GMA-7 IS very happy with the ratings of their first cooking show for children, “
Amazing Cooking Kids”, shown today before “Eat Bulaga” hosted by
Carmina Villaroel. As of now, only 7 kids remain in the original 12 finalists:
Xymon Caballero of Caloocan, Pat Reyes of Mandaluyong, Ronin Leviste of Makati, Budik Villalobos of Cavite,
Duday Reyes of QC, Angela Rosales of QC, and
Tarah Santos of Muntinlupa. “Magaling ang pagkakapili sa kanila during the auditions,” says Chef Jackie Ang Po who’s one of the judges. “Balanse ang mix from poor and well to do families. May mahirap talaga na ang ama is a cook kaya magaling talaga magluto. Meron namang hindi masyado marunong at the start pero mayaman sila kaya ikinuha ng magulang niya ng chef para turuan siya. The kids are all lovable, nag-bonding na sila during the course of the contest and each time someone is eliminated, iyakan talaga. Kami ng co-judges kong sina Rosebud Benitez and GB Barlao, we avoid na ma-attached sa kanila kasi we might not be objective in our judging kasi hindi naman ito personality based kundi ano yung lasa ng niluto mo. You’re only as good as the last dish you cooked.”
Jackie owns the Fleur de Lys Patisserie beside Belo Clinic at Morato Ave. She used to host “True Confections” and “Delicioso” on Channel 11. “Ten years old pa lang ako, I cooked na for my four kuyas,” she says. “I’m the only girl and all I cooked, inuubos nila and they tell me, magluto ka pa. So namo-motivate ako to cook some more kasi feeling ko, ang galing-galing ko na. I studied being a chef in a culinary arts school in California in 1999. Wala pa kasing cooking schools dito noong araw. When I returned here in 2001, I opened up Fleur de Lys. I was 26 then. Awa ng Diyos, nag-click ito and we have regular customers.” Now married with a 5-year old daughter, she also teaches cooking to share her talent. Who does she think would win in “Amazing Cooking Kids”? “I have my favorites but in fairness to them, lahat sila magagaling.”
Personally, our own favorite is Budik, who’s the youngest and might have a good future in showbiz as a child actor, not a chef.
