Dec. 28, 2017
USA & Canada Section, Inquirer.net
http://usa.inquirer.net/9056/chef-anton-amoncio-shows-off-morcon-bistek-sinigang-canada-beef-event
CALGARY, Canada — Filipino chef Anton Amoncio presented Filipino dishes using Canadian beef at "Let It Snow," a chef exchange program organized by the Canadian Beef Centre of Excellence.
It's the first time a Filipino chef was featured in the program.
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| Deconstructed Beef Shortribs Sinigang in Green Mango by Anton Amoncio. |
Amoncio prepared Beef Morcon Sliders, Bistek Tagalog on Green Onion Blinis, and Deconstructed Beef Shortribs Sinigang sa Mangga. For dessert, he made leche flan.
"Let It Snow" had three installations held in different luxury resorts to highlight Canada's different seasons: Fairmont Banff Springs (early summer), Fairmont Royal York Toronto (harvest season) and Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise (winter), which served as the finale.
Working with Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise's executive chef Jean-Francois Fortin, Amoncio prepared his recipes during the "Beef Beyond Borders" dinner.
Canada beef
According to Marty Carpenter, president of the Canadian Beef Grading Agency, Canadian beef is classified by its flavor, which comes from the predominant use of barley in their cattle feed. Combined with the almost vineyard-like culture of their cattle industry, this puts Canada beef in a league of the world's premier beef products.
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| Chef Anton Amoncio explaining his dishes at the "Let It Snow" program in Calgary. |
Amoncio says chefs should never stop learning. During his visit, he went over the finer points of how to prepare the best beef cuts with Carpenter and Abe Van Melle, technical manager at Canadian Beef Centre of Excellence.
His grandmother's cooking, including her signature dish, tinola, sparked his love affair with the kitchen.
Amoncio won the top prize on Asian Food Channel's cooking competition show "Food Hero Asia" last year. As part of his prize, Amoncio was able to host the show "Home Cooked Asia: Philippines" and has since become a regular guest chef for various daytime television shows in the Philippines.
Amoncio graduated from the Center for Culinary Arts in Manila and owns Antojos, a Filipino specialty restaurant in Quezon City.
The "Let It Snow" chef exchange program was part of "Canada 150," the country's series of events celebrating the 150th anniversary of its founding.
Chef Anton Amoncio is a talent of Asian Artists Agency. Visit Fb.com/asianartistsagency.