It’s a quiet afternoon inside Ashton Market Hall. A handful of shoppers meander around the network of stalls, picking up provisions and stopping for a chat with traders.
It’s a familiar sound for Carl and his family, for whom cooking has always played a starring role in their lives. While Manchester is well served in terms of global cuisines, Filipino food is perhaps not as well known or prolific as other cuisines from Southeast Asia. “I think it’s not as popular here yet because we’re being slightly overshadowed by Chinese, Japanese and Indian cuisine which is very big here, we’re probably at the bottom of the pyramid right now,” explains Carl.
“We don’t really use social media too much, and if I get busy or have a long day, the last thing I want to do is sit on my phone and post, but I probably should really. I just find people come off of recommendations from family and friends and that’s a bit more personal.” Described as the ‘superstar’ of Filipino cuisine, succulent pieces of marinated chicken sit on a bed of vibrantly coloured rice, which immediately brings a smile to your face. Then there’s the Tapsilog, a portmanteau of the delicacy’s three key ingredients - beef, sinangag and fried egg, known as itlog.