Chiz Escudero on finding love again, remarrying, cooking and Heart Evangelista

Oh, I adore to cook. It makes me feel so mindless in a worthwhile way. — Truman Capote

Cooking requires confident guesswork and improvisation — experimentation and substitution, dealing with failure and uncertainty in a creative way. — Paul Theroux           

It’s fascinating to learn that aside from politics and girlfriend Heart Evangelista, another passion of 43-year-old Senator Francis Joseph “Chiz” G. Escudero is cooking. This was revealed by his friend Frabelle Fishing Corp. president Francisco “Frannie” Tiu Laurel and his sister Fay who’s managing director of Frabelle Foods.

Chiz recently headed the board of judges of the first-ever Frabelle Foodie Chef Finals held at Café 1771 in Ortigas Center, Pasig City, which chose Neneth T. Madrona as its grand prizewinner from 50 contestants and from five finalists.

Frabelle Foods senior vice president and general manager Noel M. Tempongko, Jr. revealed that amateur chef Chiz loves Frabelle hotdogs, ham, tocino and bacon so much, he agreed to be their “celebrity endorser without pay, so that there’s no need to report any incomes in his SALN (statement of assets, liabilities and net worth).”  

Senator Chiz Escudero gave The Philippine STAR this exclusive interview. Here are excepts:

PHILIPPINE STAR: With all your cooking and all the foods, how do you keep yourself from gaining weight?

CHIZ ESCUDERO: Everything in moderation… That’s also the advice of veteran actor Eddie Garcia, who’s approaching 80. He’s my province-mate from Sorsogon and he said that to me recently during the taping of a TV commercial he’s doing for me.

He’s already turning 84 this year. I interviewed him and Dolphy a couple of years ago for Philippine STAR on the secrets to their longevity. Apart from hotdogs, cheesedogs and other products of Frabelle, what are your favorite foods?

Mostly Filipino foods like tinola, kare-kare, crispy pata.

Anything else you really just love to eat?

I love to eat chicharon (deep-friend pork fat or skin). The most delicious chicharon in the Philippines are in Cebu and Cagayan de Oro City, the best, and naka-vacuum-pack pa (they’re even vacuum-packed), they’re for export.

How come you don’t get fat, with those kinds of foods?

(Laughs) Masuwerte lang, mabilis ang metabolism ko. At isa pang sekreto, mahal bumili ng bagong damit (I’m just lucky, I have faster metabolism. One more thing, it’s expensive to buy new clothes)!

What about foods you enjoy cooking?

I love to cook mostly Filipino foods like tinola, adobo, sinigang and also paella. I thank chef Reggie Aspiras for teaching me.

What about your girlfriend Heart Evangelista, can she cook?

Yes, Heart can cook.

What does she cook well?

She cooks pasta well.

What is your favorite among the foods cooked for you by Heart?

My favorite is her steak. I also know how to cook steak — it’s basically only using pepper and salt, then don’t mess it up and make sure you turn it over only once.

Now that you’re a budding chef or cook, is opening a restaurant your next dream project?

No, that’s not my plan or dream. Opening a restaurant is quite complicated. Cooking for me is a therapeutic hobby, it also gives me a sense of accomplishment, especially if masarap (delicious).

I heard President Noy Aquino loves to eat. Does he cook too?

I don’t think so.

What about Vice President Jojo Binay, does he cook like you do?

I don’t think so. At least, I haven’t tried both of their cooking, so I don’t know if they do or do not cook. 

By the way, are you open to the possibility of remarrying?

I’m not averse to it. Hindi naman ako jaded (Anyway, I’m not jaded).

When will you cook up a wedding?

It will just come…

There have been people trying to propose a controversial divorce law in Congress. Are you in favor of it or not?

Pinapainit lang nila ang Simbahang Katoliko (They’re just riling up the Catholic Church). I’m against divorce. I’m for making the annulment of marriage in our society more affordable and accessible to ordinary citizens, with the help of PAO, the Department of Health for certification by psychologists, etc., but I’m not for divorce.

Are you really already annulled? Are you free to remarry again?

I’m annulled.

Going back to your passion for foods, if Heart Evangelista were a dish, what would she be?

(Laughs) Ano ka ba naman… Mahirap sabihin… (What kind of question… It’s difficult to say…)

Aside from cooking, what are the hobbies of a busy senator like you?

Not in the next six months, no hobbies due to the election campaign.

Are you the youngest senator of the Philippines now?

No, I’m actually the third youngest. The youngest senator is Sonny Trillanes, then the second youngest is Alan Peter Cayetano.

What is the secret to your looking so young?

One secret is to have short hair. (Laughs) Look at my friend Kiko Tiu Laurel of Frabelle, he also has short hair so people think he’s young. (Editor’s note: executives refer to him as “Frannie” but Chiz refers to him as “Kiko.”)

What movies have you watched lately?

Of course, I watched Sosy Problems produced by GMA Films and co-starring Heart. Katabi ko pa nga si Miriam (I was even beside Miriam).

You and Senator Miriam went on a movie date alone?

(Laughs) No, of course the movie house was full of other people.

How would you objectively assess or critique Sosy Problems?

I liked it. It’s fun, it’s nice. It’s a girlie movie, it’s a chick film.

Heart Evangelista told me you impress her as “very intelligent.”

(Laughs) I have many former classmates smarter than me.

What is Heart like? How do you describe her?

Heart is very sweet.

You’re Bicolano with roots in Sorsogon, why are you so eloquent in Tagalog?

Watching Tagalog movies. I’ve watched a lot of Tagalog movies ever since I was a kid.

Is it true the first successful politician in your family didn’t speak Tagalog that well?

My late great-great-grandfather Governor Salvador Escudero, Sr., he only spoke Bocolano and Spanish.

Your late dad Agriculture Secretary Salvador “Sonny” Escudero III, we were once together as godfathers at the wedding of a DZRH reporter, and I’m amazed he remembers exactly how many thousand couples were his godchildren. Are you like that too?

No, my late father was remarkable; yes, he was like that. I couldn’t remember how many couples I’ve been ninong (godfather) to.

There are so many prominent political names vying to be vice president in 2016. Will you run for VP then?

I don’t know, only time can say.

At least you’re frank, unlike other politicos. Do you think you’ll become the next vice president of the Philippines?

Libre ang mangarap, bakit hindi? (It’s free to dream, why not?)

By the way, when there was talk before about you and your former wife starting to part ways, there were also rumors romantically linking you to Kris Aquino. You were once both free from ex-spouses, why didn’t you court Kris?

We belong to two different worlds. We had no chance to meet before.

Going back to foods and cooking, which among the products of Frabelle Foods is your favorite?

My favorite is their Frabelle Hickory Smoked Bacon, for breakfasts.

I know you like music. Your favorite type of music, your favorite singer?

I like the songs of the 1980s. Among singers, now I like Adele.

Last but not least, what is your advice to people like you who have been separated or have suffered lost love? How do you find love?

Don’t look for love, it will come… It will just come… The more you look for it, the more it will not come.

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