Donita Rose for Jolly Heart Mate Canola Oil
The recently concluded Masskara Festival really lived up to its reputation as the country’s most colorful festival, made memorable by the vibrant and unique mask displays, street dancing and revelry. To add hype to the festival Jolly Heart Mate Canola Oil brought in their brand ambassador, the lovely Chef Donita Rose, to share her expertise via a cooking demo at the SM City Bacolod Events Center last October 22, 2016. Chef Donita prepared her version of Kansi which is a famous Ilonggo dish. Kansi, as we know has a beef shank (with bone marrow), beef broth, batuan and lanka slices as main ingredients. Of course, Chef Donita used Jolly Canola Oil for sautéing the beef shank in onions and garlic. She was assisted by Chef John Choa of Bypass Bistro Restaurant.
Members of the Negros Bloggers who came to the event were delighted to see her passion for cooking and how she was very particular with every detail of her dish. The huge crowd at SM City was amazed at how she prepared Kansi since it is known to many that Chef Donita grew up in an American household (she is half American). After the cooking demo, we were invited to 21 Restaurant where we had a sumptuous buffet of batchoy, deep fried baby shrimps, chicken with mushrooms and mixed vegetables, roast beef and more. After dinner, we had a chat with the celebrity chef. When asked what dish can she consider her specialty, she answered jokingly “Specialty? Walang hindi specialty eh. One thing interesting about me is that I don’t like to eat the same dish twice in a month.”
Donita loved American food while growing up but as she matured her love for Filipino food developed and she became more interested in its origin. Chef Donita also mentioned that her Mom (Evelyn Cavett) would prepare simple Pinoy food (mostly Ilocano dishes) since her mom hails from Pangasinan, a province in Northern Luzon.
The author with Donita Rose
We also learned that after her VJ hosting job and showbiz career Chef Donita enrolled in culinary school in 2011. After finishing all her requirements she worked at a high-end Japanese restaurant in Mandalay Bay, Las Vegas after which she was offered to come back to Manila for a cooking show with GMA Network. Chef Donita said she is happy to be back again and this time she has been visiting provinces that celebrate festivals like Davao, Naga, Bacolod and Cebu as part of the Jolly Canola Oil tour. In her spare time, the lovely chef also makes it a point to cook for her only son JP, who loves bonding with his mom in the kitchen. Chef Donita said she and JP would exchange ideas and whip up recipes together.
Donita Rose with the Negros Bloggers. Photo credits: SigridSays.Com
Good thing Jolly Canola Oil is heart healthy as it contains the lowest amount of bad fats (saturated fats) and packed with the good ones like Omega 3 and 6+ making it very safe for kids, the elderly and those with health concerns. It also contains Vitamin A and as research has shown, canola oil can also do wonders for the hair and skin, as it is packed with nutrients that can add glow and nourishment. It has also a neutral taste that makes it good for all kinds of cooking. It has the highest smoking point which makes it very ideal for frying. It is available in leading supermarkets and grocery stores nationwide at a very affordable price.
For the last leg of her nationwide provincial tour, Donita is scheduled to drop by the Sinulog Festival in January 2017. For more information on the tour, you may visit their Facebook page on www.faceboook.com/JollyHeartMateCanolaOil.