Helen Gamboa hosts cooking show
For Ms. Helen Gamboa-Sotto, cooking is not just a chore but a commitment. She shares that she inherited this passion for cooking from her mother. No wonder, she didn’t have second thoughts when Perci Intalan of Idea First Company offered her to do the cooking show “From Helen’s Kitchen.”
The wife of Senator Tito Sotto also said she believes in the saying that the way to a man’s heart is to his stomach.
The former singing idol and actress is hosting the cooking show titled “From Helen’s Kitchen” which premieres on July 1, Saturday, 8 p.m. on Colours exclusively on Cignal TV. It is directed by Bibeth Orteza who said that the fact that Helen is a Kapampangan is another key on why she loves cooking.
In a teaser of the first episode, which featured Carmina Villarroel, Tita Helen cooked Bistek Tagalog with French Fries.
“I love cooking for my family and friends,” said Helen who spent the whole summer taping for the show, which runs for one season. Each episode was taped right in her own kitchen— which she designed for her own home.
In every episode, she will share her kitchen know-how with celebrities who actually jumped at the chance to be with Tita Helen and taste her cooking once more. Among them are Maricel Soriano, Carmina Villarroel, Eric Quizon, Pops Fernandez, Albert Martinez, Raymart Santiago, Ruby Rodriguez, Gladys Reyes, Donita Rose, and Pauleen Luna-Sotto.
In the course of cooking, Tita Helen will help us get to know fun, little bits of trivia about her guests in her candid conversations.
At the end of each episode, Tita Helen prepares her signature “pabaon.” This is a unique Filipino tradition where the host of the party always gives the guest a specialty dish to bring home. Tita Helen takes this very seriously, preparing the packaging meticulously so that nothing spills and the freshness of the dish is well-prepared.
They have finished taping all episodes for one season and if ever the show goes into its second season,
Tita Helen hopes to feature Sharon Cuneta as a guest in a future episode.
Tita Helen says even her children Lala and Gian are good cooks. And most of the dishes she will feature in the program are common dishes we have grown to love like Paksiw na Bangus or Tinapa Rice, which is a favorite of the EB Dabarkads, but given a twist for that distinctive taste her dishes are known for.
When asked if it crossed her mind to open a restaurant, Tita Helen said she will give it a thought for next year, same with the idea of coming out with a book containing her well-loved recipes.
Helen and Tito will soon celebrate their 46th wedding anniversary. Their union has withstood the test of time and controversies. When asked about the secret of their enduring partnership, Tita Helen said it is because her husband loves her more.
“He adores me. He gives me flowers even if there’s no occasion. He is very romantic. I am not saying he is a saint but I don’t see anything that should worry me. All I see is that he loves me,” she said of her husband.
She also says that she knows her husband very well. If there’s any controversy thrown at her husband, she just lets it pass.
Mr. Pogi winner Edgar Allan “EA” Guzman is now a Kapuso. He is cast as one of Heart Evangelista’s leading men in the forthcoming GMA-7 primetime series “My Korean Jagiya.”
EA will play the role of Ryan Alba, the boyfriend of Heart in series. He will figure in a love triangle with a Korean actor who has yet to be cast.
He is excited to work at GMA-7. This new primetime series is a good follow-up to the top-rating afternoon drama “Doble-Kara” which he did for ABS-CBN.
He has no exclusive contract so EA is free to accept offers to do shows with other networks.
“Since ‘Doble Kara’ ended four months ago, I have been waiting for a new acting assignment. Sir Noel (Ferrer, his manager) says we should be open to projects from other networks. What is important is that I do my job well,” said the fourth runner-up placer in the first season of the reality show “Your Face Sounds Familiar.”
He was offered a role in a teleserye in ABS-CBN but since that project won’t be starting soon due to changes in schedule, his manager thought it wise to accept the offer of GMA-7.