Four award winning chefs are putting their culinary skills to the test in the second season of ‘Iron Chef Thailand vs Asia,’ bringing Filipino flavors to an international cooking competition alongside representatives from Thailand, China, South Korea, and Indonesia.
Representing the Philippines are chefs Mia Yan, AC Agra, Maverick "Mav" Javier, and Sonny Mariano, who were selected and trained by the LTB Philippines Chefs Association based on their skills, passion for cooking, and experiences in local and international culinary competitions.
Team Philippines made an impressive start in the competition when Mariano secured the top spot in the first episode, which aired on October 10. He presented a Duo of Ube and Mango Passion Fruit Champorado, giving the traditional Filipino rice porridge a creative twist.
His dish incorporated Thai jasmine rice, pulvoron, cheddar puff pastry, sweet potato chips, and Kaffir lime rice cream, earning praise from the Board of Judges and putting the Philippines ahead in the opening battle.
The three other participating chefs also bring different culinary strengths to the competition. Yan specializes in Western, Asian, and Japanese cuisines, while Agra is known for contemporary, innovative, and vegan dishes. Javier focuses on Western and Filipino cuisine, while Mariano works as a consultant for various restaurants and food brands.
For Yan, the competition is also an opportunity to represent Filipino women in the culinary industry, as she is the only female contestant. Agra, meanwhile, described joining the show as a childhood dream, while Javier said the experience challenged him physically, mentally, and emotionally. Mariano expressed gratitude for returning to the international competition stage after a decade.
Through their participation, the Filipino chefs aim to demonstrate the range of local culinary talent and the potential of Filipino cuisine to stand alongside other established food cultures in the international scene.
The competition will continue with succeeding culinary battles as participating teams compete for the title, with the season finale scheduled for December 12, 2026.