Elevating Filipino Cuisine & Mental Health in Kitchens | Chef Fhred | OKIRU Rise Together Ep #62

Elevating Filipino Cuisine & Mental Health in Kitchens | Chef Fred Batalona | OKIRU Rise Together Podcast

In this episode, Chef Fred Batalona joins the podcast to share his inspiring journey of elevating Filipino cuisine in Melbourne through his two culinary ventures, Barangay and Palay. Fred opens up about battling impostor syndrome, the challenges of running pop-up dining experiences, and his innovative approach to fusing traditional Filipino flavors with modern fine dining.

Beyond food, Fred is on a mission to promote mental health awareness in the Filipino chef community through his Kalma initiative. He talks about collaborating with renowned chefs, the importance of mental well-being in high-pressure kitchen environments, and his vision for increasing the visibility of Filipino culture on a global stage.

Chapters:
0:00 Exploring Filipino Cuisine and Mental Health with Chef Fred
5:28 Elevating Filipino Cuisine Through Modern Presentations and Collaborations
8:55 Launching A Filipino-Themed Event Amidst COVID Challenges
13:38 Immersive Filipino Cultural Events Featuring Cuisine, Fashion, and Music
16:28 Taking a Leap of Faith to Showcase Filipino Culture
23:42 Exploring Filipino Cuisine and Cultural Representation Through Food
33:00 Elevating Filipino Cuisine in Melbourne Against All Odds
36:41 The Evolution and Elevation of Filipino Cuisine in Melbourne
42:30 Collaborating with Celebrity Chefs and Modern Filipino Cuisine
46:12 Mental Health Challenges in the Hospitality Industry
53:38 Navigating the Challenges of Running a Filipino Pop-Up Restaurant
1:01:34 Chef Fred's Journey from Pastry to Creative Ventures

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Hosted by Liem Nguyen and produced by Jasper Menor, co-founders of OKIRU and passionate advocate for cultural representation, the OKIRU Rise Together Podcast shares stories of resilience, creativity, and cultural pride.


👉 Stay tuned for our next episode, where we’ll dive deeper into the concept of "between two worlds"!

#FilipinoCuisine #MentalHealthAwareness #OKIRUPodcast #MelbourneFoodScene #ChefLife #FilipinoCulture #culture #melbourne #betweentwoworlds