Filipino Chef Gets Oprah's Notice

CHICAGO, Ill. -– “I am not financially well-off, but I am rich in experience. So I want to give something back to our less fortunate countrymen,” Chicago-based Filipino American chef Ron Bilaro says of his trip to the Philippines this November to help raise funds for the Gawad Kalinga (GK) project for the poor.

Bilaro will travel to Manila with his mentor Art Smith, private chef to Oprah Winfrey. Ron also cooks for the entertainment mogul as sous-chef to Smith, who has his own children’s foundation, Common Threads. Smith was inspired to team up with Ron, and visit the Philippines after learning of the latter’s charity work.

After the White House named Filipino American Cristeta Pasia Comerford as its executive chef, a sense of kinship among Pinoy chefs in the U.S. was established. One of those who emerged from anonymity is Bilaro. He invited this reporter to his hip residence near the heart of Wicker Park’s yuppie village. Ron’s digs, which offers a stunning view of the Chicago skyline, is surrounded by upscale restaurants, which he visits often to try out new tastes.

Chicago’s Fil-Am community learned of Bilaro’s high-flying culinary stint after visiting actress Sharon Cuneta introduced him to the audience during her hit concert last May. At his own stage -- the kitchen that is – Bilaro has been earning raves from his well-heeled clients, including an old rich family and an international hotelier. As a personal chef to Chicago's corporate families, he whips up culinary concoctions that are delicious to the taste as they are delightful to the sight.

At the recently concluded Chicago Air Show, Ron was busy cooking for a corporate family whose guests included television producers and reporters.

In one of those private parties, he caught the fancy of author and celebrity chef Art Smith, who happens to be the private chef of Oprah. From there, the two forged a working relationship, such that whenever Art Smith needs assistance, he calls on Bilaro.

During Oprah’s grand 50th birthday celebration, Bilaro flew from Chicago to Montecito, California to join a few more chefs in creating a menu worthy of the grand dame of American entertainment.

Since his fortuitous meeting with Art Smith, Bilaro has had his share of “Oprah moments.” However, he is prudent enough to protect his client’s privacy. He only goes as far as describing her as “a wonderful person and very down-to-earth.” She likes crispy quesadillas, and has not tried bagoong or kare-kare just yet


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