In honor of Filipino American History Month, Chef Phillip Esteban is showcasing the rich history and cultural significance of Filipino cuisine. Esteban will be hosting an elegant dinner event on Thursday night at Artifact, located in the Mingei International Museum, where he’ll highlight the fusion of flavors that represent the Philippines’ history of trade and colonization.
A Partnership Between Food and Culture
Chef Esteban, founder of White Rice Bodega, has been a key partner in the San Diego Filipino Film Festival (SDFFF) since its beginning in 2021. While already known for his culinary talent, it is his deep understanding of the cultural exchanges embedded in Filipino food that truly sets him apart. These dishes reflect centuries of interactions with various trade partners and colonizers, making Filipino food a rich tapestry of global influence.
Chef Phil’s Journey
Esteban identifies with the “rebel generation” of Filipino Americans who ventured beyond the traditional career paths favored by their parents.
“We resisted the safe jobs,” Esteban explained. “For our parents, it was all about securing good income, so they pushed us toward fields like the military, healthcare, or engineering. There’s nothing wrong with that, but today, you see more Filipinos in creative fields — art, music, design, film, and food.”
Esteban’s love for food began at a young age, inspired by his grandmother.
“One day, I was about six years old, and she asked, ‘Do you want me to teach you how to make it?’” he recalled. “She probably wanted me to make it myself! I remember baking with her, and that’s where it all started.”
While in college, Esteban’s passion for food continued to grow, and he frequently hosted dinner parties. Eventually, a roommate encouraged him to attend culinary school.
“I dropped out of college and enrolled in culinary school,” Esteban said. “At first, my parents questioned my decision. But after visiting me at the first restaurant I worked at and seeing how happy I was, they didn’t say anything else.”
Challenges in Culinary School
When Esteban entered culinary school in the early 2000s, Filipino cuisine wasn’t part of the curriculum.
“The culinary world is heavily dominated by white males,” he noted. “All my instructors were Caucasian, and so were the chefs I admired. No one was cooking Filipino food. When we studied different cuisines, we covered Chinese and Japanese food, but there was no mention of Filipino food.”
It was fellow Filipino chef Anthony Sinsay who urged Esteban to embrace his roots. “He told me, ‘You need to cook our food,’ and that’s when the idea for White Rice came about,” Esteban shared.
The Birth of White Rice
White Rice Bodega, Esteban’s restaurant, was born out of a desire to introduce Filipino cuisine to a wider audience.
“I wanted to create something approachable for people who aren’t Filipino,” he explained. “I looked at taco shops and thought about how tortillas are a vessel for so many flavors. For us, that vessel is white rice, which inspired the name of the restaurant. We’re not doing anything drastically different with Filipino food; we’re just repackaging it in a way that’s accessible and visually appealing to everyone.”
With a focus on staying true to classic Filipino flavors while giving them a modern presentation, Esteban continues to celebrate his culture through food.
The dinner event at Artifact promises to be a blend of culinary tradition and historical storytelling, providing attendees with a taste of the Philippines’ vibrant past.
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