By CARLO ANOLIN
Several PBA players under the San Miguel Corporation umbrella have proven that their in-game teamwork is just as strong off the court.
San Miguel’s Alex Cabagnot and Terrence Romeo and Ginebra’s Mark Caguioa and Scottie Thompson showed off their cooking skills anew in the second season of CNN Philippines’ Off-court Battle: Resbak Edition which premiered on YouTube last month, while the 2020 PBA Philippine Cup in the Clark bubble is ongoing.
The Cabagnot-Romeo duo dethroned Caguioa and Thompson with their own version of Asian Soy Barbecue Fried Chicken, a dish prepared with butter, green onion, light soy sauce and brown sugar.
San Miguel’s plate, presented with a separate sauce in the middle, got the nod of judges PBA commissioner Willie Marcial, celebrity chef JP Angelo, and actress Antoinette Taus.
“We already know how to present, we have more time in the kitchen,” said Cabagnot, who with Romeo and Chris Ross failed to barge in the finals of last season’s cooking showdown.
Despite a delightful presentation, with its chicken already garnished with green onion and topped with the sauce, Ginebra was caught off guard after judge Taus pointed out that the meat was slightly raw and pinkish in color.
Both pairs also prompted not to use any lifelines in the finals, which includes options to call a friend, ask a judge, or search online.
“Kailangan maghanda sa amin yung bagong lalaban or susubok sa amin para pababain sa trono namin,” said Romeo. “Dahil hindi magiging madali sa kanila ‘to. Ngayon pa na natuto na kami magluto at mayroon na kaming dine-defend na crown.”
Also joining in the contest were Magnolia’s Paul Lee and Marc Pingris, who both yielded to Ginebra in the do-or-die cookoff.
Last year, Ginebra, composed of Caguioa, Thompson and LA Tenorio, won the inaugural title with their Chicken Aoili dish against Magnolia’s Lee, Pingris and Jio Jalalon. (Carlo Anolin) ###
Youtube link/embed: https://youtu.be/PEd7BMjrkRk
Screenshot from CNN Philippines’ YouTube
