10 things that kept me from blogging

I know.  I haven't been writing in a while.  Been preoccupied for the better part of the year. With what? I give you a list, in no particular order :

1. Brotzeit - the restaurant I helped build from the ground up
2. Family - making for lost time
3. Ingress - the game from Google that helped me lose weight
4. Lifehacker - because I needed my life and those around me to be better
5. Cyanogenmod - I wanted a better mobile  experience
6. Singapore - been there twice in the past year
7. Rossana - my life and love partner
8. Maxine - the most wonderful daughter a doodah could have
9. Cooking - and it gets better everyday
10. Life - as I make it

Mind you. These aren't distractions. Just sorted out priorities. Taking a bite. Seeing new things. Investing in the experience.

I hope I can write more often. New posts coming your way. Wish me luck!

Top 10 ramen houses in Manila

Top 10 Ramen Spots (2013 Edition) |  EAT+DRINK |  SPOT.ph Mobile

Now here is a good list.

NatGeo Earth Run and what we didn't do about it

It was supposed to be an easy Sunday morning, the way Lionel Richie would croon about.
It started at 3am, after a night at Brotzeit. We got ready. Put on our lightest clothes, running shoes and drinking water.
After breakfast at the nearby McDonald's we headed out to the venue. The National Geographic Earth Run 2013 was to begin.
Little Maxine ran with her Aunt Anna and cousin Colin. Made the three kilometers in just under thirty minutes. It was fun all around. Great event. NatGeo had a good idea. It's the people around them that made me think that there was something off with the concept:

Water in plastic bottles everywhere, despite the fact each runner was issued a reusable hydration bottle.

Sponsors giving out products in hotel room size unreuseable, unrecyclable containers.

Runners throwing excess water unto the ground.

Nobody knew what car pooling was.

After the run, they head on to nearby restaurants and load up on pancakes, rice meals and coffees and cigarettes.
I'm just saying.

So you want to be a chef?

Phở Shizzlê PEI: 50 Things They Never Told You About Being a Chef

It's professional cooking. Some of the points I believe are legit. But there are done things too about being a chef:

You learn to appreciate flavors
Time management comes easy; efficiency gets new meaning
It's easy to spot the pretentious
We lose inhibitions
We appreciate free time more
We get to eat the best stuff
The world is Our oyster
Music horizon is wider
Once you put in the time, you can do almost everything
Smelling like food IS SEXY

Pancake day!

Every Sunday we do this. I don't buy the box anymore. Flour, baking powder, salt, sugar and cinnamon go into a plastic container. Mixed up well. And then used when needed. Just add eggs and water and oil, band bob's your uncle!

ray of light

ray of light
Originally uploaded by Chef Ivan

Brotzeit in the works

While our Singapore principals were in town, a tasting of the menu was prepared. Of course the imminent opening of our restaurants put me in into high gear, as we are still excited about the journey.
So we ate, and tasted, and slurped. The only thing missing was the beer.

Pancake day!

Pancake day!
Originally uploaded by Chef Ivan