In the process, they discover for themselves how the preparation of certain traditional Filipino food has a lot in common with building a Lexus vehicle— attention to detail, a showcase of artistry, dedication to authenticity and reverence to utmost craftsmanship.
Uncertain times often call for unorthodox approaches. Solutions that are sometimes gleaned from life experiences that you either stumble on or deliberately seek to find. Take the case of influencer-slash-home cook Erwan Heussaf and chef Bruce Ricketts.
The two gourmands are set to go on a culinary adventure in a two-part series called Lexus Tasteful Travels, where they will be tracing their roots, uncovering flavors and collecting enough inspiration to refuel their passions in the kitchen. After being cooped up indoors for months, Erwan and Bruce explore the great outdoors within the safety of the Lexus RX 450h.
The first destination takes Bruce up north, deep in the culinary capital of the Philippines, Pampanga. The province is steeped in gastronomic traditions, honed and tested through the centuries, and is home to pillars of Filipino cooking. The focal point of this trip is Pampanga’s tamales, a traditional delicacy of ground sticky rice wrapped in banana leaves. Bruce learns the intricacies of making the dish from a local artisan who has perfected the art for years.
Also backed by his experience of running La Chinesca, his restaurant serving Mexican fare, Bruce realizes how closely similar the local tamales is to the Mexican counterpart, which is made primarily of corn. Armed with lessons on traditional techniques and flavors, he then heads back to the kitchen and whip up his version of tamales.
Still searching for wisdom on traditional tastes, Erwan continues the exploration down south to the little town of Magdalena in the province of Laguna. Here, he meets a maker of traditional kesong puti, the local version of white cheese, used in a number sweet and savory Filipino dishes. He takes a deep dive into the cheese-making process, learns how to milk carabaos and brings home a couple of samples. This time around, Erwan transforms the humble kesong puti into his idea of a world-class dish, proving how a thorough understanding of an ingredient and a deep appreciation for its craftsmanship can elevate something that’s seemingly so simple.
As soon as the engine of the Lexus RX 450h is switched off and the dishes are cleaned and put aside, Erwan and Bruce realize the food they put out is no different from the vehicle they had used in their journey.
The way they studied the making of tamales and kesong puti is congruent with the process of building a Lexus vehicle—there’s attention to detail, a showcase of artistry, dedication to authenticity and reverence to utmost craftsmanship. These values, together with omotenashi, the Japanese principle of being thoughtful and guest-oriented, highlight the intersection of inspired cooking and luxurious driving.
Catch Erwan and Bruce venturing off into the Philippines’ culinary destinations in a Lexus RX 450h in Lexus Tasteful Travels viewed via the FEATR YouTube (https://bit.ly/3rIbytr) and Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/featrmedia) pages.
To learn more, visit the Lexus website at lexus.com.ph, or visit our social media pages on Facebook and Instagram @lexusmanila
To arrange a consultation with your personal sales consultant, visit the Lexus Remote page at https://fal.cn/3eSWW
