What stars are cooking up

Let’s take a break from the show biz circus. For a change, let’s take a peek at what some stars are into when the cameras stop grinding.

Here’s what Janice de Belen, Lotlot de Leon, Wency Cornejo and Baron Geisler are cooking up!

Janice de Belen: I have always loved cooking for friends, and I usually give dishes I make as Christmas gifts.

Last year, Gelli and I joined a bazaar where I sold my specialties. Then, people asked how to order [them].

That’s how I got started with my “food biz.” It’s home-based. I don’t cook by bulk because I don’t want to compromise quality and taste. Orders are for pickup only and must be made four days in advance (call 0918-8086000; Instagram kitchen_of_superjanice).

My callos and cheese cupcakes are the original bestsellers. And my roasted chicken, too. I have only a few items for now. I’ll add more dishes soon. I don’t want to put my culinary education to waste.

Lotlot de Leon: My “Lotlot Homemade” specialties are bopis, Bicol express and dulong in olive oil. They are catered for those who like spicy food (call 5217887).

Wency Cornejo: My bakeshop/resto Carmela’s is located at JJ’s Commune, Loyola st. near the intersection of Bajada and Torres, Obrero side, in Davao City.

I decided to open it in Davao because there’s less competition. I named it after my mom (Mel Tiangco). We specialize in “EnZayms,” which are ensaymadas in different flavors.

Bestsellers are queso de bola and cheese rolls. We also offer “Biscochomada” (biscochong ensaymada) and choco-filled meringue. We also have several pasta and rice dishes.

A must-try is our steak arroz a la Cubana and the Jack ’n’ Jill plate (Chippy-encrusted fried chicken breast, served with mac and cheese curls).

For dessert, we have our cheesecake line, most famous of which is the sans rival cheesecake. Other flavors are choco sans rival, mango float and the banoffee cheesecake.

I’ve always been a reluctant singer. I always say that I am not confident as a singer, but I’m proud of my dishes as a cook.

Everything on the menu is my recipe. My resto is a childhood dream-come-true.

Baron Geisler: Relish is a family restaurant located at Diamond Subdivision, Arayat st., Angeles, Pampanga. Our specialties include wood-smoked ribs and crispy chicken wings.

Our bestseller, and one of my favorites, is The Big Meanie. It is a savory Asian pork rib that is wood-smoked for six hours in the patented fire-brick oven we fondly call “The Beast.”

It was an easy decision to buy a small stake in the company because the specialties tasted great, and it is one of its kind locally—and because I thought it was time for me to venture outside [show biz] and see what else I can do aside from being an actor.

I am not in the restaurant all the time, but I don’t mind becoming one of its servers every time I am there.

I find it interesting to talk to diners. I get a sense of fulfillment every time they leave the restaurant with a smile.

‘50 Shades’

With sold-out shows in New York and Las Vegas, “50 Shades! The Musical Parody” is in Manila and currently running at the RCBC Plaza in Makati on all weekends until March 20. It features a mix of the New York and Las Vegas cast members, together with some of our local talents such as Bituin Escalante and Karel Marquez. (Call 0917-5545560.) Join the laugh—and lust—trip!

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Personal: Thanks to my loyal readers, Tito Jun and Tita Cecille Arenillo.