Brandon’s serving the national dish of the Philippines
Humboldt ParkUkrainian VillageWicker Park
Shmeal connects you with the best personal chefs in your neighborhood (like Brandon), so you can order their meals, and have amazing food experiences every day.
Get to know Brandon in this Q&A, and order his meals on Shmeal in the Humboldt Park neighborhood!
Q: What’s your cooking background?
Brandon: I graduated from culinary school in 2012. From there I worked in local eateries and banquet halls before moving to Chicago and working in hotels and the Michelin starred restaurant Sixteen. Most recently I worked at Entre Sueños in the West Loop – a modern Latin seafood restaurant.
Q: What can you tell us about the dish you made?
Brandon: The dish I made is a twist on the Filipino classic chicken adobo. The addition of coconut milk softens the bolder tangy flavor of the traditional style and adds a yummy richness. I also added some fried lumpia egg rolls as a crunchy snack to go alongside. It’s getting cold out so I wanted to make a comfort food dish that you can eat and then settle into the couch after. My mother is Filipino so adobo is one of the first dishes I learned to make, and it’s one that never gets old.
Review for Brandon’s Filipino Chicken Adobo with Coconut Milk and Lumpia Eggroll:
“Wow! Super delicious. Loved the sauce and the crispy lumpia. Chicken was cooked perfectly. 🔥🔥🔥”
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Q: Who do you think about when you make this dish?
Brandon: My mother, and my Filipino family. Adobo is the national dish of the Philippines and for good reason! This dish reminds me of home and it reminds me how a few ingredients can make something delicious.
Q: Where did you grow up and what kind of food did you grow up with?
Brandon: I grew up an hour from Chicago, but was no stranger to the city. We would take a day trip to Chinatown or Argyle to go grocery shopping for fresh fish and vegetables that weren’t common in my hometown. We would always stop for dimsum or “turo turo” – Filipino food served cafeteria style.
Brandon showed off his Filipino Chicken Adobo on the Shmeal Instagram.
Q: What’s your favorite food memory?
Brandon: Going to the buffet at the riverboat casino in Elgin. Kids ate cheap, so my parents would take me and my sister there and we would spend a couple hours eating crab legs the whole time.
Q: Anything else we should know about you and your cooking?
Brandon: I’m passionate about feeding people. I love making the classics just as much as I love putting my own spin on things. I take care in everything I make, and I’m excited to cook for the people of Chicago!
Get Brandon’s meals on Shmeal in the Humboldt Park neighborhood! ❤ Use code BRAN9970 for $10 off your first order.
