Celebrating Modern Filipino Cuisine Everyday: Paul Poblador

hef Poblador describes his culinary creations for Kusina Salud as modern renditions, interpretations and combinations of classic Filipino dishes.

When his mother-in-law, Patis Tesoro, launched Kusina Salud in October of 2004, he suddenly felt at odds with the concept, given his background of ten years in French cookery. His forte felt like an Achilles' heel waiting to be the target of nostalgic Filipino palates craving their grandmother’s special adobo, which absolutely no one can best. He decided to rely on the talents and skill palettes of his team of Filipino chefs with regard to their expertise in Filipino food.

“And why not?” he thought. “Their cooking is what Filipinos everywhere can relate to. It’s the most basic taste we know.” Nevertheless, this wasn’t enough for the discerning taste buds of our countrymen. “It seems like the food in Kusina Salud doesn’t compare to its ambience,” they lamented, “and it certainly doesn’t compare to the culinary experience we had in Salud! Bistro in Baguio,” some of them added. Aha! Thanks to their comments, we were able to identify our customers' expectations of the Kusina Salud experience!

“Cool!” Pol exclaimed, “Now I can play!” From trying hard to be a traditional Filipino restaurant, we shifted our focus towards becoming the Pinoy counterpart of a French restaurant in Provence. My husband immediately started experimenting with gusto in the kitchen. His dishes soon accommodated the nuances of fusion gastronomy while still showcasing our revered traditional flavors.

What was once an ordinary pinaputok na tilapia with red egg salad suddenly became an oft-desired dish thanks to the addition of sarsang laing on the side. The conventional binagoongang baboy was embellished with eggplant tempura and a petite green mango salad; this dish has proven itself a consistent top seller since its inclusion in the menu. The kare-kareng dagat lends itself to French cookery techniques as its basic flavors are reliant on the accompanying sauces of annatto-peanut and bagoong. It is a favorite of San Pableños right after the lumpiang ubod with Visayan sinamak.

We now define the distinct Kusina Salud Modern Filipino Cuisine as the preparation of locally sourced fresh ingredients by way of both French and Filipino cookery techniques to create complimentary combinations of tastes, providing a uniquely adventurous, unforgettable and fulfilling culinary experience.
Salamant sa inyong pagdalaw. Sana magustuhan ninyo ang aming handa. Bon apetit at kain na!

--- Nina Tesoro-Poblador
Managing Partner
Kusina Salud