Melo Villareal
Focus on Pinoy Food: “Hungry with Chef JP” TV Show
Master Chef Philippines judge and chef-owner of Sarsa and Kafe Batwan restaurant JP Anglo shows you can be a great chef and surfer jock at the same time in his new TV show “Hungry with Chef JP.”
The acclaimed food aficionado makes no bones about his deep passion for surfing. He explains, “I got into surfing because when I moved to Australia to work, I lived by the beach and I wanted to learn how to surf. Nothing beats that stoked feeling when you catch a wave letting go of all the fear; it’s a natural high and it’s infectious.”
He equates this feeling with his attitude towards cooking. He says, “Surfing and cooking are similar in the sense that you need to work really hard and have a lot of patience. They both come from a place of passion, which for me means time stops and you lose yourself in the process. It might be riding that epic wave or accidentally coming up with a new dish, and that underlines why emotions and energy play big roles in both areas.”
“Hungry with Chef JP” highlights just what he means. It is about rich Filipino cuisine and the active surfing community in the country. Each episode features the surfing hotspots in the Philippines even as Chef JP explores the area’s unique cuisine. The innovative show is on its first season and airs every Sunday at 7:30 pm on CNN Philippines with the support of FWD Life Philippines.
Living la vida loca
The show seeks to promote the #GetReadyToLive initiative of FWD, which pushes Filipinos to pursue their own passions, even as Chef JP pursues his love of food and sports. The brand, through the show, seeks to motivate Filipinos to shed their fears and live their lives to the fullest.
FWD Philippines Head of Marketing Roche Vandenberghe points out, “Our food culture has been very much in the spotlight in recent years. We at FWD support this passion point to inspire this flourishing sector, where passionate people like Chef JP Anglo (IG Account) thrive.”
It was not the first time FWD has tapped the enthusiasm of the surfer-chef. Chef JP represented the company at its brand launch event, “Ready, Set, Live!” in November 2014. Mr. Vandenberghe says, “Chef JP perfectly embodies the passionate young Filipinos who inspire others to seize opportunities that are given to them, truly living life to the fullest!”
FWD Life Philippines is part of the FWD Group of Hong Kong that specializes in life insurance. Mr. Vandenberghe says, “We’d like Filipinos to view insurance as a lifestyle continuity proposition which enables them to fearlessly pursue their passions in life. Like Chef JP, we’d like Filipinos to know that FWD will be there for them so they can live life without hesitation.”
Hungry with Chef JP: Passion at every turn
Chef JP invites its viewers to come along and bear witness to his adventures in the top surf spots in the country with each episode. He cooks delectable dishes and rides the waves in turn, taking full advantage of everything locally available.
Seabiscuit Films program director Nicky Daez points out that it is not about showing off, however. “It’s a show about life. It tackles JP’s journey as a surfer—he may not the best but he’s definitely hungry to get better. He immerses himself and spends time to cook and eat with the locals.”
Mr. Daez lauds the support of FWD in encouraging Filipinos to go all out in their pursuit of their passions. He says, “FWD gave us the artistic freedom to properly execute the show the way we envisioned it. They understood what we imagined for Hungry and trusted that we would make it happen. They made this dream project a reality for us all.”
