Claudine Barretto

The multi-awarded TV and movie actress is also a sought-after endorser.

The multi-awarded TV and movie actress is also a sought-after endorser. In her private life, she’s a loving wife and mother, and yes, a very practical cook.

                                        
       
How did you get started with cooking?
My parents really enjoyed cooking, plus my ninang, Glenda Barretto, owns Via Mare so I grew up in an environment na mahilig talagang magluto at kumain. We all grew up in the kitchen and we were allowed to cook. We had designated roles that depended on our ages. And since there are seven of us in the family, it was nothing but chaos!

And what do you typically cook?
Raymart and I like cooking for our friends and we always throw theme parties and dinners at home. We once had a steak night, a surf and turf night, and a Kapampangan night. But on a daily basis, I prepare adobo, tinola, bulalo, mechado, and monggo. We also bake and sometimes experiment.

Who do you turn to for cooking inspiration among the TV chefs?
I love watching Nigella Lawson and Rachael Ray because I like 30-minute meals. I don’t like cooking that takes long, like making kare-kare. I like to cook three dishes in an hour. I move fast. I’m a multitasker—for example, when I do tapa, I make salpicao na rin.

(Related: Under 30 minutes recipes)

Can you give us an idea of the kind of cook that you are?
I like to go into the kitchen na nandiyan na lahat ng kailangan ko. In our ref, we always have beef and chicken stock, and then iniinit na lang kapag kailangan. And may naka-ready na na chopped garlic in olive oil. Yung onions gusto ko ako mag-chop. But apart from that, I like all the ingredients to be prepared already.

Any tips for wannabe cooks?
Anybody can cook! There are so many ways to learn. You can study, you can learn from recipes, and you can even just ask cooking friends. If you know how to eat, I believe you know how to cook.


Photography by David Hanson | Makeup by Chechel Joson | Hair by Imelda Nogara | Interview & Styling by Angelo Comsti


This article was published in the March 2009 issue of Yummy magazine.

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