From ube to adobo: The man who made London crave Filipino food

Oak-smoked tinola chicken, served with soul and smoke – Shah’s take on the classic Filipino broth channels comfort food through a fire-kissed, modern bistro lens - (Supplied)

Words like “ube”, “adobo”, and “pandesal” are cropping up on menus with startling frequency. Pret has just launched an ube brûlée iced latte. Filipino recipes are amassing millions of views on TikTok. And for the first time, a modern Filipino restaurant – Donia – has made it into the Michelin Guide. Filipino food is, if not having a full-blown moment, then certainly approaching one.

But for Omar Shah, it’s not a trend. It’s his life.