Filipino-American chef Sheldon Simeon has made it as one of the final seven contestants competing on Top Chef, the American reality-television cooking show.
Simeon previously appeared on the programme’s 10th season in 2012, finishing in third place among 18 chefs and winning the “Fan Favourite” audience award. The current 14th season features eight returning contestants from previous editions competing against eight new chefs.
Raised in Hawaii by Filipino parents, Simeon is the executive chef of Tinroof, a restaurant in Maui that he owns with his wife Janice. The food at Tinroof combines Simeon’s Filipino roots and Hawaiian upbringing.
On Top Chef, Simeon has served several Filipino dishes including pinakbet (mixed vegetables steamed in fish or shrimp sauce) and kinilaw (raw seafood with vinegar dressing, similar to ceviche). He has often told the show's judging panel that his cooking is inspired by recipes from his Filipino grandmother.
Simeon has thus far survived nine eliminations and will compete in three more rounds of competition before the final. Broadcast on the American network Bravo, Top Chef is presented by Indian-American star Padma Lakshmi and features judges Tom Colicchio, Gail Simmons and Graham Elliot.
Filipino giant ‘kapre’ features in HBO’s Halfworlds
The Philippine mythical creature "kapre", an enigmatic, cigar-smoking tree giant, will feature as one of the new lead characters in the HBO series Halfworlds. Set in present-day Asia, the fantasy thriller chronicles the story of an underground society populated by creates from Asian folklore. The show's first season premiered in late 2015 and received numerous citations from the Asian TV Awards. The second season premiered this week on HBO.
Filipino actor Jake Macapagal, a prolific theatre actor based in Manila, will play the character, named “Kaprey” in the television series.
"It's very exciting. Kaprey is being introduced in season two," Macapagal told the Philippine Daily Inquirer. "It is absolutely thrilling to jump into an international production knowing that your character is Filipino."
Directed by Thai filmmaker Ekachai Uekrongtham, the show's second season filmed in Thailand and Indonesia last summer. Halfworlds also features actors from all over Asia including Tia Tavee (Asia's Next Top Model) and Teresa Daley (Transformers: Age of Extinction).
“HBO is doing something important — giving voice to minorities, giving life to characters from the region in a TV series that shows the richness of different cultures in Asia,” said Macapagal. “At the same time, the themes in the series are universal.”
Macapagal, 50, headlined the 2013 British drama Metro Manila, which won the Audience Award at the Sundance Film Festival. The movie, directed by Sean Ellis, was also the United Kingdom's official entry to the 2013 Academy Awards.
The Voice Teens Philippines coaches revealed
Broadway star Lea Salonga will serve as one of the four celebrity mentors on The Voice Teens Philippines, a special edition of the global reality-television singing competition for singers between the ages of 13 and 17.
The Voice Teens Philippines will be the second teenage edition of the show internationally – after Colombia – and the first in Asia. It is due to debut in the summer.
Salonga told reporters this week that Sharon Cuneta, one of the country's biggest stars, and rocker Bamboo Mañalac will also coach on the show. The three served as the mentors on the most recent edition of The Voice Kids Philippines.
“We will start filming in late March,” Salonga told ABS-CBN News. “I will be back, Sharon will be back, I think Bamboo will be back. But we have a fourth coach and I know who it is but I can’t say yet. There will be four of us.”
The first round of auditions for The Voice Teens were held in Manila on January 14 and on the central Philippine island of Leyte on January 14 and 15. Additional auditions are scheduled across the country.
The Voice franchise, which began in Holland in 2010, arrived in the Philippines in 2013. Since then it has produced two regular seasons and three editions for children between the ages of 7 and 13.
Filipino kid’s drumming video goes viral
A video clip of Filipino teenager Dineson Cañeda beating to the tune of The Chainsmokers's hit track Don't Let Me Down, using just his fists and a pair of pens, has gone viral on social media — and eventually caught the attention of the American DJ duo.
The video has racked up close to 5 million views on YouTube. On Tuesday, January 24, The Chainsmokers — comprised of Drew Taggart and Alex Pall — shared the clip on their official Facebook page with the caption: “You work with what you got! Respect this legend.” The post has since garnered 5 million views and close to 300,000 likes and comments.
Cañeda replied to the duo: “Thank you very much, Chainsmokers. It really made my dream come true.” Taggart and Pall then responded, “Much love, you killed it.”
artslife@thenational.ae
SPECS
%3Cp%3EEngine%3A%20Supercharged%203.5-litre%20V6%0D%3Cbr%3EPower%3A%20400hp%0D%3Cbr%3ETorque%3A%20430Nm%0D%3Cbr%3EOn%20sale%3A%20Now%0D%3Cbr%3EPrice%3A%20From%20Dh450%2C000%0D%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
'The worst thing you can eat'
Trans fat is typically found in fried and baked goods, but you may be consuming more than you think.
Powdered coffee creamer, microwave popcorn and virtually anything processed with a crust is likely to contain it, as this guide from Mayo Clinic outlines:
Baked goods - Most cakes, cookies, pie crusts and crackers contain shortening, which is usually made from partially hydrogenated vegetable oil. Ready-made frosting is another source of trans fat.
Snacks - Potato, corn and tortilla chips often contain trans fat. And while popcorn can be a healthy snack, many types of packaged or microwave popcorn use trans fat to help cook or flavour the popcorn.
Fried food - Foods that require deep frying — french fries, doughnuts and fried chicken — can contain trans fat from the oil used in the cooking process.
Refrigerator dough - Products such as canned biscuits and cinnamon rolls often contain trans fat, as do frozen pizza crusts.
Creamer and margarine - Nondairy coffee creamer and stick margarines also may contain partially hydrogenated vegetable oils.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
MATCH INFO
Manchester United v Brighton, Sunday, 6pm UAE
KEY DEVELOPMENTS IN MARITIME DISPUTE
2000: Israel withdraws from Lebanon after nearly 30 years without an officially demarcated border. The UN establishes the Blue Line to act as the frontier.
2007: Lebanon and Cyprus define their respective exclusive economic zones to facilitate oil and gas exploration. Israel uses this to define its EEZ with Cyprus
2011: Lebanon disputes Israeli-proposed line and submits documents to UN showing different EEZ. Cyprus offers to mediate without much progress.
2018: Lebanon signs first offshore oil and gas licencing deal with consortium of France’s Total, Italy’s Eni and Russia’s Novatek.
2018-2019: US seeks to mediate between Israel and Lebanon to prevent clashes over oil and gas resources.
Who was Alfred Nobel?
The Nobel Prize was created by wealthy Swedish chemist and entrepreneur Alfred Nobel.
- In his will he dictated that the bulk of his estate should be used to fund "prizes to those who, during the preceding year, have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind".
- Nobel is best known as the inventor of dynamite, but also wrote poetry and drama and could speak Russian, French, English and German by the age of 17. The five original prize categories reflect the interests closest to his heart.
- Nobel died in 1896 but it took until 1901, following a legal battle over his will, before the first prizes were awarded.
Libya's Gold
UN Panel of Experts found regime secretly sold a fifth of the country's gold reserves.
The panel’s 2017 report followed a trail to West Africa where large sums of cash and gold were hidden by Abdullah Al Senussi, Qaddafi’s former intelligence chief, in 2011.
Cases filled with cash that was said to amount to $560m in 100 dollar notes, that was kept by a group of Libyans in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.
A second stash was said to have been held in Accra, Ghana, inside boxes at the local offices of an international human rights organisation based in France.
T10 Cricket League
Sharjah Cricket Stadium
December 14- 17
6pm, Opening ceremony, followed by:
Bengal Tigers v Kerala Kings
Maratha Arabians v Pakhtoons
Tickets available online at q-tickets.com/t10
The biog
Favourite film: The Notebook
Favourite book: What I know for sure by Oprah Winfrey
Favourite quote: “Social equality is the only basis of human happiness” Nelson Madela. Hometown: Emmen, The Netherlands
Favourite activities: Walking on the beach, eating at restaurants and spending time with friends
Job: Founder and Managing Director of Mawaheb from Beautiful Peopl
RESULTS
Mumbai Indians 181-4 (20 ovs)
Kolkata Knight Riders 168-6 (20ovs)
Mumbai won by 13 runs
Rajasthan Royals 152-9 (20 ovs)
Kings XI Punjab 155-4 (18.4 ovs)
Kings XI Punjab won by 6 wickets
Race card for Super Saturday
4pm: Al Bastakiya Listed US$250,000 (Dh918,125) (Dirt) 1,900m.
4.35pm: Mahab Al Shimaal Group 3 $200,000 (D) 1,200m.
5.10pm: Nad Al Sheba Conditions $200,000 (Turf) 1,200m.
5.45pm: Burj Nahaar Group 3 $200,000 (D) 1,600m.
6.20pm: Jebel Hatta Group 1 $300,000 (T) 1,800m.
6.55pm: Al Maktoum Challenge Round 3 Group 1 $400,000 (D) 2,000m.
7.30pm: Dubai City of Gold Group 2 $250,000 (T) 2,410m.
The specs: 2018 Nissan Altima
Price, base / as tested: Dh78,000 / Dh97,650
Engine: 2.5-litre in-line four-cylinder
Power: 182hp @ 6,000rpm
Torque: 244Nm @ 4,000rpm
Transmission: Continuously variable tranmission
Fuel consumption, combined: 7.6L / 100km
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre V8 twin-turbocharged and three electric motors
Power: Combined output 920hp
Torque: 730Nm at 4,000-7,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch automatic
Fuel consumption: 11.2L/100km
On sale: Now, deliveries expected later in 2025
Price: expected to start at Dh1,432,000
Countries recognising Palestine
France, UK, Canada, Australia, Portugal, Belgium, Malta, Luxembourg, San Marino and Andorra
