Contestant Sheldon Simeon, a Filipino-American, and his team impressed judges through their dishes in the episode where two groups had to create their own restaurants and kitchens from scratch.
An Asian Journal article on the episode noted that Simeon named his team's restaurant "URBANo," named for his grandfather. The dishes he and his team prepared wowed the judges.
According to the article, Simeon and his team prepared four Filipino dishes:
-- Kilawin: a Filipino version of a raw fish dish with yellowtail, cilantro, citrus vinaigrette, spicy chilies, and white soy.
-- Miki: prawns, tapioca noodle with achiote.
-- Balut: modernized as a soft poached egg, topped with a tamarind braised duck leg and a foie gras mousse. The article noted that the dish was described as "not a duck egg but a duck inside an egg.”
-- Adobo: Pork belly served on top of a mung bean puree, topped with a pea-shoot salad.
-- Halo-Halo
Judge Tom Colicchio told Simeon "the concept was a good concept. You don’t see much new Filipino cuisine out there probably because we’re waiting for a chef like you to do that."
In his blog, Colicchio added: “His concept was terrific -- I think he’s really on to something. He put together a great restaurant, and every dish was a very good, strong dish. The flavors in each dish were harmonious, and the meal worked beautifully and harmoniously as a whole as well."
Meanwhile, Simeon, on Facebook, said: “I am blown away by the tremendous outpouring of kind words in the last couple days. It is an honor to represent my Filipino heritage and an amazing man, my grandpa Urbano."
According to the Asian Journal, Simeon's mother is from Ilocos Sur and his grandfather, Urbano, is from Laoag, Ilocos Norte.
Simeon, 30, hails from Hilo in Hawaii and is the executive chef of the Star Noodle restaurant in Lahaina.
A recap on the episode by American publication Esquire noted how Sheldon's food was easily the star of the episode.
"[I]t was clear that Sheldon's classic Filipino adobo, pork belly over a mung bean puree with pea shoot salad, was the best dish of the night," the recap stated.
According to Simeon's biography on the Top Chef program on the website of television network Bravo, which airs the show, his basic culinary skills were acquired at Disneyworld, where he also met his wife. He also expanded his cooking skills at the Culinary Institute of the Pacific and the Maui Culinary Academy.
He was a two-time semifinalist for the James Beard Foundation Award--which honors chefs, restaurants and other food professionals in the United States. Simeon was nominated for the "Rising Star" and "Best New Restaurant" categories in 2011.
That year, he was also named as "Chef of the Year" by Maui Nokaoi Magazine. His bio also noted that Food & Wine Magazine named him as "Best New Chef People's Choice" nominee in 2012. - VVP, GMA News
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