Selina Ocampo, the chef and owner behind food kit service Mise, shares her favourite restaurants throughout Metro Manila
Short for mise en place, Selina Ocampo’s pandemic-born business Mise captured the attention of foodies with its brilliant food kits for delicious dishes done and dusted in under 45 minutes. Though they started off with contemporary tarts and pies, spanning savoury treats like the smoked salmon galette and decadent desserts like the banana tart on an oatmeal pie crust, Ocampo soon expanded their offerings to include sesame peanut soba noodles, roast chicken, and many more—an early sign of the brand’s palpable success, and certainly an encouraging one for the young entrepreneur.
Although she is currently based in Madrid and has been for nearly one year, Ocampo looks forward to coming back home later this August. “My goal is to continue growing and sharpening my voice and perspective within the food industry,” she shares. Get to know the go-getter and read all about the dishes in Metro Manila she considers to be a must-try, below:
See also: MISE by Selina Ocampo Elevates The Home-Cooking Experience
What do you miss most on the food/drink front when you are away from the Philippines or haven’t been back for a while?
I am extremely grateful that Spain has a strong rice culture. However, nothing beats white rice as a base for multiple pairings. There is something about white rice as being a blank canvas and vessel for just about anything.
What is the first dish you want to eat when you return, and where do you go for it?
I picture myself at the most beautiful beach. It’s lunch and a table is set with large green banana leaves and the most perfectly assembled boodle in the centre.
My boodle contains an abundance of grilled fish and seafood. Preferably prawns, female crabs (with lots of fat), squid stuffed with onions and tomatoes, and a serving of salmon sinigang. (Yes, this is controversial, because who eats soup at a beach? Apparently, me.)
Of course, this is topped on a bed of rice and paired with fresh pako salad, pork belly ihaw and an assortment of pickled items, sawsawan, and an ice-cold fresh buko to wash it all down.
See also: Bacolod Travelogue: Everything You Have to Eat (and Where to Get It)