‘No Worries’ for the Vegetarian Filipino

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http://www.asianweek.com/2008/10/23/no-worries-for-the-vegetarian-filipino/

 

 

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‘No Worries’ for the Vegetarian Filipino

By: Dino-Ray Ramos, Oct 23, 2008 Print Email Share

Tags: Living |

For many, taking away meat from the diet of the meat-centric Filipino culture is

like taking away their affection for karaoke and San Miguel beer. But vegetarian

chef Jay-Ar Pugao has put these presumptions to rest with No Worries Catering, a

business that caters (pun intended) to vegetarians and non-vegetarians alike.

 

Pugao, an immigrant from the Philippines, did not begin his vegetarian lifestyle

until 1995, at age 16.

 

“My initial reason for [becoming vegetarian] was because my mother had a heart

attack, and the doctor said it was stress and her diet,†says Pugao, who set

up shop in Oakland. “That’s when I wanted to stop eating meat, so it would

be easier for my mom to make healthier food.â€

 

His company came from a business proposal in high school. Pugao won a grant and

bought the basic necessities. As for the carefree name of his company, he wanted

to promote a healthy lifestyle.

 

“The name came from the idea that Filipino food is great but is high in

cholesterol, oily, and is all meat,†says Pugao. “I wanted to counter the

idea by naming the business ‘No Worries.’â€

 

In 2000, when he felt confident with his culinary skills, Pugao dubbed himself a

chef. With no formal training, he says that he got hands-on training from his

mother, who started the substitution of meat with soy protein. “She’s the

actual innovator,†gushes Pugao. “I just took it and ran.â€

 

With steamed pork buns, roasted duck and chicken adobo lining the buffet lines

of Asian cultures, it may seem like a radical move for an Asian American to come

out of the vegetarian closet — but not too drastic.

 

“Asians have been living with vegetarianism in their diets for centuries,â€

says Pugao. “The Filipino culture has a few dishes that are only vegetables

and beans, so a vegetarian diet is not uncommon if you look at the bigger

picture.â€

 

Pugao says that 90 percent of his close friends are vegetarian or vegan, and

that creates a solid network of people when dining. But Pugao has learned to

cope with group dining dilemmas.

 

“Because our food is a big part of our culture, it almost seems that if you do

not partake in eating with the family or friends, it becomes a sense of

disrespect,†says Pugao. “In the beginning, it was difficult for me to fully

be comfortable representing my beliefs. But as I got to be knowledgeable in the

choices that I made, I became an agent in educating people on vegetarianism.â€

 

Pugao never imposes himself on people when he goes out to eat or when he is

surrounded by an event with a meat-only menu. He makes sure to eat beforehand or

kindly decline.

 

But with Pugao’s menu to choose from, one might consider jumping on the veggie

bandwagon.

 

Substituting soy for meat, his dishes stay true to Filipino cuisine, from

kare-kare (soy meat in a traditional peanut sauce) to meatless lumpia (Filipino

eggrolls). But it’s Pugao’s apritada (a tomato-based stew and the first

veggie dish he ever made) that remains the most popular.

 

Bay Area residents have tried his cuisine at the annual “Eat Now, Laugh

Later†event, which includes a three-course vegan Filipino meal, a live

cooking demo and stand-up comedy. Celebrating its second year, the event takes

place Oct. 25 at Bistro de Manila in Oakland, Calif.

 

“The ultimate goal is to inform people on the concept of Filipino vegetarian

food,†says Pugao.

 

Pugao will continue to serve as an ambassador in the vegetarian Asian community,

but that doesn’t mean he wouldn’t consider showcasing his skills on

television.

 

“I would love to be on Top Chef,†says Pugao, “but sometimes, they handle

meat, which I choose to not do. So I guess I would be on Iron Chef instead,

where they just pick one ingredient and you could create dishes. It would have

to be a vegetable or tofu, of course.â€

 

To buy tickets for “Eat Now, Laugh Later†visit BrownPaperTickets.com.

For more information on No Worries Catering, visit filipinoveganfood.com.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For in a Republic, who is “the country� Is it the Government which is for

the moment in the saddle? Why, the Government is merely a servant—merely a

temporary servant; it cannot be its prerogative to determine what is right and

what is wrong, and decide who is a patriot and who isn’t. Its function is to

obey orders, not originate them.

Mark Twain