Writing, as a form of human expression, connects the writer to the world outside of his own. This includes the people and communities he is able to build a connection with. For Filipino chef and restaurateur Myke “Tatung” Sarthou, known for the Simpol community and award-winning cookbooks he created catered for the Filipino people, it’s one of the special ways he connects with his audience besides winning their hearts through their stomachs.
“Storytelling is very important for the reason that it is really stories that bind us together. It’s where we find resonance or create resonance with each other,” Chef Tatung shared when asked about the significance of storytelling in his works.
“So with all the data, with all the information happening in the world—in the age of social media—what truly happens is that when a story really touches you and a story really hits you in the heart, you connect to that person. You connect to that thing. You connect to that institution or that entity. And that is what makes a difference.”
There is no better chef than Chef Tatung when it comes to championing Filipino cuisine. His creations reflect this simple yet amazing style he practices. But like many writers, his cookbooks, such as “Simpol: The Cookbook”, “Baking Simpol”, and his latest book, “Young Chef’s Cookbook,” started with his obsession with ideas he wanted this generation to inherit. He placed the pieces together, “chapter by chapter,” “recipe by recipe”, and refined them to be the cookbooks that we know today. Each of them carries a unique yet familiar story that many Filipinos could relate to. They contain instructions that are affordable and easy to replicate, tailored to the needs of the everyday Filipino in their household.
“Like being a storyteller, my cookbooks really have a clear message across. My cookbooks are relevant because the recipes are easy to replicate… my books are able to stand on their own,” Chef Tatung said. For him, it’s very important that his readers change or develop their mindsets when they read his books. Similar to his cooking, he writes traditionally but infuses a different flavor in it.
Whether Chef Tatung is cooking a traditional Filipino dish or writing a simple cookbook, he always has a story to tell. “Stories are really a tool to pull people together, to pull thoughts together, to pull hearts together,” he said.
“If you’re able to tell good stories and you’re able to make it reach many more people, you would really grow in influence. You’ll really be able to grow in terms of creating your audience. And you’ll also have the ability to change things.”
This gives us a reason why Simpol, which expanded into an integrated media community, has been such a success since its creation. It’s a “utility to the household”. It helps homemakers and aspiring chefs, and pushes them to have a heart for the craft of preparing a great meal to be shared by their family and loved ones. But this is not everything. Filipinos are drawn to Simpol because it tells the beauty of the Filipino story, and a story such as this makes it even more relatable to them.
“So a lot of times, there is an impact to the family. There’s an impact to the lives. [At] nakakatuwa din siya because ‘yung nagiging fan mo, naging follower mo, is the whole family,” Chef Tatung shared, showing us an example that it is through stories that our lives get connected, inspired, and interwoven. Simpol is not only reaching the platters of many but also their entire household.
From simply starting a YouTube channel decades ago, establishing Simpol, running restaurants, and founding Vertikal Kreatives, writing cookbooks added more flavor to Chef Tatung’s already delectable plate. We have seen this success when his book “Simpol Dishkarte” won at the 29th World Gourmand Awards in 2023, another accolade in his ever-growing reputation in the culinary field. It’s a testament to how a simple cookbook born out of a good heart for Filipino people had touched many lives and taste buds in ways we didn’t imagine.
Now, Chef Tatung’s taking more serious efforts in establishing himself as a chef in the digital space. With his cookbooks winning left and right and his future plans as a celebrated chef in the Philippines, we can see just how great of a chef he is for this generation and those to come.
