Billy Dec Dishes on the Rise of Filipino Food in Chicago
“Growing up, we’re conditioned to never share these things, but now we’re cooking creative, modernized versions of Filipino classics and sharing it with our customers.” So says Billy Dec, CEO of Rockit Ranch Productions. The Filipino-American restaurateur has ardently been paving the way for a Filipino food renaissance in Chicago since launching Sunda in River North. Looking back, times have changed since Dec opened the downtown Asian staple, as appetites shift towards the adventurous and the curious, inevitably welcoming Filipino food into the culinary spotlight as one of the final frontiers of "trendy" Asian cuisines.
When Rockit Ranch opened Sunda, the initial menu layout was comprised of 1/3 Japanese food, 1/3 Chinese, and 1/3 Southeast Asian. Filipino food hadn’t taken off at that point, so there was only a smattering of Filipino influence to be found. “We didn’t want to go too big too soon,” he explains. But while many Filipino dishes were oddities to some diners, these items were comfort food for Dec. Lumpia, pork shank in gravy, adobo-braised pork, halo-halo. “Traditionally, this is not food that’s very visually appealing,” says Dec, providing intel into perhaps why Filipino food hasn’t caught on as quickly as, say, Japanese food. But thanks to a dexterous team of culinary artisans, headed up by executive chef Jess DeGuzman and sous chef Mike Morales, both of whom are also Filipino-American, Sunda has rapidly debunked the stereotype, pioneering a new era of Filipino fare.
The crux of the Filipino food at Sunda is modernized interpretations of classics, such as pork shank with foie gras gravy; the “Sunda sundae” riff on halo-halo with avocado ice cream, sweet beans, coconut, cheddar ice cream, and other yummies; and whole roasted stuffed pig brimming with Hawaiian bread, Filipino sausage, and foie gravy. Considering the Philippines status as a sort of culinary melting pot, there are also dishes such as egg noodles with bok choy, pork belly, and shrimp, a dish rife with Cantonese influence. There are also off-menu items that truly endear themselves to Filipino expats, such as sisig, a dish Dec’s uncles used to make with pig’s head and liver. “All ethnicities are becoming more and more aware of Filipino food,” explains Dec. How so? Mostly by word of mouth, as diners taste dishes at Sunda, tell their friends, and return again and again for the refined Filipino stylings, a niche unexplored elsewhere in Chicago. Compounded with the “foodie movement,” wherein diners gawk at food television and follow exploratory recommendations with less trepidation, it’s no wonder Filipino food is on the rise at Sunda and around the country.
Another venerable asset Dec brings to the table is his new role as a member of the President’s Advisory Commission on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. The title was a long time coming for Dec, who first found out about the board while visiting the White House 12 years ago while the President of the Philippines was visiting. As an impassioned volunteer in the Filipino community, Dec expressed interest in the board as a way to further his philanthropic efforts. Years later, he received a call to meet at the White House, where he signed on to help be the eyes and ears of the Asian community. So far, this has entailed a research trip to South Korea and a volunteer trip to the Philippines.
Sunda
110 W. Illinois Street, Chicago
(312) 644-0500
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