Filipino food doesn’t just satisfy our cravings whenever we want something familiar or comforting. It has also been part of our entertainment scene that serves our stories, traditions, and values.
In the past, we have had films where the flavors of our food only added more depth and meat to their respective stories. Looking for your next ulam? Watch these Filipino movies if you want some inspiration on what you want to cook soon.
Kailangan Kita (2002)
This 2002 film tells the story of a professional chef, Carl (Aga Muhlach), who comes home to Bicol for his wedding and meets his bride’s sister, Lena (Claudine Barretto), who is also the family’s home cook. They clash at first due to the difference in their diasporic and local cultural upbringing, but eventually find common ground in the kitchen and their love for cooking.
Staying faithful to the region’s gastronomic pride, Kailangan Kita emphasizes the use of sili (green and red chili peppers) and gata (coconut cream) in Bicolano dishes, particularly in ginataang hipon, adobo, and laing. Apart from the ingredients, the film also depicts the community building found in going to wet markets to buy the components of one’s dishes, and even the use of palayok to cook stews and soups.
Un/Happy For You (2024)
Bicolano cuisine takes the spotlight yet again, but this time with a modern, finger food twist in Joshua Garcia and Julia Barretto’s reunion project. Years after their messy breakup, Juancho (Garcia) and Zy (Barretto) see each other again. Zy’s quick homecoming for a writing assignment revolving around food tourism became a trip down memory lane for both her and Juancho. Part of their reminiscing was Laya, their former restaurant, and the Bicol Express burritos and kinalas nachos that they used to serve to their customers.
Besides laing, the film also mentioned Tinuktok na Talangka. It’s a dish made with fermented small river crabs and lukadon (a type of coconut meat that’s between young and old) that are mixed and seasoned with different aromatics including kanela, a local cinnamon. They are then layered and wrapped in tan-ag leaves, and left to simmer in coconut cream until ready to eat.
Starting Over Again (2013)
Can you imagine sinigang without the soup? It’s hard to imagine, but Piolo Pascual, who plays Chef Marco in the film, makes it possible.
As part of his future restaurant’s menu in the story, the “sinigang risotto” comes with crispy lechon belly slices assembled alongside chopped sitaw (string beans), okra, and ensaladang talong (pickled eggplant) on top of a rich, tomato rice risotto of sorts. “I’ve always loved how food can preserve a memory, a feeling,” Pascual’s character also mentions to Ginny (Toni Gonzaga) in one of the scenes.
Is this article making you crave Sinigang na Baboy? Check out the recipe here!
Kasal, Kasali, Kasalo (2006)
“Pochero ‘to, Jed. Pochero!” This famous line from Judy Ann Santos still remains to be one of the most memorable scenes from the movie Kasal, Kasali, Kasalo. What Jed (Ryan Agoncillo) thought of as afritada was actually pochero, his favorite dish.
Filipino cuisine certainly has a lot of tomato-based stews that we can commonly mistake one from the other. Afritada usually has chicken, potatoes, carrots, green peas, and bell peppers. Meanwhile, you can either use pork, chicken, or beef for pochero, and it has a sweeter taste due to the saging na saba (saba bananas) along with cabbage, bok choy, and chickpeas.
Kusina Kings (2018)
Sometimes, the adobo’s classic and comforting salty-sour goodness isn’t just experienced from the viand itself. It can also be felt in a deep friendship with someone. In Kusina Kings, Ronnie (Zanjoe Marudo) and Benjie (Empoy Marquez) face different challenges in life as best friends and cooking partners.
Their specialty dish? AdoBro, their homage for both the traditional Filipino dish and their friendship. In the film, the pork rib is fancily plated with adobo sauce, string beans, and sun-dried tomatoes. In between laughs, Kusina Kings will also make you appreciate how running a food business can be taxing but equally rewarding because of the people who will always support and look out for you.
Craving adobo? Try a new recipe here: Chicken Adobo with Barako Coffee!
Frequently Asked Questions
Some Filipino films that feature Filipino cuisine include: Kailangan Kita (2002), Un/Happy For You (2024), Starting Over Again (2013), Kasal, Kasali, Kasalo (2006), and Kusina Kings (2018).
Food in these movies goes beyond being part of the setting. Filipino dishes help tell stories about love, family, friendship, tradition, and identity while also highlighting regional cooking styles and culinary heritage.
Kailangan Kita and Un/Happy For You both prominently feature Bicolano cuisine. They showcase dishes and ingredients like laing, Bicol Express-inspired creations, sili (chili peppers), gata (coconut cream), and tinuktok na talangka.
The “sinigang risotto” is Chef Marco’s modern interpretation of the classic Filipino sour soup. The dish includes rich tomato rice risotto paired with crispy lechon belly, sitaw, okra, and ensaladang talong.
Afritada is usually made with chicken, potatoes, carrots, peas, and bell peppers in a tomato-based sauce. Pochero, meanwhile, has a sweeter flavor because it includes saba bananas along with meat, cabbage, bok choy, and chickpeas.
Availability may vary depending on your region, but these films can often be found on local streaming platforms or cable movie channels featuring Filipino cinema.
