Ferdinand ‘Budgie’ Montoya worked in IT prior to 2012 when, new in London, he decided to throw himself into his love of cooking. ‘I’m Filipino but I grew up in Sydney. I live in London. I’m a citizen of the world.’ In January, as a veteran of professional kitchens including Tom Sellers’ Restaurant Story, Budgie opened his ‘proudly inauthentic’ Filipino venue Sarap (saraplondon.com). These days, when not filming cooking videos for his Insta followers, he is thinking about how that ‘tiny, 22-seat’ space in Brixton Village will need reorganising to comply with social-distancing rules. His passion, however, is cooking interpretations of Filipino classics, such as barbecued pork skewers, cassava tart and stuffed pork belly, influenced by his exposure to different cultures over the years as well as nostalgia for his early upbringing. ‘The chef side of me is missing the buzz of service and that sense of purpose.
‘I was born in the Philippines but grew up in Sydney. Filipinos have a long history of working abroad, and mum wanted a better life for us. Sydney had a large Filipino community, and we went back fairly often. We stopped when I was 14 because we’re from the southern island, Mindanao, and in the 90s there was a surge of terrorism and guerrilla warfare there that freaked mum out. I haven’t visited in a long time.
Diese Geschichte stammt aus der June 2020-Ausgabe von BBC Good Food UK.
Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.
Bereits Abonnent ? Anmelden
Diese Geschichte stammt aus der June 2020-Ausgabe von BBC Good Food UK.
Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.
Bereits Abonnent? Anmelden
'I make food that's multipurpose'
In our series on managing the rising cost of living, we asked you how you're adapting and for your tips on making the grocery shop go further
Subtle flavours for sunny days
Enjoy the many May bank holidays with something dry, refreshing and fruity
Kung Pao & Beyond by Susan Jung
Editor Keith Kendrick indulges his love of fried chicken with this celebration of the whole bird
'THE WORLD'S BEST'
Sandwiched with meringue and cream, this light and airy Norwegian party cake is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser
The power of growing your own
Growing veg offers more than sustenance for some, be it a means to connect with their country of birth, or a way to recreate flavours enjoyed overseas. Here I speak to growers - for businesses and at home - about why they got into it and what it means to grow your own
Our school dinner meals go down a storm
A desire to pay it forward led Samantha Couzens to meeting her best friend Penny Hill, and the pair have been cooking together ever since
Johnny Godden's fish & chips
The boss of Cornwall's Flying Fish Seafoods shares his favourite recipe, evoking memories of his childhood
watercress
Rich in vitamins and minerals, this salad leaf also adds a fresh burst of peppery flavour to a variety of dishes
let's eat more fish
Try this nutritious midweek main that's effortless to make and counts as two of your five-a-day
veggie weekdays
Go meat-free Monday to Friday and enjoy more of your five-a-day with these cost-efficient recipes