For many, their experience of sutukil is oftentimes during beach trips or seaside jaunts in Visayas, particularly Cebu. Its popularity stems from the experience of choosing fresh seafood that is cooked using three different methods—sugba (grill over charcoal), tuwa (a light broth, soup, or stew), and kilaw (bathed in vinegar, citrus, and aromatics).
Stripped down to the basics, it’s simple but effective; supporting consumer preference for delicious seafood options whose flavor variety is maximized with multiple cooking methods.
It’s this kind of cultural experience that Josh Boutwood and Miko Calo aim to recreate at their two-night culinary collaboration, Nose to Tail, Gills to Fin on April 7 at 6 p.m. and April 8 at 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. at Ember by Josh Boutwood.
The sutukil-inspired initiative sees the two celebrate Filipino coasts through nose-to-tail cooking, a practical, sustainable, zero-waste, and respectful culinary philosophy that’s been deeply ingrained in Filipino cuisine. Says Sandee Masigan of XO 46 Heritage Bistro in a previous interview with F&B Report: “When our ancestors killed an animal for food, they did not waste anything. Anything and everything that the animal could give: innards, sweetbreads, hocks, hooves, chicken feet—you name it, we ate it.”
The sutukil-inspired seafood initiative sees the two celebrate Filipino coasts through nose-to-tail cooking, a practical, sustainable, zero-waste, and respectful culinary philosophy that’s been deeply ingrained in Filipino cuisine
“If you think about it, our cuisine really is nose-to-tail,” echoes chef Robby Goco. “The kare-kare, menudo, crispy pata, sisig, and dinuguan, along with other things like the tuna panga and buntot, the sperm sac of fish. For us, it is a working man’s food.”
For Boutwood and Calo, throwing themselves into the underbelly of creative nose to tail and gills to fin cooking isn’t just a celebration of each product’s purity, it’s also an exercise of seeing them slip into new spaces to ultimately deliver a definitive dinner that caters to customers who want to experience sutukil-inspired courses drawn from each others’ influences.
“I have had the deepest admiration for the way Miko approaches Filipino cuisine with the elegance of French technique,” says Boutwood, chef and owner of Michelin Selected Ember and two Michelin star restaurant Helm. “I feel our shared respect for ingredients would pair extremely well.”
For Calo, creative culinary director of Taqueria Franco, respect and curiosity are reciprocated, too. “I grew up around wood-fire cooking, so I’m curious to see how Josh approaches it from his perspective,” she says.
Navigating the challenge of working with seafood and sutukil methods while drawing culinary cues from each other, expect Boutwood and Calo to capture the atmosphere of a unique cooking culture with vivid precision
“It’s always interesting to see how different cooks work with fire. I’m looking forward to learning from each other and trading ideas as we go through this collaboration.”
Navigating the challenge of working with local ingredients and sutukil methods while drawing culinary cues from each other, expect Boutwood and Calo to capture the atmosphere of a unique cooking culture with vivid precision.
Nose to Tail, Gills to Fin will be held at Ember by Josh Boutwood on April 7 at 6 p.m. and April 8 at 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. For inquiries and reservations, please call Ember at Josh Boutwood at 0916-420-1600
