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πŸ‘¨β€πŸ³ Young Chef-in-training
Forest & his sister Skye!

🎬 Page run, edited, and strictly supervised by Dad.

🍳 Watch us learn, cook safely, and smash milestones!

11/08/2026

🍧 EPISODE 63: Warm Ube Sagobe & Chewy Rice Balls! πŸ‡΅πŸ‡­πŸ’œ

"It's sweet, purple, and so yum!" πŸ’œβœ¨ 7-year-old Chef Forest is back in the kitchen cooking up an iconic Filipino comfort dessert: Ube Sagobe (Ginataang Bilo-Bilo)! πŸ‡³πŸ‡Ώ

Forest kicked off Episode 63 with a cheerful "Kamusta!" before rolling his handmade chewy glutinous rice balls (bilo-bilo) from scratch using glutinous rice flour, water, and dark sugar.

In a large pan, he combined 2 cans of rich coconut cream, 3 cups of water, cubed sweet potatoes (kamote), 1 cup of real ube mash, dark cane sugar, and sweet jackfruit strips (langka). After bringing the creamy mixture to a boil, Forest added tapioca pearls (sago), 1 tbsp of ube extract for that stunning vibrant purple color, his homemade glutinous rice balls, and sliced saba bananas! Simmered until thick and gooey, Forest called Skye for afternoon meryenda, and she declared it "the best sagobe ever!" πŸ†β€οΈ

πŸ›’ The Clean Ingredients & Recipe:
Chewy Rice Balls (Bilo-Bilo): Glutinous rice flour, 1 cup water, and 1 tsp dark sugar rolled into small sticky balls. 🌾

The Creamy Ube Soup Base: 2 cans coconut cream, 3 cups water, 1 cup cubed sweet potatoes, 1 cup purple yam (ube) mash, 1 cup dark cane sugar, and sliced jackfruit (langka). πŸ₯₯πŸ’œ

The Flavor & Texture Boosters: Tapioca pearls (sago), 1 tbsp ube flavor extract, and sliced Filipino saba bananas! 🍌

The Serve: Boil until the rice balls float and the soup becomes thick and glossy, then serve warm in bowls! πŸ₯£βœ¨

10/08/2026

🐟 EPISODE 62: Humongous Kiwi Whitebait Fritters! πŸ‡³πŸ‡Ώβœ¨

Look at the size of that fritter! 🀯 Whānau, 7-year-old Chef Forest is cooking up an iconic New Zealand classic: Traditional Whitebait Fritters on Buttered Toast! 🍳🍞

Forest cracked 4 eggs ("I'm good at breaking eggs!"), did his famous whisking dance, and gently folded in fresh, washed whitebait. Then he dropped a

Pro-Chef Cooking Hack: cooking the fritter in a small pot instead of a big frying pan to get a super thick, perfectly round circle! β­•πŸ”₯

Sizzled with oil and a touch of butter, slid straight onto warm buttered toast, and finished with fresh lemon ("easy peasy lemon squeezy!"), Skye took a bite and declared it "the best whitebait ever!" πŸ†β€οΈ

πŸ›’ The Clean Ingredients & Recipe:
The Base: 4 fresh eggs whisked with salt, black pepper, and washed whitebait. πŸ₯šπŸŸ

The Cook: Fry in 1 splash of oil and 1 k**b of butter in a small pot for that thick, perfectly round shape! 🧈

The Serve: Placed on warm buttered white toast with a fresh lemon squeeze on top! πŸžπŸ‹

09/08/2026

🍜 EPISODE 61: Post-Grocery Noodle Bowls & Duck Feast at Stacks! πŸ¦†πŸ›’βœ¨

The ultimate convenience lunch! 🍜 Shopping makes us hungry, so after stopping by the new Stacks Asian Grocery, Skye the "Foodie Cutie" and 7-year-old Chef Forest refueled right next door at Stacks Noodles! πŸ‡³πŸ‡Ώ

We ordered their $15.80 Roast Duck Noodle Soup and $13.80 Wonton Noodle Soup. Keeping it 100% honest with you guysβ€”while the broth was a little on the subtle side, the roast duck itself was absolute perfection: super juicy, tender, and savory! Forest gave it a thumbs-up 8/10 on the Yum Meter! πŸ†

After filling our bellies, we rolled right back into the supermarket for our weekly mini grocery top-up (had to grab those adorable pig bao buns! 🐷), and the team even gifted us these adorable plushies! What’s your go-to dish after grocery shopping? Tell us below! πŸ‘‡πŸ”₯

πŸ›’ Lunch & Grocery Breakdown:
Roast Duck Noodle Soup: $15.80 (Super juicy, tender roast duck!) πŸ¦†

Wonton Noodle Soup: $13.80 (Plump wontons & chewy egg noodles) πŸ₯Ÿ

Post-Lunch Grocery: Cute pig bao buns & fresh weekly essentials! πŸ·πŸ“¦

08/08/2026

πŸ₯ EPISODE 60: Breakfast at Parnell Farmers Market! πŸ•πŸš²βœ¨

A weekend morning done right! β˜€οΈ Whānau, Skye and 7-year-old Chef Forest took a trip to the Parnell Farmers Market in Auckland for Episode 60 to taste test some of the best local market treats! πŸ‡³πŸ‡Ώ

They kicked things off at Bruno's Pizza watching fresh Neapolitan pizza bake in a mobile wood-fired oven, devoured flaky berry pastries from Philippe's Patisserie, and even hopped on a smoothie-blending bicycle to make their own fresh drinks! Finished with a big bag of sweet & salty kettle corn and browsing fresh organic produce, it was a 10/10 market adventure! πŸ†β€οΈ

πŸ›’ Market Haul Breakdown:
Bruno’s Pizza: Fresh Wood-Fired Margherita Pizza ($20) πŸ•

Philippe's Patisserie: Flaky Berry & Blueberry Danishes ($7 each) πŸ₯πŸ«

Smoothie Hub: Bike-Powered Fresh Fruit Smoothie (FREE!) 🚲πŸ₯€

Market Kettle Corn: Freshly Popped Sweet & Salty Bag ($6) 🍿

Local Organics: Freshly harvested market turnips & greens! πŸ₯¬

07/08/2026

πŸ₯¦ EPISODE 59: Tender Beef & Broccoli with Mushrooms! πŸ₯©βœ¨

"I can eat these small trees for a whole day!" πŸ₯¦πŸ˜‚ 7-year-old Chef Forest is back in the kitchen making a classic, restaurant-quality Beef & Broccoli with Button Mushrooms! πŸ‡³πŸ‡Ώ

Forest shared the ultimate pro-chef secret to getting silky, melt-in-your-mouth stir-fry beef: Velveting! He marinated sliced beef with half tsp baking powder, 1 tbsp cornflour, dark soy sauce, oyster sauce, and a splash of water, mixing it all together with his hands ("ewwy gooey!").

After blanching fresh broccoli florets and sliced mushrooms for 2 minutes, Forest seared the velveted beef in a hot pan with fragrant sesame oil. He tossed in chunky onions and garlic, simmered the dish with half cup of water and a splash of mirin, and folded the blanched veggies and fresh spring onions back into the glossy sauce. Finished with toasted sesame seeds over warm white rice, Skye called it "the best beef broccoli ever!" πŸ†β€οΈ

πŸ›’ The Clean Ingredients & Recipe:

The Velveted Beef: Thinly sliced beef marinated in half tsp baking powder, 1 tbsp cornflour, dark soy sauce, oyster sauce, and a splash of water. πŸ₯©

The Blanched Veggies: Fresh broccoli florets ("small trees!") and sliced button mushrooms blanched for 2 minutes. πŸ₯¦πŸ„

The Aromatics & Sauce: Sliced yellow onions, crushed garlic, sesame oil, half cup water, and a splash of mirin. πŸ§…πŸ§„

The Finish: Fresh sliced spring onions and a generous sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds on top! 🌾✨

05/08/2026

πŸ— EPISODE 58: Crispy Air-Fryer Honey Garlic Chicken! 🍯✨

That golden glaze and loud crunch speak for themselves! πŸ”ŠπŸ”₯ 7-year-old Chef Forest is back in the kitchen making the ultimate crowd-pleaser: Sticky, Crispy Honey Garlic Chicken Thighs made right in the air fryer! πŸ‡³πŸ‡Ώ

Forest started by seasoning bone-in chicken thighs with salt and pepper, then mixed up his special crispy chicken rub using 1 tsp smoked paprika, 1/2 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp cornflour, and 1 tsp garlic powder. After giving the chicken a thorough "rubby rub", he air-fried them until shatteringly crispy and golden brown!

While the chicken cooked, Forest simmered up a rich sauce with honey, fresh lemon juice, butter, soy sauce, minced garlic, and his secret flavor hackβ€”pouring in the rendered chicken oil straight from the air fryer! He spooned the warm honey garlic glaze all over the chicken, and Skye took a big bite, amazed that it stayed super crunchy even under all that sticky, savory sauce! πŸ†β€οΈ

πŸ›’ The Clean Ingredients & Recipe:

The Chicken: Bone-in skin-on chicken thighs seasoned with salt and black pepper. πŸ—

The Crispy Dry Rub: 1 tsp smoked paprika, 1/2 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp cornflour, and 1 tsp garlic powder. πŸ§‚

The Cook: Air-fry until crispy and golden brown! πŸ’¨

The Sticky Honey Garlic Glaze: Honey, fresh squeezed lemon juice, 2 k**bs of butter, soy sauce, minced garlic, and rendered chicken oil from the air-fryer pan! πŸ―πŸ§„πŸ‹

The Finish: Spoon the warm glaze generously over the crispy chicken & serve over warm white rice! 🍚

03/08/2026

🐟 EPISODE 57: Steamed Pompano in Salted Black Bean Sauce! β™¨οΈβœ¨

Listen to that SIZZLE! πŸ”ŠπŸ”₯ 7-year-old Chef Forest is back in the kitchen bringing restaurant-quality seafood straight to your feed with Steamed Pompano in Black Bean Sauce! πŸ‡³πŸ‡Ώ

Known for its melt-in-your-mouth, buttery texture, Forest prepared a whole Pompano fish by stuffing its belly with fresh garlic, onions, and sliced ginger. He laid down a bed of spring onions on aluminum foil, placed the fish on top with more fresh ginger and onions, and sealed it up to steam for 30 minutes!

While steaming, Forest simmered up a rich, savory black bean sauce using half cup water, light soy sauce, fresh lemon juice, salted black beans, fresh coriander, and 1 tsp of sugar. After pouring the glossy sauce over the steamed fish, he topped it with shredded spring onions and poured smoking-hot sesame and vegetable oil over the top for that iconic sizzle! Skye called it "the best pompano ever!" πŸ†β€οΈ

πŸ›’ The Clean Ingredients & Recipe:

The Pompano & Aromatics: 1 whole Pompano fish stuffed and layered with fresh garlic, sliced onions, sliced ginger, and fresh spring onions. πŸŸπŸ§„πŸ§…

The Steam: Wrapped in aluminum foil & steamed for 30 minutes until silky and tender! πŸ’¨

The Black Bean Sauce: half cup water, light soy sauce, fresh lemon juice, rinsed salted black beans, fresh coriander, and 1 tsp sugar simmered until fragrant! πŸ‹πŸŒΏ

The Grand Finish: Fresh spring onions topped with piping-hot sesame oil and vegetable oil for the ultimate sizzle! πŸ«—πŸ”₯

02/08/2026

🍜 EPISODE 56: Pick-Your-Own Hotpot at Sanku Maots'ai! πŸ₯’✨

10/10 ON THE YUM METER! πŸ†πŸ”₯ Whānau, Skye the "Foodie Cutie" and 7-year-old Chef Forest took a night off from cooking in our kitchen to visit Sanku Maots'ai in Botany Junctionβ€”and it was hands-down one of our favorite dinner spots ever! πŸ‡³πŸ‡Ώ

While they offer delicious pre-made bowls on the menu, we went all out with the Pick-Your-Own Hotpot experience! Forest loaded up our bucket with tender meats, fresh seafood (check out that huge squid te****le!), fish balls, bamboo shoots, and noodles. πŸ¦‘πŸ₯©

We paired it all with their signature Mushroom Broth, which was absolute perfectionβ€”so rich, aromatic, and comforting! After mixing up our favorite garlic and chili dipping sauces, we dove straight in. If you're looking for an incredible, interactive hotpot experience in East Auckland, this spot is a MUST! 🍲✨

01/08/2026

πŸ— EPISODE 55: Classic Chicken Adobo & Adobo Rice! πŸ‡΅πŸ‡­βœ¨

Breaking news! πŸŽ™οΈ There's a new yummiest chicken in town! πŸ—πŸ”₯ 7-year-old Chef Forest is back in the kitchen cooking the ultimate national treasure of the Philippines: Classic Chicken Adobo with Garlic Adobo Rice! πŸ‡³πŸ‡Ώ

Forest started by prepping his garlic ("cutting the bum-bum!") and slicing onions, then seared chicken thighs skin-side down until golden brown. He tossed in the onions and garlic, poured in water, dark soy sauce, black peppercorns, bay leaves, 1 tsp of sugar, and vinegar, then covered it to simmer for 30 minutes until tender!

Once the chicken was removed, Forest pulled off the ultimate pro-chef moveβ€”tossing 2 cups of steamed rice directly into the sizzling adobo pan, scraping up all those caramelized pan juices to make rich Adobo Rice! 🍚 Smathered with natural chicken oil and crispy fried garlic, Skye called it "the best classic chicken adobo ever!" πŸ†β€οΈ

πŸ›’ The Clean Ingredients & Recipe:

The Chicken: Bone-in chicken thighs seared skin-side down until golden brown! πŸ—

The Aromatics: Diced onions and lots of minced garlic. πŸ§…πŸ§„

The Adobo Sauce: Water, dark soy sauce, whole black peppercorns, bay leaves, 1​ tsp sugar, and white vinegar. 🌾

The Adobo Rice: 2 cups of cooked white rice mixed right into the pan sauce to soak up all the flavor! 🍚

The Finish: A drizzle of rendering chicken oil and a sprinkle of crispy fried garlic on top! πŸ§„βœ¨

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