It’s known knowledge that in the Philippines, Food is a love language. Filipinos’ way of saying “I love you” is “Kain na (Let’s eat!)” So it’s only right that the center of any Filipino Christmas celebration is good food.

International seasoning brand, Maggi, gets into the spirit of the holidays with a festive and heartwarming Christmas gathering celebrating Filipino cooking and the community. The “Gawing Magical Ang Pasko” Christmas event brought together members of the Nestlé team, media friends, chefs, food creators, and talented student chefs representing the top participating schools from the previous MAGGI Interschool Cook-off program.

An exciting cook-off session happened in the kitchen of the Center for Culinary Arts Manila, Taguig City where the winning students got to cook and prepare a scrumptious meal with their idols — the esteemed guest chefs and food content creators who have inspired many to take the lead in their kitchens or simply create meals for their loved ones.

The student chefs from Taguig-based high schools, Kapitan Eddie T. Reyes Integrated School, Taguig Integrated School, Bagumbayan National High School, and Maharlika Integrated School were the top contestants from MAGGI’s Sarap Sustansya Cooking Education Program 2023. Guests were divided into ten groups and were joined by top food creators and chef mentors including Erwan Heussaff, Chef Jackie Ang-Po, Chef Tatung Sarthou, and Jujumao.

As everyone got all geared up with their aprons and toques, we moved to the kitchens and prepared popular Filipino holiday dishes like Menudo, Lumpiang Shanghai, Fried Chicken, and Spaghetti. This was all made extra special, of course, with Maggi Magic Sarap seasoning.

The cooking activity was filled with good laughs and the incredible smell of the dishes that were being prepared by the aspiring chefs and their mentors. This not only gave the young participants the rare opportunity to meet and learn essential cooking skills from experienced chefs, but also encouraged them to embrace the joy and passion that comes with preparing food for their loved ones. On top of this memorable experience, they also got to take home the delicious dishes they prepared!

"It was truly inspiring to witness the passion and creativity of these young culinary talents as they cooked with our food creators. This event reinforces our commitment to nurturing the next generation of Filipino chefs and celebrating the magic of cooking together during the Christmas season," said Rosa Simba, Business Executive Officer for Food and Dairy Culinary at Nestlé Philippines.

“For Maggi, Christmas is more than just a season — it’s an opportunity to inspire the next generation of cooks. By giving the young participants the tools, knowledge, and confidence to create dishes their families will love, Maggi hopes to ignite a lifelong passion for cooking and the joy of sharing food,” she added.

Each group was given forty-five minutes to make their dishes and got to present them afterward. It was heartwarming to see the smiles on each of the student’s faces as they expressed their excitement and heartfelt gratitude for the chance to cook and learn from their mentors.

Celebrity Chef and food vlogger, Erwan Heussaff, shared one piece of advice for young cooks, which is to “Taste. Taste. Taste. Use your own personal bias, and flavor preference to determine what you like to eat and that will guide your food venture. You can make mistakes, and that’s okay.”

One participant even said that his mentor JinHo Bae taught him that “cooking is not just about cooking [technical aspect of preparing a meal]. It’s also about love.” This highlighted how the “Gawing Magical ang Pasko” was more than just a cooking event, but a celebration of family, the community, and the magic of Filipino cuisine.

After the delectable presentations, everyone was treated to a classic Filipino feast — a meal that was certainly every bit of magical as the holiday season — and it’s all made special with Maggi.

Let Maggi Magic Sarap be your secret ingredient in spreading love and joy this holiday season. Follow Maggi PH on Facebook and Instagram for updates and cooking recipes for your next handaan (feast).