Marvin Agustin poses the question: Who's The real Kitchen Superstar?

Just a thought: Just remember. While you’re complaining about your situation, someone may be wishing he’s in your place.

MANILA, Philippines -- TV cookfest: The scent of cooking shows is all over TV networks, its aroma wafting across Dagupan City in Pangasinan in time for the annual Bangus Festival.

GMA Network threw its full support to the province’s celebration of the bangus-fest, which this year was highlighted by a contest called 101 Ways to Cook Bangus.

How else, indeed, does one prepare bangus as a table dish? You’d be surprised at how Pangasinenses took their bangus seriously.

Contestants presented mouth-watering dishes such as “Flaming sweet and tangy bangus rolls wrapped in bacon with peach coulis and cola sauce” and “Braised cheesy bangus fillet with asparagus spears in white thyme and basil mushroom sauce with bangus croquettes.”

TV cook Janice de Belen charmed the crowd at Dagupan City People’s Astrodome as she whipped her favorite bangus dishes: Bangus Croquettes, Bangus with Lemon Butter Sauce and Steamed Bangus.

Later in the day, Kapuso stars entertained the crowd during a Bangus Festival Kapuso Mall Show, at the Atrium inside The City Mall.

Among the performers were Mike Nacua of “Show Me Da Manny,” John Feir of “Pepito Manaloto,” Will Devaughn (“Dwarfina,” “Party Pilipinas”),  and Kylie Padilla (“Blusang Itim”).

Kitchen superstar: As the TV reality cook show, “Kitchen Superstar,” comes to a close on July 1, the remaining contestants speak of ties forged and recipes learned from each other throughout their 30 days of confinement together.

Arabella Padilla, formerly a call center agent, says she thought it was impossible to create great friendships under such a competitive environment, but the exact opposite happened. All 15 finalists in the cooking contest hosted by Marvin Agustin, she observed, are good natured and kind. Must be the food they eat.

Speaking of food, we asked the candidates why despite efforts to promote Filipino cuisine abroad, it has yet to attain the level of success enjoyed by other Asian cuisines such as those from Thailand or Vietnam, Padilla and Fe Dorina de la Paz, another finalist from Laguna, believed the country doesn’t really have a distinct, national food.

Both blamed it on centuries of colonial rule which robbed the Philippines of its national identity in food. Padilla says she has no aspirations to create that national dish as she participates in the TV cookfest.

She says she’s merely enjoying herself, doing on TV what she likes to do best at home, in her spare time, and seemingly all of the time.

She and the other finalists also make no bones about realizing a common dream, to bring home the one million peso cash prize and be named 2011’s Kitchen Superstar.

TV news: Anne Curtis is seen in her first indie film together with veteran actress Gina Alajar in “Kinse,” a collection of powerful four to six-minute short films on human rights directed by some of the Philippines’ finest filmmakers.

Joining news channel ANC’s crusade for human rights are 15 directors, namely Erik Matti, Carlos Siguion Reyna, Mark Meily, Auraeus Solito, Raymond Red, Jim Libiran, Jon Red, Richard Somes, Ato Bautista, Kiri Dalena, Ray Gibraltar, Raymund Amonoy, Kidlat de Guia, Nico Puertollano, and Paolo Villaluna.

Executive producer Patricia Evangelista says that the films in “Kinse” tackle issues like domestic violence, media harassment, extrajudicial killings, children and women’s rights.

In his short film starring Anne Curtis and Gina Alajar for instance, Matti defends the right to live freely.

ANC has partnered with the Springfilm Foundation and The Embassy of the Kingdom of Netherlands for a full-length film on human rights being directed by Dutch filmmaker, Jacco Groen. The film will be released later this year.

Airing of a six-part TV special on “Kinse” hosted by women’s rights advocate Angel Aquino started Monday (May 23), 9:30 p.m. on Sky Cable ch. 27.

(nescuar@yahoo.com)