong-flavored salad: Hearts of Palm, Green Curry, Mint, Peanut. Riz Pulumbarit

Working as the executive chef of the Japanese restaurant Uchiko in Austin, Texas, Qui is into the modernist approach, incorporating Southeast Asian flavors with European influences. Sony Pictures Television Networks in Asia flew the Fil-Am chef to Manila early this month to grace the launching of its new television channel, “beTV," where Qui’s season will be shown. Sony's “AXN Beyond” channel will formally become the "beTV" channel on April 2. Qui gave us a taste of his award-winning cuisine during the “beTV” launch at Hotel Intercontinental in Makati City, where he whipped up four dishes: Salad: Hearts of Palm, Green Curry, Mint, Peanut Main Entrée 1: Manila Clams, Longganisa, Parrot Fish Dashi Main Entrée 2: Pork Belly, Shimeji Mushroom, Kimchee Apple Dessert: Coconut Pandan, Mango, Jasmine Thai Chili

If food reflects the personality of the chef that prepared it, then Qui’s tasted of quiet brilliance.

A little bland but perfectly-cooked Manila Clams, Longganisa, Parrot Fish Dashi. Riz Pulumbarit

In an interview he managed to squeeze that day in between his kitchen duties, Qui told members of the Philippine press that he always based his menu on "what ingredients I can find.”

For the "beTV" launching, he sourced his ingredients locally. Even though Qui said he was not satisfied with the way the food at the launching turned out, there was a definite effort to please the largely Filipino crowd, with whom he said he was happy to share his “Top Chef” victory. The dishes he prepared all had the “gourmet” feel, starting with the salad, which was a surprise because of its strong flavor, courtesy of the green curry and mint. The parrot fish dashi, though well-cooked, was a little bland for the Filipino palate. We also wished there were more slices of longganisa (the best part of the dish) and that none of the clams were empty.

Savory Pork Belly, Shimeji Mushroom, Kimchee Apple. Riz Pulumbarit

The pork belly melts in your mouth, and was complemented well by the mushrooms and the kimchee apple. (How does he come up with such combinations?) For dessert, Qui used our very own mangga, which he said “is just the best.” He tied its flavor together with Coconut Pandan and Jasmine Thai Chili, which went well together. It wasn’t too sweet and it left us craving for more.

Qui’s journey Born in Manila, Qui’s first exposure to food was at the bakery of his grandparents’ grocery store in Camiling, Tarlac. At age 10, he flew to Virginia to live with his mother, who was then working for embassies in Washington, D.C. When he was in college, he moved in with his father, who was based in Texas. In a blur of shifting majors, Qui waited tables at several restaurants, where he said he got his immersion in kitchen and restaurant work that ignited his passion for the craft. Eventually, the exposure led him to the Texas Culinary Academy (now Le Cordon Bleu), where he earned an Associate in Culinary Arts degree. Down the line, Qui would meet his mentor Tyson Cole, the “totally American” owner of the Austin-based Japanese restaurant Uchi, who made him “this dish that had tuna sashimi and goat cheese”—a heady combination that prompted Qui to say “I gotta work for you. “My plan was to work for free since I was still in school… and get as much experience as I could and then leave the city and go to New York,” he said. “But I never got away because they kept on opening doors for me.”

Just right, not-too-sweet dessert: Coconut Pandan, Mango, Jasmine Thai Chili. Riz Pulumbarit

Doors indeed opened for this young Fil-Am with gastronomical dreams. He worked his way up and became the executive chef of the second restaurant, Uchiko. Then, all roads led to “Top Chef: Texas,” where he got the chance to showcase his mad skills and the “hard work ethic” he got from the Filipino ways of his family, especially his grandparents. Qui admitted that he has yet to map out his future, but he said he intends to eventually bring Filipino cuisine to the mainstream. “I think Filipino [cuisine] is in its infancy stage compared to the rest of [cuisines of other] Asian parts of the world,” he said. “We’re still trying to find our ground because we have so much inspiration from different cultures.” Qui admitted that he finds the prospect exciting because “Filipino food in general exposes you to a lot of different [animal] parts.” Filipino chefs, he said, “really [have] a knowledge of food” plus “a little bit of fire” and passion. With that bit of fire, we can surely expect more from this young Fil-Am chef, who is never afraid to play with flavors and find his way through life by way of the kitchen. - YA, GMA News

Tags: foodreview, paulqui, food, topchef