What is Southern Tagalog cuisine?

It is because of chefs like Llera and Baldosano that Southern Tagalog cuisine is having a moment wherein its best characteristics are appreciated and properly showcased. “The region is known for its abundance of coconuts, speciality fruits and vegetables that are coming from the mountains. And since it is also a coastal region, we have a wide variety of seafood specialities,” Llera says. Melchor points out that it is a cuisine that has evolved naturally with its environment. “Southern Tagalog cuisine is incredibly diverse and ric,h it reflects the geography and lifestyle of the region, from the coastal areas of Batangas and Quezon to the inland farms of Laguna and Cavite. What makes it distinct is its deep reliance on local ingredients like coconut, vinegar, and freshwater produce, as well as the use of traditional preservation methods like smoking, fermentation, and sun-drying. The food is hearty but thoughtful, simple but layered in flavour,” he explains. 

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Baldosano, who does not have roots in Southern Tagalog, was nonetheless intrigued by the complexity of its cuisine. “What drove me to dig deeper into Southern Tagalog cuisine was a trip that I had in Tiaong, Quezon. Here, I was introduced to how rich their food culture was, from ageing kakanin, which they would store for months before cooking, to gathering wild leaves to be turned into a rich ginataan condiment, to even fermenting vegetables using rice water or “am”. Seeing how food here is so different gave me the idea that there is something here that we need to learn more about and share with our diners. This led me to travel the region more and see more of the provinces.”

This immersion has truly inspired the progressive Filipino menu of his restaurant Linamnam, his tasting dishes peppered with these lesser-known regional recipes. “Southern Tagalog cuisine is actually highlighted in the two menus that we offer in Linamnam. We focus one to two courses on my travels in Quezon Province on the classic tasting menu that we do. And on our new menu “Multi-Cultural Influences in the Philippines,” we highlight the deep influences of Vietnamese cuisine in the islands of Palawan,” he says. 

For heritage conservationists like Melchor, edging Southern Tagalog cuisine into the limelight (something he did when he showcased the cuisine of Quezon Province in one of his events during Filipino Food Month) is an important part of preserving our culinary heritage. He is currently working on a few projects that document and celebrate Southern Tagalog food such as field work, events, and strengthening his partnerships with local food advocates in Calabarzon and Mimaropa. “What I love most about the cuisine is how rooted it is in place, whether it’s the use of coconut in Quezon or the freshwater dishes of Laguna. It’s a cuisine that respects seasonality and makes the most of what’s available. I think others will come to appreciate its depth and sincerity the way it connects food with memory, landscape, and everyday life,” he stresses. 

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Along with Baldonsano and Llera, Melchor also has his favourite dishes from the region and wishes more people will try them and learn to love them. “I would say kulawo— a dish made with smoked banana heart or eggplant and fresh coconut cream. It’s not something you’d typically find in restaurants, but it’s incredibly flavorful and rooted in tradition. What makes it special is the technique: the coconut cream is usually pressed by hand from freshly grated coconut, and the smoky flavour comes from direct fire cooking. It’s a dish that speaks to the resourcefulness and creativity of the region’s cooks,” he explains. Baldosano professes his love for sarsa— not “sauce” in the common dialect, buta delicate dish from Romblon composed of coconut meat and shrimp simmered in coconut milk inside a banana leaf. As for Llera, he champions some of the ugly/delicious dishes from his home province as well as a Bicolano classic. “I think that laing, sinaing na tulingan sa kamias, and sinantolan are underrated,” he claims.

With Filipino food gaining traction in a global scale, now is the perfect opportunity to showcase more of our regional dishes with the help of learned experts with a true understanding of the cuisine, and of course chefs who have the respect and trust of their diners. There is so much more to Southern Tagalog cuisine that are served in tourist spots, and luckily for us the food that the elders of the region grew up cooking and eating are being preserved by some of our most prolific culinary minds. Soon, dishes like Llera’s beloved braised and soured skipjack tuna or Mauban, Quezon’s colonial-era comfort food tortilyang Macau will just be as beloved as sisig and lumpia. It is only a matter of time. 

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