At the launch of Pinas Simpol, the chef reframes Filipino cooking as memory, identity, and cultural intelligence
PINAS PRIDE Guests join Chef Myke “Tatung” Sarthou at Lore in Bonifacio Global City for the launch of his new bookChef Myke “Tatung” Sarthou gathered chefs, educators, cultural leaders, and media at Lore by Chef Tatung in Bonifacio Global City last Nov. 12 for the launch of “Pinas Simpol: The Love and Lore of Filipino Cooking,” a book that looks at Filipino cuisine through memory, home-kitchen wisdom, and cultural grounding.
The restaurant, part of the Michelin Selected 2026 list, set the tone for what many guests called a long-awaited articulation of how Filipinos understand and cook their food. In his remarks, Chef Tatung said the project began with a desire “to show that Filipino food is intelligent, beautiful, and rooted” but grew into something more reflective. The book, he explained, is “not really about recipes, but about remembering—giving words to what we already know by heart.”
At the center of Pinas Simpol is a framework he calls the “Four Legs of the Filipino Table,” describing food that is rooted, resilient, respectful, and responsive. He noted that Filipino cuisine “has never been improvised; it has always been intelligent,” pointing to daily cooking practices—laga, ihaw, gisa, and gata—as evidence of heritage shaped through lived experience. These gestures, he said, are “proof that simplicity can hold great wisdom.”
The new book is also the first volume in a planned trilogy to codify Filipino cooking for future generations. Chef Tatung emphasized that Filipino food is often difficult to teach internationally not because it lacks structure, but because documentation is limited. “We don’t have enough literature explaining its complexity,” he said, adding that while Japanese cuisine is taught through clear systems, staples like buro remain rarely documented despite their sophistication.
BOOK SPOTLIGHT Chef Myke “Tatung” Sarthou stands beside a large display of the Pinas Simpol- The Love and Lore of Filipino Cooking book cover.
Part of codifying the cuisine, he noted, is strengthening the ecosystem behind it. He recalled working abroad in Michelin-starred kitchens while cooking with calamansi from Vietnam and coconut from Thailand. “If I am to promote Filipino food, our people should be the first to benefit from it,” he said, calling attention to the need to support farmers, producers, and the local supply chain.
The launch also became a moment of reflection for the culinary community. Liza Morales, Program Director of Le Cordon Bleu–Ateneo and Amanu, said the event marked “a celebration of how Filipino cuisine is defining itself anew—through knowledge, pride, and purpose,” especially as the Philippines gains visibility through the Michelin Guide and the United Nations Gastronomy Forum. “For the first time,” she said, “international recognition and local confidence meet at the same table.”
Liza added that Chef Tatung’s work extends beyond restaurants and books, noting his consistent efforts in community feeding and relief operations. She also announced that Le Cordon Bleu–Ateneo will host another celebration of Pinas Simpol on Dec. 6, where French chefs will prepare dishes from the book. “For once, let the French chefs cook Filipino food,” she said.
A key section of Pinas Simpol introduces the Simpol ABC Framework—Assemble, Build, Complete—based on how Filipino households naturally cook. Chef Tatung said the approach reinforces the idea that intuitive cooking has structure. “Filipinos cook with what they have,” he said. “Tantsa is not guesswork—it’s intelligence.”
The book launch also coincided with his 10th year as an author. Since “Philippine Cookery: From Heart to Platter,” he has earned four Gourmand World Cookbook Awards and published eight titles, with three more completed. He traced his writing aspirations back to high school, when he first wrote that he dreamed of publishing at least ten books. Through the years, he said his guiding belief remains unchanged: “Filipino food must belong to Filipinos first.”
Pinas Simpol, published by Vertikal Kreatives Inc., is now available for ₱790 on major e-commerce platforms and will soon be sold in leading bookstores nationwide. The book blends essays, cultural reflection, technique, and recipe storytelling into a single volume meant to document and celebrate the depth of Filipino cooking.
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