Drew Barrymore praises arroz caldo made by Filipino chef Pilar Valdes: 'It has so much flavor'
Filipina chef Pilar Valdes has put the spotlight on Philippine cuisine after she made Drew Barrymore try arroz caldo.
The dish became the center of attention in a recent episode of The Drew Barrymore Show after Valdes shared with the Hollywood actress her recipe for the rice porridge, which she regards as something "very meaningful" to her.
"It's near and dear to my heart," Pilar said. "This is all about home and story and when they busted out, like, a birth, any celebration, any sort of gathering, they do this because with just a cup of rice, when it's done, it feeds like a battalion of people and that's how we Filipinos roll."
Barrymore couldn't help but admire the creamy texture of the dish while stirring the pot, "Oh my god, look at that broth."
"This is just like hug-in-a-bowl territory. It's really, really beautiful, that smell is so incredible," Pilar said.
"My mom makes this for me when I'm sick, and I don't live at home anymore, I've been gone for 24 years so now my husband Gabe makes this for me when I'm sick. She taught him how to make it," she continued.
The celebrity chef then showed the audience some of the ingredients that she uses to make arroz caldo, which include scallions, a bit of fish sauce, fried garlic, citrus lime, lemon, and a jammy egg.
"This is dynamite. This is so beautiful," Drew gushed. "It has so much flavor. You have to taste it to believe it, it looks so beautiful, but wait until it's in your mouth, you're gonna freak out."
Sharing the clip on her Instagram account, Pilar highlighted how "thrilled" she is to share recipes from the Philippines.
"A few quick tips: coat your rice in the rendered fat before adding the broth, season it once at the beginning and don't forget the toppings!" she advised.
Pilar is a New York-based chef and the co-founder of Kickshaw Cookery, a private chef and catering company. Her skills in cooking eventually captivated Drew, who has since hired her to not only become a senior culinary contributor for her talk show but also her personal chef.
The television host now sees Pilar as one of her dearest friends, as she shared in a 2021 episode of her program.
"Pilar and I almost literally spend every day together, and we love food, we love laughter, and we love traveling the globe," Drew said.
Pilar meanwhile said, "My relationship with Drew is really very, very loving, and we communicate in a very odd way. All our love notes to each other are doggy-eared recipes and photos of food on Instagram."
