Chef Francis Dave Lacson Selorio continues his role as a culinary advocate of his native Capiz after his short film highlights the pusô, the rice delicacy of the Municipality of Panay.
The short film “The Pusô You’ve Never Heard Of” is making waves after winning the grand prize in the very first Doreen Gamboa Fernandez Food Video Awards.
The Manila-based Selorio came home to unwrap the role of pusô in the local culinary heritage after a debate online erupted about this particular type of Filipino steamed rice wrapped in palm leaves and has long been claimed by the people of Cebu as their own.
“It all started with a post. A simple photo of a local delicacy, and suddenly, the internet exploded. Cebuanos were up in arms, claiming this wasn’t their pusô. But what if this difference held a deeper story?” recalled Selorio.
“In this short film, we’re diving into the history and differences between Cebu’s and Panay’s pusô to shed light on why context matters,” added Selorio.
It was in Panay, the neighboring town of the capital Roxas City, that Selorio took his deep dive with pusô of Teresita’s Delicacies owned by Teresita Bering and her husband Dodoy.
Selorio documented the time-consuming process of making the pusô, which is only served during special occasions and not a daily meal as compared to Cebu.
Selorio’s award-winning short film was shown by FEATR Media of celebrity Chef Erwan Heussaff.
Selorio was backed by his production team led by Aron Lara for cinematography and editing with Mark Jason Aquines and Joshua Beluso as production assistants.
The film also featured Sangguniang Bayan (SB) Member Angel Arches, Tourism Officer Randell Cordenillo, and cultural advocate Dr. Harold Buenvenida.
“The Pusô You’ve Never Heard Of” is Selorio’s first win in the video category.
The Food Writers Association of the Philippines also awarded Selorio last year second prize in the Doreen Gamboa Fernandez Food Writing Award with his essay “Linagpang: A Grilled Soup” while he was honorable mention in 2021 for his essay “Long Live Sinalay”. (With permission from Tara Yap)
Caption
Chef Francis Dave Lacson Selorio (right) showcases the pusô made by Teresita Bering and her husband Dodoy of Panay, Capiz in his award-winning short film “The Pusô You’ve Never Heard Of”. (Photos courtesy of Chef Selorio)
