Independence Day at Adobolympics 2011

We tasted some of the best adobo in the metro in Legazpi Sunday Market's Adobolympics 2011.

"Think your adobo is the best in town? Then prove it!" This was the challenge posted on the Facebook wall of the Legazpi Sunday Market last April when they called for entries to the first ever Adobolympics. A dozen teams composed of students, professionals, and vendors took the challenge and battled it out for adobo supremacy on the morning of June 12.

For three hours the teams shopped, prepped and cooked under the heat of the sun. Each made two adobos:  a specialty dish using their choice of meat and cooking technique; and an adobo made from lamb provided by the organizers on the day itself. Side dishes to complement the dishes were also requested using ingredients purchased at the Legaspi Sunday Market.

Their adobos were appraised by an illustrious panel of judges that included ISCAHM's Assistant Director for Culinary Arts Chef Gerd Menge, the Adobo Queen herself Nancy Reyes Lumen, and former Malacañang Executive Chef Babes Austria. Winners were chosen using palatability, creativity, presentation, and cleanliness as criteria. Only three teams out of 12 will win.

First announced was the People's Choice Award, a posthumous tribute to cooking icon Cely Kalaw who is the "inventor" of Bicol Express, a restaurateur, and one of the market's beloved vendors. It was quite apt that this award went to Team Adobo X headed by Lord Ancheta of Kalinka, a Legazpi Sunday Market vendor who specializes in homemade Russian dishes. Their winning entry: Adobo a la Malacañang, a European take on lamb adobo topped with foie gras and served with a creamy mushroom risotto on the side.

A team of students from De La Salle-CSB, Team Tierra Adorada, headed by Isaiah Ortega won the Adobolympics Torch Runner-up award. Their winning dishes were beautifully plated, very Asian-inspired yet were still recognizably adobo--a Lemon Balm Lamb Adobo and a Blue Ginger Pork Adobo.

Team Maria Clara, a family team headed by personal chef Ivan Maminta, earned the distinction as Adobolympics Torch Champions for their creative interpretation of adobo. Their winning entries: a chicken-pork adobo served with suman that was wrapped in a rice paper roll called Maria Clara; and a lamb adobo that lay on a bed of suman and mangoes they called Maria Clara Exposed. They won P 20,000 in cash plus items from Chef's Garb.

Check the gallery below to see the other entries, winners, and goings-on at the Legaspi Sunday Market's Adobolympics 2011!

Photos by Minnette Gamez-Aquino

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