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Celebrating Culinary Excellence: CHE students shine in the “Rooted Resilience: Future Feasts of Filipino Flavors” Cooking Competition
By: Raeka Xiomara P. Gutierrez | October 27, 2025
The Department of Home Economics Education extends our heartfelt congratulations to the talented students of the College of Home Economics (CHE) for their exceptional achievements in the recent "Rooted Resilience: Future Feasts of Filipino Flavors" cooking competition held on September 8, 2025, at Alonso Hall.
This event, emphasizing the innovative use of local root crops such as camote, gabi, and ube, showcased the creativity and culinary skills of Home Economics students as they transformed these ingredients into practical yet innovative dishes.
Among the standout participants were the winning teams, whose dishes not only delighted the palate but also carried heartfelt stories of heritage and resourcefulness.
Team Ubad
Kriztin Jugo shared the story behind their winning dish, Ravioli à la Filipina or Kalderetang Ravioli. Inspired by one of her teammate’s grandmother’s recipes passed down to her, the team transformed the classic Nueva Ecija caldereta into a refined Filipino-French-Italian fusion. Their dish featured sweet potato ravioli filled with gabi, banana heart, chicken, mushroom, and kesong puti — a perfect blend of comfort and elegance.
Team Pako
Jose Aldueza’s story was equally compelling. His team’s dish, “Sweet Potato Croquette with Kare-Kare Peanut Sauce”, was a testament to resilience and adaptability. The dish emphasized the versatility of sweet potato, a humble root crop, and incorporated creative pairing with local vegetables like sitaw and pechay, along with pan-fried eggplant, a banana blossom salad with singkamas, and dressed with kalamansi bagoong dressing.
During the competition, the team faced the challenge of substituting ground pork. To adapt, they used singkamas, which added to the concept of resilience, as certain ingredients may not always be available for families, especially during times of calamity. This resourcefulness reflected how Filipinos can make do with available resources while still creating flavorful and nourishing meals.
The competition was fierce, with teams showcasing not only culinary skills but also heartfelt stories behind their dishes. The team of Rizalyn Laylo received a Consolation Prize while Dexansel Mañalac’s team took home both the 3rd Place and the People’s Choice Award. Ultimately, the teams led by Jose and Kriztin tied for 1st place.
Congratulations to all the talented students who participated, especially our winners, whose stories and dishes truly embodied the essence of resilience and cultural pride.
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