For more than six decades, the trusted Filipino kitchen staple MAYA has been synonymous with home cooking and baking. Its culinary arts center, The Maya Kitchen, continues to promote culinary education through short courses and lifestyle classes.
A meaningful collaboration of The Maya Kitchen with host Erwan Heussaff, continuing the mission to inspire Filipinos to rediscover local flavors at The Not-So-Modern Filipino Pantry with FEATR.
Samar’s smoke meets the oven’s char. Charred cabbage get a massive umami upgrade with grated Podpod. A quick, 2-hour masterclass in using Filipino heritage ingredients to elevate everyday veggies.
The humble Kesong Puti gets an upgrade with a light-as-air mousse. Topped with fresh mangoes and a luscious Pakaskas caramel, it’s a sophisticated tribute to the flavors of our islands. Heritage, but make it dessert
More than just a pantry. The “Not-So Modern Filipino Pantry” workshop at The Maya Kitchen is all about honoring the producers who keep our culinary heritage alive.
Where the mountains meet the sea. This Kinuday Sinantolan is a beautiful collision of regional heritage—featuring smoky, cured pork from the North and toasted Podpod from Samar, all simmered in creamy coconut milk. It’s a bowl full of soul and smoke.
Sea, Salt, and Celebration. A crunchy leaf of Kiping topped with a creamy, seaweed-infused aioli. This is the “Not-So Modern Filipino Pantry” at its finest—turning regional treasures into the perfect bite.
Collaborated with the experts in the food industry—Team FEATR (from left to right): Samuelle Bawasanta, Nica Soledad, Erwan Heussaff, Trisha Chua, and Martin Narisma, the Maya Kitchen event showcased how tradition and innovation come together beautifully. Filipino food, reimagined.
Adobo in its purest form. No soy sauce, no shortcuts—just the bright tang of Sukang Paombong and the rich depth of rendered pork.
Heritage, reimagined. Erwan Heussaff brings the “Not-So Modern Filipino Pantry” to life, connecting the artisanal secrets of our ancestors with the way we cook today. Simple, accessible, and soul-filled.
Today, the two brands present a new chapter with The Maya Kitchen Culinary Elite—a special cooking demonstration series featuring chefs and restaurateurs who are given a platform to share their curated recipes.
Originally held from 2010 to 2016, the Culinary Elite program now returns with renewed purpose: to highlight heritage Filipino ingredients, strengthen connections with regional food producers, and reintroduce Filipino pantry staples to a new generation through contemporary techniques and storytelling.
A Brand Built in the Filipino Kitchen
Introduced to the Philippine market in 1962, MAYA quickly became a household name with the launch of its pioneering hotcake mix. The product soon became a breakfast staple among Filipino families and remainsone ofthemostrecognizable productsin thebrand’s portfoliotoday.
For generations, MAYA Hotcakes have been part of Filipino breakfasts, merienda moments, and childhood snacks. The simplicity of preparing hotcakes from the mix introduced many Filipinos to cooking for the firsttime—helping buildconfidenceinthekitchen.
Over the years, MAYA expanded beyond hotcakes to include a wide range of baking and pantry essentials—from chocolate, oat, and whole wheat hotcake mixes, brownie mixes and premium cake mixes,to flour, cornstarch, and itssignatureOven-Toaster mixes.
A New Chapter for the Maya Culinary Elite
According to Ernesto Fajardo, President of Liberty Commodities Corporation, the initiative reinforces the brand’s deeper connection to Filipino culinary culture. “For decades, MAYA has been part of Filipino family traditions – from breakfast hotcakes to first baking experiences in the kitchen. Reviving The Maya Kitchen Culinary Elite allows us to strengthen that legacy by working closely with chefs and storytellers who share our passion for promoting Filipino culinary education and innovation. Through thisinitiative, we continue the work of both Maya and The Maya Kitchen in inspiring Filipinosto cook, learn, and rediscover our food heritage.”
A Legacy of Culinary Education
For Maya KitchenconsultantNinaDaza Puyat, whohaslong championed Filipinocuisineand food education, therevival ofthe programreflects MAYA’s enduring rolein shaping Filipino culinary culture. “The Maya Kitchen has always been aboutsharing knowledge and teaching Filipinos how to cook confidently at home. The Culinary Elite program allows us to promote and preserve our Filipinofood heritagewhileadaptingitforthenextgeneration ofhomecooks.”
A Creative Partnership with FEATR
Rooted in a shared commitment of celebrating Filipino cuisine and championing local ingredients, the collaboration between MAYA and FEATR brings together two platforms that advocate for sustainability, culinary education, and thepreservation of Filipino food traditions.
By highlighting regional ingredients and the communities behind them, the partnership encourages more mindful cooking while shining a spotlight on the richness of the country’s culinary heritage.
A key collaborator in the revival is Erwan Heussaff, founder of the food storytelling platform FEATR, whose work focuses on documenting Filipino culinary traditions and regional ingredients. According to Erwan, “Filipino food has always been more than sustenance: it’s a record of who we are, where we came from, and what we’ve been through. FEATR exists to help make sure those stories aren’t forgotten, to deepen how we understand and appreciate our food and ingredients today, and to help shape what Filipino food could become tomorrow. We communicate everything we learn about our culture through our digital platforms and shows, but we always felt like something was missing. This year we hope to hold more events like this, where people can interactwith theingredientsandstoriesthatwe’vefeatr’d in ourdocumentaries.”
Collaboration Rooted inHeritage
For the Maya Culinary Elite, Heussaff presents “Not-So Modern Filipino Pantry”, a culinary concept thatreimagines heritage Filipino ingredientsthroughmodern, accessible cooking.
The project explores heritage Filipino ingredients many of which come from small communities and traditionalfood practices – and presentsthem through contemporary recipes designed for modern kitchens.
ACollaboration Rooted in Heritage: “Not-So Modern Filipino Pantry”
As part of the collaboration, Heussaff introduces “Not-So Modern Filipino Pantry”, showcasing a curated approach to Filipino heritage ingredients through creative, contemporary interpretations.
This initiatives highlights locally sourced ingredients- rooted in regional traditions, and transforms them into thoughtfully crafted recipes suited for today’s kitchens.
Asin Tultol – A rare cooked sea salt from Guimaras created by filtering seawater through burned driftwood before evaporating the brine overfire, producing amineral-rich finishing salt.
Gamet – A hand-harvested dried seaweed from Sta. Praxedes, Cagayan, known for its natural umami and mineral content.
Pudpod – A traditional smoked fish patty from Eastern Samar made from flaked fish mixed with aromatics, prized foritsrich,savory smokiness.
Sukang Paombong – A naturally fermented nipa palm vinegar from Bulacan recognized for its complex acidity and depth offlavor.
Pakaskas – A rare buri palm sugar from Isla Verde, Batangas, valued for its smoky sweetness and grainy texture.
Kinuday – A traditional smoked meat from the Cordilleras rooted in indigenous preservation techniques linked to the Cañao ritual. Known for its deep, bacon-like flavor, it has become a versatile ingredientinbothtraditional andmodernFilipinocooking.
Through these recipes, the series reframes Filipino heritage ingredients as versatile pantry staples— bridging traditionalflavorswithmodern culinary creativity.
Celebrating the Culinary Elite
Throughout the years, the Maya Kitchen Culinary Elite has featured some of the country’s most respected culinary figures and restaurateurs, including chefs and food advocates such as Glenda Barretto, Claude Tayag, JP Anglo, Jessie Sincioco, Tatung Sarthou, CheleGonzales and the late Margarita Forés.
With the revival of the Maya Culinary Elite, Maya once again places Filipino chefs, ingredients, and culinary storytelling at the forefront of its mission—ensuring that the traditions that shaped Filipino cooking continue to inspire the kitchens oftoday and tomorrow.
The Maya Kitchen is the culinary center of MAYA, a brand dedicated to promoting food education, recipe development, and the celebration of Filipino cuisine. For over 60 years, Maya has been a trusted name in Filipino kitchens, inspiring generations of home cooks through its baking mixes, flours, and pantry staples.
Forrecipesand alist of upcoming cooking classes:
Website: https://themayakitchen.com
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The Maya Kitchen Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/themayakitchencac/
