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Le Petit Café Fleur owner Chef Sau Del Rosario and Mesa ni Misis founder Juana Yupangco reveal the recipes and secret ingredients behind some of their most sought-after dishes on Solane Kitchen Moments, Solane’s unique cooking-slash-talk show that anchors on fond memories relived through great food, hosted on their Youtube page.
Aside from recipes, the two celebrated foodies also share their journey toward finding their calling, experiencing culture, and making memories through food.
“I think that making food is my love language,” plant-based advocate Yupangco shared in an interview. “When I want to reach out to a friend or loved one, I often cook something for them, as I really take time to make something that will bring them comfort and joy when eating it.”
Del Rosario’s legacy dishes lie in Le Petit Café Fleur, one of the latest gems in the bright streets of Poblacion, Makati. To most, the name Café Fleur is not new – the restaurant first stood in Pampanga where people would go all the way to try Chef Sau’s dishes. While the Makati branch makes it easier for Manileños and Southies to get their fill, Solane Kitchen Moments shares the actual recipes to the bestsellers: the Crispy Pork Belly Kare-Kare, Boneless Pollo a la Plancha, and of course, the famous Vuco Fye.
A classic, the Crispy Pork Belly Kare-Kare is one of the main dishes people went to Pampanga for. And on Solane Kitchen Moments, Del Rosario reveals gata as the secret ingredient that makes it so rich.
Meanwhile, Café Fleur’s Mexican dish Boneless Pollo a la Plancha is known for being flavorful. In Del Rosario’s version, he adds a Pinoy twist, which he spills in the show.
He also shares the recipe for his most recent chart-topper: the buttery Vuco Fye. The pastry is a Kapampangan wordplay on buko pie and the result of him trying his hand at baking to cope with his pandemic-induced depression. His secret to this filling goodness? Quality and fresh ingredients.
Meanwhile, Yupangco has a couple of healthy, plant-based tricks up her sleeve: her famous Upo Lasagna and her favorite travel find, Chiang Mai Salad.
Yupangco began her plant-based journey as an attempt to be more healthy when her husband had a health scare from having high cholesterol. Now, with a non-profit organization that advocates for plant-based nutrition and a cookbook published last year, Yupangco is doing her best to share the magic of healthy eating through her recipes – which is very much appreciated in the middle of a persistent pandemic.
“Plant-based cooking is slowly becoming more mainstream, and being supported by iconic brands like Solane really shows that they believe in what I do, and that plant-based cooking can be taken to a larger audience,” Yupangco expressed.
One of her first original plant-based dishes is the famous, cheesy Upo Lasagna, a big hit among family and friends during potlucks, and she shares the full recipe for it on Solane Kitchen Moments. Aside from going vegan, Yupangco also only sources ingredients that are available in the country, and in the show, she uses sitaw, sigarilyas, and okra to make Thai appetizer Chiang Mai Salad.
“By partnering with me, [Solane] promotes using local produce and have an interest in making sure people take care of their health,” Yupangco added.
Aside from supporting good health, Solane also commits in taking care of households and families by providing safe and secure kitchen fuel, holding its position as the country’s most trusted LPG brand.
