Amy Besa, renowned Filipino food advocate, author and restaurateur behind the acclaimed Cendrillon and Purple Yam restaurants, takes center stage on Aug. 30, Saturday, 9 a.m.-1 p.m., at The Maya Kitchen.

Besa will demonstrate Kulawong Talong (burnt coconut cream over grilled eggplant); Kinagang (buko, crab meat, sliced scallions and lemongrass wrapped in banana leaf and steamed); Ukoy (deep-fried fritter of shrimp, cabbage, carrots, snow peas, leeks and bean sprouts); Beef Shortribs Adobo (beef short ribs braised in mango vinegar from Abra with fresh coconut cream); Steamed Organic Red Rice from Oriental Mindoro and Pinipig Cookie (the Philippine version of rice crispies).

Besa and her husband chef Romy Dorotan have been mainstays of New York’s culinary scene with their famous Manhattan restaurant Cendrillon and later on Purple Yam in Brooklyn. They are also the authors of the book “Memories of Philippine Kitchens,” which won the International Association of Culinary Professionals 2007 Jane Grigson Award for scholarship in the quality of its research and writing.

For more information, call tel. nos. 8921185, 8925011 loc. 108. Visit www.themayakitchen.com. E-mail [email protected].