Adobo is unofficially the Philippines’ national dish, but this locally famous viand has not only been a favorite among Filipinos. It has also appealed to the gastronomic preferences of foreigners all over the world.
Believe it or not, some of those who confessed their love for this local Filipino food are not ordinary people but are world-renowned celebrities.
Here are six international celebrities who, like me and you, love adobo.
1 – Meghan Markle
Prince Harry’s fiancée Meghan Markle is no stranger to Filipino culture. The royal bride-to-be said on her now-defunct blog, “The Tig”, that she grew up in LA wherein a large Filipino community is present.
“Growing up in LA, with its melting pot of vast and varied cultures, I was no stranger to the Filipino community. I can whip up a big pot of chicken adobo like it’s nobody’s business, and you’ll occasionally hear me toss out a ‘Salamat po’ conversationally simply because the culture, vernacular of Tagalog, and insanely delicious food of the Philippines brings back fond memories of my childhood as an Angeleno,” she said.
She also said in an article on Today which was published in 2012 that she enjoys Filipino food, like adobo, on Sundays.
“I enjoy making slow-cooked food on Sundays, like Filipino-style chicken adobo. It’s so easy—combine garlic, soy (or Bragg Liquid Aminos), vinegar, maybe some lemon, and let the chicken swim in that sauce until it falls off the bone in a Crock-Pot. I have a beautiful Le Creuset that could also do the trick, but the Sunday supper ‘Americana’ of it all calls for a Crock-Pot. Set it and forget it and serve with brown rice and salad.”
What’s more amazing is that Markle even has her own adobo recipe.
2 – Drew Barrymore
Hollywood actress Drew Barrymore recently visited Manila to promote the second season of her Netflix series, “Santa Clarita Diet”, with her co-star Tim Olyphant.
In an interview with GMA to promote her show, Barrymore said that she had many Filipino friends back in the USA. “I have many friends in America that are Filipino and they would make [lumpia and adobo] for me,” she said.
3 – Zac Efron
Hollywood heartthrob Zac Efron visited the Philippines back in 2012 to endorse a local clothing line. During his visit, he made an appearance on the local lifestyle show “Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho” for an interview, wherein he was given a plate of chicken adobo which the actor ate with his bare hands, just like a true Filipino.
4 – Vanessa Hudgens
During her “High School Musical” days in 2008, Filipino-American singer and actress Vanessa Hudgens said in an exclusive interview with GMA that she loves adobo.
The then 20-year-old actress narrated in the said interview how she bought a multimillion six-bedroom house in Los Angeles to help her become more independent as an adult. She then segued that having her own home will give her the opportunity to learn how to cook, including some of her favorite Filipino dishes like adobo, pancit, and lumpia.
5 – Darren Criss
“Glee” star Darren Criss, who also happens to have Filipino blood, once visited the Philippines a few years ago. In an interview with Spot.ph in 2010, the singer-actor said that adobo is one of his favorite Filipino dishes, together with lumpia, pancit, cassava cake and bibingka.
In an another interview with “Jimmy Kimmel Live” earlier this year, Criss revealed that his mother hailed from Cebu and that eating “fatty, unhealthy” Filipino food is something that they would usually do.
6 – Mario Maurer
Thai actor Mario Maurer became an international superstar overnight after the release of his successful romantic film “A Little Thing Called Love”. In 2012, Maurer came to the Philippines to make the movie “Suddenly It’s Magic” with Filipino actress Erich Gonzales. During an online press conference via Skype that same year, Maurer told the press that he loves the country, its culture, people, and of course, adobo.
“I like adobo, first of all, and I like all the people there,” he said.
