From Adobo to Turon with Ube: Filipino Chef Shares Philippine Cuisine at Valencia Cooking Workshop

VALENCIA, Spain — Munich-based Filipino chef Shelley Balicante introduced Filipino dishes to participants at a hands-on cooking workshop held on October 18, 2026.

Organized with friends in Valencia under the theme “Experience the Flavors of Asia,” the workshop featured adobo as the main dish, dumplings as an appetizer, and turon with ube for dessert. Participants were also welcomed with ube drinks, introducing them to the distinctive flavor of the Filipino purple yam.

The event took place at Punk-O Punk-O, a Filipino fusion restaurant co-owned by Cebuana head chef Jerine Quemades, in collaboration with local partners.

Among the featured dishes, adobo stood out for its historical connection to Spain. Its name derives from the Spanish word adobar, meaning “to marinate” or “to season,” a term Spanish colonizers applied to an indigenous Filipino cooking method using vinegar, salt and other seasonings. Although its name is Spanish, the culinary tradition predates colonization and remains an enduring part of Philippine cuisine.

The menu also included dumplings, while turon, a popular Filipino delicacy made with bananas coated in brown sugar, sometimes combined with ripe jackfruit, wrapped in thin pastry and fried until crisp, was served with an ube drizzle.

The workshop brought together participants from different cultural backgrounds, who learned how to prepare the dishes, use unfamiliar ingredients and recreate the recipes at home.

For Balicante, the event fulfilled a long-held ambition to cook in Spain, a country she feels connected to through both family and history.

“It’s always been my dream to cook in Spain, not only because I am married to a Spaniard, but also because of our historical ties,” she said, expressing her interest in demonstrating how centuries of Spanish colonial influence shaped aspects of Filipino food, language and culture.

A designer by profession, Balicante began sharing her home-cooked creations on social media in 2022 after moving from Singapore to Munich. What started as a hobby eventually grew into Shelley’s Cooking, which became a culinary business in 2024.

She has since conducted cooking classes for individuals and corporate clients, taught at an adult education institution in Germany, and expanded her workshops to Potsdam, Germany, and Leuven, Belgium. For Balicante, the workshops are as much about meeting people as they are about teaching recipes.

“I always love cooking for people. It’s my love language,” she said.