A brightly flavourful, artfully presented celebration of chef and tastemaker Woldy Reyes’ heritage, featuring more than 100 recipes for classic Filipino dishes updated to be lighter, fresher, and vegetable-forward.

Growing up in Southern California as a first-generation Filipino American, Woldy Reyes felt like an outsider, always straddling two worlds. At home, his family ate adobo with rice, gathered in the kitchen to roll lumpia, and roasted a whole goat in the backyard to make kalderetang kambing (celebratory goat stew). At school, all he wanted was Lunchables and Flamin’ Hot Cheetos. It wasn’t until he discovered the power of food as a means of connection―to strangers and friends, to his heritage, and even to himself―that he began cooking in earnest and sharing his story through the dishes he made. His signature style, now beloved by his catering clients in New York City and beyond, highlights classic Filipino food but with a focus on local, seasonal produce and artful presentation.

In the Kusina is Woldy’s story told through a collection of vibrant, vegetable-forward recipes and his distinct lens as a queer Filipino American. These aren’t your lola’s traditional dishes; here, Filipino tastes and techniques are reimagined for a new generation of home cooks, resulting in a trove of elegant and boldly flavourful recipes organised by season, including:

• Garlic Furikake Rice with Fried Egg
• Purple Daikon, Coconut Labneh, and Peanut Salsa Toast
• Oyster Mushroom Skewers with Mushroom BBQ Sauce
• Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Miso Tahini and Pomegranate Seeds
• Decadent hot and cold drinks, luscious desserts, and much more

Featuring inspired combinations of texture, technique, and flavour, these recipes are uncomplicated yet taste complex. A section covering foundational sauces and pantry items―such as Coconut Hot Sauce, Peanut Salsa, and Seedy Chili Oil―rounds out the offering and makes it easy to begin experimenting with Filipino flavours.

Brimming with gorgeously stylish photos of food that’s as lovely to look at as it is to eat, this is more than just a carefully curated selection of recipes. In the Kusina is a joyful story told in Woldy’s charming voice, a love letter to Filipino food, and, most of all, a cooking reference filled with delicious recipes that you’ll turn to again and again.

Perfect for:

• Fans of Asian cuisine, including the food of the Philippines
• Curious home cooks who love trying new recipes
• Filipino Americans eager to enjoy dishes they grew up with in a more veggie-forward way
• Eco-conscious eaters looking to incorporate more plant-based meals into their diet
• Birthday, wedding, or house-warming present for food lovers

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Sweet and Spicy Banana-Ketchup Roasted Carrots

Sweet and Spicy Banana Ketchup is perfect for roasting autumnal vegetables. Not only does its flavour profile pair beautifully—the sweet-umami-spicy trio brings out a carrot’s natural honeyed essence—but it gives it this shiny, candied look. And then the lime juice adds a zippity bite, and some toasted pumpkin seeds sprinkled on top give it just the right amount of crunch. A side dish that will have the crowd going wild.

SERVES 4

2 lb [910 g] carrots

2 garlic cloves, grated

One 1 in [2.5 cm] piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated

1 lime, thinly sliced

2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

½ cup [120 g] Sweet and Spicy Banana Ketchup / / RECIPE ON PAGE 49

¼ cup [35 g] pumpkin seeds, toasted

1. Preheat the oven to 425°F [220°C].
2. In a roasting pan, toss the carrots with the garlic, ginger, lime, and olive oil. Season with salt and pepper, then pour the banana ketchup over the carrots. With your clean hands, toss the carrots with the sauce until well coated.
3. Roast the carrots for 35 to 40 minutes until the carrots are tender and the limes are caramelised.
4. Sprinkle the carrots with toasted pumpkin seeds and serve right away.

Recipe published with permission from Chronicle Books.