Young Chef Kyle Imao will demonstrate the versatility of Filipino Ingredients to a global audience at the 10th International Food Exhibition (IFEX) Philippines at the SMX Convention Center on May 21-24.CITEM

MANILA, Philippines — By 12 years of age, most children are usually concerned about things like video games, Facebook likes and the onset of puberty.

But not Kyle Imao, who at that age bested 19 other young contestants in a franchised TV cooking show for kids. After impressing the chef-judges and the rest of the viewing public, he promptly set his sights on honing his craft even further.

So where is he now, three years later?

Furthering his craft

Despite his impressive stint on national TV, Kyle focused on his schooling — he’s set to start his senior year at the Our Lady of Perpetual Succor College in Marikina this year.

But that’s not to say that he abandoned his culinary inclinations. Following his victory, he promptly set up Kyle’s Lab, his café in BGC. The small science-themed café sits at the second floor of the Mind Museum, and serves quirky meals and snacks to museum visitors. Kyle’s Lab was open for two years, from 2013 to 2015. Since Kyle is turning 16 already, he is looking at starting a new concept restaurant or café. Perhaps one that caters to adults and children.

His passion for food doesn’t stop there. As part of his desire to introduce more people into the culinary arts, he holds regular workshops at the Maya Kitchen, where he teaches kids to cook various international cuisines — Asian, Italian, and American, to name a few.

Asked about his plans for college, Kyle ponders the possibility of pursuing a business degree in order to supplement his culinary talents

Returning to his roots

Kyle attributes much of his kitchen prowess to his father, who taught him how to cook at the tender age of 7. The passion for food runs in the family, especially given their Kapampangan roots.

“At home, my dad would cook a lot, mostly Filipino and Asian. That really influenced my preference for giving dishes an Asian twist. I just love the versatility of the ingredients, especially the herbs and spices,” explains the young chef.

Basic Filipino breakfast items were among Kyle’s first favorites, which he would cook for his parents during weekends. He honed his craft under the guidance of his father, until fate had him joining the cooking contest then new competition for young kitchen prodigies. The rest, as they say, is history.

At a young age, Kyle Imao targets to bring Filipino food into the global scene.

Championing the Filipino Identity

Even today at just 15 years old, Kyle is already taking on tasks that are challenging even for those who are twice or thrice his age.

He reveals that his latest goal is to bring Filipino food into the global scene. This dream, he says, is going to be realized as he flexes his kitchen chops at the 10th International Food Exhibition (IFEX) at the SMX Convention Center on May 21-24. He’ll be doing a cooking demo with Filipino Ingredients, showcasing their versatility in front of an international audience.

Says Kyle: “I’ll do fusion cuisine because I really want to showcase Filipino ingredients in a way that the rest of the world can relate to, so that they’ll know that Filipino food is really good,” Kyle gleefully explains. “I want to show that Filipino cuisine is very complex, that there’s a lot of depth in it.”