He has been hailed as one of the biggest names in the culinary world. Why, you ask? Well, that’s one of the many things you’ll learn about Chef Him in this blog. Keep reading to learn more about this fantastic chef who is part of The Bailiwick Academy!

Who is Chef Him Uy De Baron?

Did you know that Chef Him Uy De Baron has been a chef for over TWENTY YEARS? He started in 2001 and hasn’t slowed down at all. That makes it hard for me to list his many accomplishments, but let’s put some of the more notable ones.

• Chef Him graduated with a Le Cordon Bleu Diplome de Cuisine from Le Cordon Bleu Sydney Culinary Arts Institute.
• He was an executive chef of a catering company called Chef Cuisine.
• Because of his kitchen prowess, he has gone into consulting for companies such as Rustan’s and ABS-CBN.
• He has had multiple restaurants, all with different cuisines, such as Nomama (Japanese), I Am Kim (Korean), Ping-Pong Diplomacy (Chinese/American), and Cocina Peruvia (Peruvian).
• Speaking of ABS-CBN, Chef Him and his team were in charge of the multimedia conglomerate’s food and beverage division.
• Chef Him has been featured countless times in different major media publications such as Philippine Star and Esquire.

Aside from those, he is seen as influential in and out of the industry. For example, he was tapped back in 2014 by a friend to support people in Tacloban after Typhoon Haiyan.

Chef Him also collaborated with Family Mart back in 2015 to make healthy, low-calorie, and vitamin-packed dishes; with Slappy Cakes back in 2016 where he created DIY skillets where diners can choose their meat, sauce and carbs of choice; and recently with Beyond Meat, an L.A.-based brand that makes plant-based meat alternatives for those seeking such options.

See how accomplished he is?

Chef Him: Thankful For Food

Chef Him admits that he wouldn’t be where he is now if it wasn’t for food. You see, years ago, he didn’t know what to do with his life. That was until he encountered food, at least. In fact, he now associates food with plenty of milestones in his life.

For example, according to this Filipino food blog, Chef Him’s love for cooking delicious food was influenced by his mom. He grew up with his mom manning the kitchen, especially for special occasions. He credits those memories as having influenced his own cooking.

And as a chef, you can bet that he has plenty more unforgettable memories, and that’s all because of food.

What is his cooking style?

As mentioned earlier, Chef Him can make delicious dishes, whether Filipino, Thai, Japanese, Korean, Peruvian, or even street-style hawker fare. You can describe Chef Him as a cooking chameleon. 

And it’s not just that he’s great with different cuisines. Chef Him is also known for creating vibrant flavors and his meticulous attention to detail just to make sumptuous meals. And if you’re wondering about how he developed his unique cooking style, he credits it to his curiosity back when he was still a child.

Every time he ate something, he would always wonder about the ingredients in the food. He would then attempt to replicate it when cooking. And, of course, the more he tasted as he grew older, the more his palate became sensitive–and the more attempts he made to put delicious tastes together.

That’s why even if he has learned to make different cuisines, Chef Him is not necessarily striving for authenticity. For Him, what’s more important is to borrow and combine different techniques and flavors of different cuisines that work well. For example, he has already tried developing a ramen recipe that wasn’t traditional at all: think of it as getting the best of Southeast Asian flavors and textures and mixing it in with Japanese fundamentals.

His various restaurants are also examples of this philosophy that he has.

Chef Him During The Pandemic: Heartbroken

Despite all the successes Chef Him had, one major setback he experienced was back in 2020. He had been contacted by ABS-CBN, and Chef Him had been gearing for big things to start the year. Sadly, the COVID-19 pandemic hit, which also meant a long lockdown in the country. 

That meant all that they were planning had to be stopped. And pretty soon, he and his team lost their job running the food scene in ABS-CBN.

How Him Bounced Back

Chef Him is a lot of things, but he is not one to sit on laurels and mope. One of the things he believes in is to always adapt to the times. And he realized that people were getting tired of always cooking the same thing or ordering out during the pandemic.

So Chef Him thought to teach his recipes to people looking for more enjoyment out of their food. And The Bailiwick Academy became one of his avenues to teach people how to make flavorful dishes! 

How is Chef Him Uy De Baron as a teacher?

Joining TBA isn’t exactly Chef Him’s first foray into teaching. After returning from Australia in 2001, he started teaching at a culinary school and appeared in other schools. He calls himself an accidental teacher, but in this field, he finds fulfillment by nurturing students and sharing what he knows. Chef Him actually feels mightily rewarded when he sees his students using what he has taught. 

Now, one impression of Chef Him the first time you see him is that he’s a very strict taskmaster.

But you’d be surprised how much fun he is to be with–check out this behind-the-scenes video during a recent shoot of one of his lessons.

One thing you can be sure about Chef Him is that if there’s anything he’s serious about, it’s developing the skills of his students–and making sure that he has recipes that will really tickle your taste buds. He’s a really hands-on instructor, too!

And based on some testimonies from his students at TBA, he’s been very successful. Check out what Adam had to say:

Maria agrees:

And so does Marilyn!

In other words, those who go under Chef Him’s tutelage can be sure that they will really level up their cooking skills. 

What’s next for Chef Him Uy De Baron?

Chef Him always believes in new opportunities in the food and beverage industry. That’s why he’s always looking for new ways to spread his culinary skill. Chef Him is a risk-taker too. 

As he said in an interview with Esquire: 

“If I think of putting everything in a business perspective, I might not have opened the restaurants I have opened. For me, if I feel that it is a really great idea, I go, ‘screw it, lets do it!’ “

You never know, you might hear of him opening a new restaurant soon!

Oh, and of course, new Chef Him classes are already lined up at The Bailiwick Academy! Just wait for us to release them. In the meantime, check out his classes that are already available:

Celebration Trays – great for leveling up your party fare.

Taste of Thai – experience one of the most popular cuisines in the world from the comfort of your home.

Flavors of India – taste a whole new palette of flavors and textures and demystify Indian cooking.

Dampa Seafood Feast – enjoy delicious seafood bursting with flavors that is Chef Him’s signature touch!

Hawker-Style Specials – have a different kind of street food experience with Singapore’s flavors.

Make sure to sign up at The Bailiwick Academy to access Chef Him’s delicious recipes today!

Final Thoughts

I’m going to leave you with what Chef Him thinks is important to truly become a great chef. The first is skill. You can’t become a great chef overnight–you really have to practice constantly and have the determination to have skill.

The second is to develop your taste. You can go to school to become a great chef, but taste is not something you can learn. It’s personal, something accumulated through the years.

And as a person becomes more experienced in cooking, they have to go from simply enjoying the taste of food to actually understanding how it was created. By honing their technique and experimenting with ingredients, a chef can develop a unique and personal style that sets them apart in the culinary world.

Such powerful and inspiring thoughts, agree?

Make sure to enroll in Chef Him Uy De Baron’s classes to get more nuggets of wisdom like these!

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Keep coming back to The Bailiwick Academy blog for more kitchen tips, tricks, and much more!

The post Chef Him Uy De Baron: The Bailiwick Academy Spotlight appeared first on Online Baking and Cooking Classes - The Bailiwick Academy.

Check out the Indian cuisine menu list we compiled, and see if it’s going to pique you enough to actually Google “Indian cuisine near my location”. And we’ll also take a quick look at what makes Indian cuisine stand out, as well as answer any questions you may have about it.

Let’s get to it, shall we?

Wait… Will I like Indian food and basically, all of the Indian cuisine menu contents?

Well, if you like strong flavors, eye-popping colors, and most of all, spices, then you’d definitely appreciate it! Even non-Asians love it, like this guy:

Give it a try. You never know, after eating in an Indian restaurant, you might find yourself wondering, “Why is Indian food the best?”

Isn’t Indian food just curry?

Well, no. According to The Atlantic, there’s no such word in the Indian language. 

So why is Indian food called curry? It’s basically a translation error. Fun, huh?

What does Indian cuisine consist of?

Okay, so since we’re in the Philippines, you might be asking this question immediately: “Do Indian dishes come with rice?”

And the quick answer here is yes, Indian cuisine has plenty of rice dishes. 

But for a more detailed answer, the staple foods of Indian cuisine include (aside from rice), pearl millet, whole-wheat flour, and lentils. Meat, while eaten in India, is not as common. A common Indian food menu is vegetarian-friendly.

Indian food is either gravy or dry dishes and is generally eaten with rice or bread.

And while you may know that the usual Indian cuisine description is “spicy”, that’s not actually the case. They are full of spices though, and that’s different from spicy. Those spices are what add a whole lot of depth and flavors, which is the answer to the question “Why is Indian food so flavorful?”

Does Indian cuisine use beef?

There’s a misconception about Indian food: they don’t have beef dishes. That’s because most people believe that Indians have religious reasons to not do so. For example, in Hinduism, cows are sacred, which is why they’re not eaten. 

Plus, there are regions in India where the consumption of beef is considered illegal. 

However, some Indians are Muslims, who don’t eat pork but will eat beef, for example.

In short, while it’s rare, you CAN find beef and pork dishes on an Indian cuisine restaurant menu.

Of course, the most commonly used meats in any Indian food menu are chicken, fish, and mutton. So again, if you’re looking for something different (especially the mutton part), give Indian food a try!

Okay, so what Indian food should I order?

We’re glad you asked! Now, you might find the typical Indian restaurant menu intimidating with very unfamiliar names, but that’s why we’re here. We’ll try not to overwhelm you with too many options – instead, we’ll just give seven, in no particular order.

Oh, do take note that not all restaurants may carry the same items, since food in India varies by region.

Okay, on to the list!

Samosas – an entry into an Indian snacks menu list

Samosas are appetizers in a typical Indian restaurant. They’re fried, shaped like triangles, and stuffed with mashed vegetables. They’re also typically served with sauces like mint and tamarind. 

Bite into one and you’ll immediately taste some light, delicious spices!

Palak paneer

Palak paneer is a smooth, rich, and creamy curry dish that consists of spinach, onions, spices, and pieces of paneer, a type of Indian cottage cheese.

Indian restaurants usually serves palak paneer with rice, bread, or even both. It’s packed with flavor and slight spiciness. You won’t be able to resist dipping your bread or mixing your rice with it!

Naan

Naan is one of the many breads in Indian cuisine. It may look like pita bread (which you encountered in our article about Middle Eastern foods), but it’s far softer and much fluffier. It has more eggs and yogurt in the dough. 

You can eat it on its own, or use it to scoop up sauces. Some restaurants even offer naan with condensed milk for a yummy snack or dessert!

Chicken tikka masala – An Indian cuisine menu staple

The chicken tikka masala is arguably one of the most popular items in an Indian food menu. It features a tender and spice-marinated roasted chicken with a spicy curry and tomato sauce. Try it for a very intense flavor!

A variation of this is the butter chicken tikka masala. Instead of using a tomato paste, it uses a type of curry made with chicken, spiced tomato, and butter sauce. You’ll enjoy its rich texture! 

It’s also less spicy and creamier than the tikka masala.

Biryani – an example of Indian food without curry

Biryani is a rice and meat dish that includes aromatic spices and can be made with chicken, mutton, vegetables, and even shrimp or other seafood. In short, it has plenty of varieties. 

The general preparation is the marination of the meat in spices and yogurt then combining the meat with a delicious-smelling rice. Think of it as a rice bowl, Indian version.

In other words, YUM!

Roghan Josh

If you want to try out lamb, you can’t go wrong with this dish! It’s composed of braised lamb chunks cooked with gravy made from browned onions, yogurt, garlic, ginger, and great-smelling spices. 

And yes, in case you’re wondering, this is a super spicy dish. If you want to try it out but don’t appreciate spice so much, try eating it with rice or naan to somewhat deflect the spiciness in your mouth.

But it’s definitely mouth-watering and a must-try, worth the spiciness you will face.

Masala Chai

Masala Chai means “spiced tea”. It’s usually made of a mixture of spices and herbs including cinnamon sticks, cloves, ginger, cardamom, black pepper, and black tea leaves. You can also combine it with hot milk for added flavor.

People actually consume this drink not just in India, but also around the world. That only means you should try it, don’t you think? 

Are Indian cuisine favorites healthy for me?

So here’s something you have to consider, especially if you’re being health conscious: Are Indian foods healthy?

Like we say many times (like in our article about the Keto diet), we’re not doctors or nutritionists. But according to a health coach, eating traditional Indian food gives you a lot of health benefits like boosted immunity and protection against inflammation.

Ask your nutritionist or doctor for more details. Just keep this as a rule of thumb: moderation is key!

Okay, I want to try Indian cuisine! Where is Indian food near me?

Well, you don’t have to worry about finding Indian food in the Philippines. There are a lot of Indians in the Philippines, so you can be sure that there will be restaurants catering to the food they like.

Of course, if you’re impatient to eat Indian food, you don’t live near an Indian restaurant, and you’d rather make it by yourself, then you’ll like our latest class.

Introducing: Flavors Of India by Chef Him Uy de Baron!

Discover the rich and flavorful Indian cuisine through our latest class. You’ll learn how to cook Indian cuisine in the same way Indian restaurants prepare food! 

And think of this class as Indian cuisine for beginners – it’s easy to follow, even if it will be your first time cooking Indian food. Chef Him will take you on a culinary adventure that demystifies the seemingly complex process of Indian cooking.

Here’s a teaser of him discussing the class more, especially about what makes Indian food so different.

Are you excited to start? So are we!

When you enroll in this class, you’ll learn to make the following:

• Dum Shrimp Biryani 
• Butter Tikka Masala and Naan 
• Palak Paneer 

That’s four remarkable and easy-to-make Indian cuisine favorites – and all guaranteed delicious ones! If you noticed, four of them are on our list of must-tries.

So what are you waiting for? Open your taste buds to a whole new palette of flavors and textures. Learn how to make these four Indian cuisine menu items – sign up at The Bailiwick Academy today and get it at a discounted rate (lasts only up to 8PM today, August 20, 2022, Philippine time!)

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Keep coming back to The Bailiwick Academy blog for more kitchen tips, tricks, and much more!

The post Indian Cuisine Menu Items You Should Try! appeared first on Online Baking and Cooking Classes - The Bailiwick Academy.