TLC invites viewers to get their fulfillment with the new special Food Buddha, featuring Chef Rodelio Aglibot. In each of the two half-hour episodes, Rodelio visits three restaurants in a single city and orders “OOE” – one of each – from the menu. Along with a local food guide, he will take a culinary journey through the restaurant’s culinary offerings, sampling everything and learning the chef’s personal story. Finally, full and inspired, the Food Buddha returns to his own restaurant, Chicago’s Sunda, to create a brand-new dish. Food Buddha premieres Monday, June 14 at 10 & 10:30 PM.
In the premiere at 10 PM, Rodelio visits the food-lover’s paradise New Orleans, where he is joined by a local fireman who acts as his food guide to the best of the city’s restaurants. Together, they visit K-Joe’s, serving up authentic creole cuisine, Baru Bistro, with Latin & Caribbean tapas, and “New Orleans” style BBQ from Squeal. At 10:30 PM, the Food Buddha heads to west to eat his way through San Francisco. With the guidance of local chef Ryan Scott, they visit The Tipsy Pig, an American gastro-tavern, Bocadillos, specializing in West Coast Basque cuisine, and seafood restaurant Nettie’s Crab Shack.
Food Buddha on TLC
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See more footage here
More about Food Buddha (Chef Rodelio Aglibot)
Everyday of his career and life, Chef Rodelio Aglibot listens to the voices of his parents and mentors. “Follow your heart, cook for the love and you will be loved, a great chef doesn’t create great dishes..a great chef inspires great chefs”, these are the thoughts that echo through his head. Chef Rodelio knows he was blessed with a gift and spends his days honoring his profession and gaining experience and knowledge to enlighten his life and his career as a Chef. As a first generation Filipino American growing up in his native Hawaii, Rodelio Aglibot got his first inkling that his true love in life would be cooking. He credits his parents as his early culinary mentors, his father, Reggie, a retired chef and his mother, Sally, a great cook in her own right. Rodelio says it was his upbringing and family traditions that influence his affinity and creativity in the kitchen.
After attending UCLA, he pursued his culinary aspirations at the City College of San Francisco’s Hotel and Restaurant Program. An instructor encouraged him to apply for the prestigious Chef’s Apprenticeship Program at the Greenbrier Resort, located in West Virginia. Rodelio’s acceptance into the program at Greenbrier was the most important experience of his career and where he was introduced to “real” cooking and classical techniques. He was soon involved in five restaurant openings over a span of three years, most notably the E & O Trading Company, a Pan-Asian restaurant under the direction of chefs Joyce Goldstein and Gary Woo. Rodelio credits Joyce Goldstein and the late Barbara Tropp as influential Chefs that imparted wisdom and confidence. Little did he realize that he would one day own his own restaurant, Yi Cuisine, which opened in Los Angeles in June 2004 to critical acclaim, and was named by Food and Wine as one of the “Best New Asian Restaurants” in the United States and a glowing 2-star review from the LA Times.
His accent into the elite level of Chefs notably started as the Opening Executive Chef of the celebrity studded and juggernaut, Koi Restaurant in Los Angeles, Rodelio earned his stars for creating an innovative menu of Asian dishes; blending bright flavors with an array of textures and temperatures. Garnering the Hollywood spotlight, Rodelio also established him as a respected and personable chef; focusing on traditional Japanese ingredients with an essence of French technique and Californian style. He was also a founder in a specialty seafood company in San Francisco, Ahi Bros; distributing tuna to the finest dining destinations in the world. Rodelio has received numerous accolades and peer recognition for his work; he was invited to cook at the prestigious James Beard House in October 2004 as Chef/Owner of Yi Cuisine and in July 2003 as the Chef of Koi.
Sounds like a cool show!
http://schemamag.ca
Hubby and I just saw the New Orleans episode and now watching the one in San Francisco. We’re glued to the TV … absolutely love the show! The concept is great and Chef Rodelio is very engaging and funny. We hope to see more of Chef Rodelio and Food Buddha!
Wow this guy is AWESOME!! I want to go to the restaurants with him and eat!!! THAT is the way to eat! Buddha I’ll eat with you dear!! Absolutely wild!!
I must have the list of places Chef went to in New Orleans. Please sent me the names! YOU ROCK!!!
I’m an aspiring chef from Toronto and just got back from Chicago 3 weeks ago from a vacation! I should have seen this show much earlier! I really want to meet Chef Rodelio Aglibot and try his restaurant and maybe order an O.O.E.!
I just saw your San Francisco episode! You guys gotta do a show in Toronto and I’ll gladly show you around the best food joints Toronto can offer and eat with you! I can’t wait to talk about this show in my 8 am culinary class tomorrow!
If you can’t do a show here in Toronto…. I might just end up coming to Chicago again and go to SUNDA!!! See you soon!
The “Food Buddha” is the worst food related TV show ever. It is a total insult to the name Buddha. Sampling food is one thing; ordering everything on the menu for two person and wasting food is another. There are many people starving in the world. Real foodie appreciate food, not wasting food like what he did.
What an insult to not only the Lord Buddha, A great teacher, but to millions of Buddhist in the world! This over weight glutten has taken the name of the Buddha, and he is so ignorant does not even know the Buddha was a trim fit man of moderation, he is so confusesd as who the Buddha is and Ho Tai as Chinese Buddhist monk seen as a statue in many Asian restauarants and shops, This man is a let down to TLC and the community as a whole, Yea! lets make a show and call it The food Christ, cooking with Jesus the son of Gods table, Hey Jesus whats cooking
Man you are a mess dude, the nerve calling yourself a Buddha! you have insulted millions and yourself, you are far from that man, what a horrable person, so ignorant!!!
I have several close affiates that are Buddhist. I recently had the misforturne of happening across a food show, on what is obviously mistakenly called the Learnig Channel, called Food Buddah. Did I hear this right, did the learning channel really broadcast a show that refers to a fat, gluttonenous, poorly articulate, silly little bald man, as Buddah? Do you realize how insulting this is, on so very many levels? I wonder how well received that manuscript would have been had it been called the Food Jehovah or Food Pope or Food Christ. I would take a serious look into the brains behind choices like this. And on the Learning Channel, for shame. Lorraine
what was the name of the first restaurant he went to in San Fran?
i WISH I SAW IT!…Look what he does for the economy…….go food budda..i am sure no food went to waste..too many by standers and production crew…cant wait to see it!
The first place in SF is The Tipsy Pig. All the restaurants are in the article above.
How can I get the recipie for the Pork Cakes.Hey,Buddah was also all encompassing of his love and non judgemental.You folks are too worried about little things.The name of the show is what caught my attention and I appreciate his lust for food.Aloha Chef.
I have seen it all now, what kind of looser uses a blessed name as the Buddha, the nerve! you have insulted yourself and millions of others, i will spread the word to all what a mess you are!
Oh yes! and tune into my show! Food Jesus, the son of God where me and Dad (God) will be cooking up hevenly delights! Just as insulting yes?
Guess what Cathe, we are not Buddhas and nether is he, and its not a little thing! to use the name of Buddha is a huge insult! You miss the point!
How can I get the receip to the pork cakes featured on the June 15, 2010 show from San Francisco? Thanks
Watched the Food Buddah last night! LOVED IT! Am from New Orleans and was SOOOOO excited to see our great city showcased on the opening show!
Will definately be watching this show!
MEGA KUDOS to Chef Rodelio Aglibot!
I can not belive there are positive comments for this glutton of a man who uses a spiritual name, The Buddha, to describe himself! what a blasphemer! How can any one find any thing positive in this man or his show? His gluttonenous ways of ordering the entire menu is shamful in it self, but to compare him self with the Buddha!! For shame, who would speak positive of this fraud? so ,yes i guess it would be ok then for the food Christ, cooking with Jesus, according to these folks, why not? lets not worrie about such little things! Man! just when I thought I had seen it all, the TLC should look into itself as well.
No disrespect to any religion. I just don’t understand why all this negative comments about the man who is trying to make a living. First his not comparing himself to the Buddha. Second his not a fraud his just a chef. Third its a food show and its not about any religion but most of you seem to hate Christians.
Fourth he is not a looser… a lot of people have used the name Buddha to their establishments, music, alias, and like the example its a selling point for a catchy name…no insult to that…yes its sacred and its in the grey area but please understand its just a show…nothing more…nothing less….and most of all no disrespect…
how about posting the recipes from each episode
Wow…all this hate! It’s just MARKETING people!!
Get over your bad selves!!
can you email me the reciepe for Nawlin’s pork cakes and Buddha’s reciepe for pork cakes also thank you and what day dose your show air, i would like to record it,
Hey his show is like Guy Big Bite, Just a drifferent name, Loved the show, Stop hatin all you people out there why put someone down becus of a name, Your no better, christian or other affilation, has nothing to do with with this show just food , so get over it all ready, I like to go on his show and give him one of my family reciepes, Good Luck with your show Buddah!!!!!!
we don’t have the recipes, but we hear it is re-airing on June 28, 2010.
Enjoyed the show in New Orleans. I was there in Sept 09. Wish I knew of some of the restaurants you visited. Would love to try to recreate the reciepe for Nawlin’s pork cakes and Buddha’s reciepe for pork cakes. Any chance of getting both recipies? Thank you.
Kathleen
San Diego
I want to marry this man, or just hug him. I loved the show. Want more.
I understand the hurt feelings that many of you have expressed concerning the name of the show but I know Rod to be a kind, caring person and juding him so harshly because of the show’s name is very cruel and unjust. The show is wonderful and gives us a glimpse of some wonderful cities and some of their finest eateries and gives us a full look at their entire menu…WOW how cool is that. Then it’s great to see how Chef Rod brings his own style to some of his favorite finds. Great job Chef Rod and his parents for their support.
I am a Buddhist and in no way was I offended by the name of this show or by Chef Rod. I loved the show and enjoyed it very much and I must say that its marketing ploy was very well aimed. Had I not seen the name, I may well have not watched. What a wonderful show. Rod was such a fun and happy chef, who enjoys life and food. It was so nice to watch someone who does this. I would love to visit his restaurant. He reminded me of Hotei.
Am just guessing, but looks like a pork belly, which he seared in a wok with 2 T oil, sea salt and black pepper. Then braised in roasting pan (covered w/ aluminum foil) w/rice vinegar, soy, shallots, garlic, curry leaves? Maybe 2 hrs. Then, pork was shredded, and he added chili flakes, brown sugar, fish sauce, green onions?, shallots and cilantro. Fried this in a pan with 2 T oil. Topped with a salad of red cabbage, red onions, carrots and cilantro. Again guessing, the salad dressing may have been rice vinegar, sugar and salt.
Folks, I work in one of the restaurants the Food Buddha visited (K-Joe’s in New Orleans). He did order one of everything, but what you don’t see is that he tried a few bites of each item and then shared with everyone else in the restaurant. We have dozens of things on the menu, there’s simply no way one or two people can eat EVERYTHING and they didn’t try to. Both he and Fireman Mike (his host) ate a normal amount of food while they were there.
Patrons who were lucky enough to be there when we were filming got a free meal courtesy of the Food Buddha and got to try lots of things they ordinarily wouldn’t.
We didn’t mind making one of everything on the menu–Chef Joey is proud of his food–and there wasn’t any more waste than normal from this.
If you’re worried about gluttony and wasted food in restaurants–order what you will eat, and if you can’t finish it, ask for a to-go box.
Did this show get cancelled? Cant find it in the listings any more.. It was a great show.
the show is only a special right now. it may become a series based on rating.
For the person so deeply offended by the use of Buddha, please remember that Buddha was a man not a god and never aspired or pretended to be. It is not “sacrilegious” as anyone can become a Buddha if he or she attains enlightenment, which is what Buddha was all about. I’m pretty sure he’d laugh and take it as a compliment
Please study the issue before commenting.
I thought this show was great. Religious questions aside (and for shame to you who made a big deal of it) my attention was caught by the name. Then I heard what the show was about, watched one episode and was so captivated I stayed up late and watched the other one. I had a blast. I think Chef Rodelio should be proud of his concept and his ability to rethink a fabulous recipe into something that suits his own restaurant. I think OOE is a catchy concept (although I shudder to think of the bill he paid at the end of the evening) and seeing food trends actually inspired me to try a few new recipes of my own. The chicken pot pie especially. Talk about excellent eats!
Kudos to Chef Rodelio. I hope to see you again.
is this show canceled? I only manage to watch the first 2 episodes?
I thought the show was great,people need to get over them selves. It only takes a few people in this world to ruin it for the rest of us.Maybe people need to worry about them selves and not try to police everything for everyone else.BRING HIM BACK!