Proud Bisdak and Michelin-recognized restaurateur Chef Tatung joined fellow Bisdak Melai Cantiveros-Francisco in the August 4 episode of “Kuan on One.” Known for elevating traditional Filipino cuisine to international acclaim, Chef Tatung opened up about his culinary journey and the passion for cooking that has fueled his success.
In the "Dakong Problema" challenge, “What Is Dish?,” Melai and Chef Tatung put their food knowledge to the test. Blindfolded, one participant had to taste a secret ingredient and describe its flavor without revealing its name, while the other had to guess the ingredient correctly.
Chef Tatung was given star anise, or sangki, in the first round. He immediately recognized the spice and explained to Melai that it is one of the key seasonings in humba (braised pork), giving the dish its signature fragrant aroma. He also described its distinct licorice-like flavor, prompting Melai to guess that it might be some kind of leaf.
Melai tossed out answers like sugar and vinegar, but Chef Tatung offered another clue, saying the spice is shaped like a Christmas lantern. The hint helped Melai figure it out, earning her the first point of the game.
In the next round, Melai sampled the mystery ingredient and immediately noticed its salty flavor. She hinted that it is also used in humba, leading Chef Tatung to guess soy sauce. Melai then added that it had the texture of a crunchy nut, and Chef Tatung correctly identified it as tausi, or fermented black beans.
Chef Tatung's next challenge was biasong, or wild lime. He described it as a citrus fruit, prompting Melai to guess lemon. He then clarified that it is native to Mindanao and is commonly used in kinilaw. Melai went on to guess calamansi, dalandan, and key lime, but none of her answers were correct. When the ingredient was finally revealed as biasong, Melai remarked that in some places it is referred to as calamansi, while in others, it is called suha.
The next mystery ingredient was coconut. The moment Melai caught its aroma, she excitedly shared that it comes from a tree and is often paired with gata (coconut milk). Chef Tatung quickly identified it as coconut and added that it is also a perfect ingredient for kinilaw.
For the next round, Chef Tatung was given batuan. He explained to Melai that the fruit is popular in Negros and is commonly used in dishes such as kadyos and kansi. Melai guessed that it was a citrus fruit, but despite Chef Tatung's clues, she admitted she wasn't familiar with batuan.
Melai was then given ginger, or luya. Confident that Chef Tatung would recognize it, she wasn't surprised when he identified it correctly right away.
For the final ingredient, Chef Tatung tasted tabon-tabon. He described it as slightly bitter and resembling the fruit chico. He also explained that it is another ingredient commonly added to kinilaw, helping make the dish gentler on the stomach. Despite the clues, Melai still couldn't guess the answer. She eventually gave up and laughed as she discovered tabon-tabon for the first time.
In the bonus round, Melai and Chef Tatung both sampled danggit, or salted sun-dried rabbitfish, and raced to identify it. Chef Tatung was the first to name the ingredient correctly, wrapping up the game with both contestants gaining fresh appreciation for the featured ingredients and their culinary roots.
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