In the warmth of a bustling kitchen filled with the aromas of garlic, soy sauce and simmering broth, a young girl once watched her yaya and kusinera prepare feasts fit for her large family. That little girl, often left in the kitchen while the grown-ups partied in the next room, would one day grow up to become one of the country’s most respected culinary figures: Chef Myrna Segismundo.

A childhood of flavor and festivity

The youngest of 10 children, Myrna grew up surrounded by food, family and festivity. “Meals at home were always big,” she said on DAILY TRIBUNE’s Pairfect show. “My parents were party people, so there were always celebrations, either at home in Manila or during fiestas in the province.”

While the adults entertained guests, young Myrna would linger in the kitchen, fascinated by the rhythm of food preparation. “I’d be left behind with my yaya, who was both the kusinera and mayordoma. I didn’t realize it then, but that exposure shaped me.”

Her parents hailed from Lipa, Batangas, a province steeped in culinary tradition. Though born in Manila, Myrna was deeply influenced by Batangas cooking. “Batangas cuisine is heirloom cookery. It’s something to be proud of,” she said with conviction. “The flavor profiles I grew up with still influence my cooking today.”

From accidental choice to culinary calling

Ironically, Chef Myrna’s path to the kitchen began almost by accident. In her senior year of high school, unsure of what course to take, she impulsively followed her seatmate’s answer when asked by the teacher: “HRA.” That fateful moment — choosing Hotel and Restaurant Administration — set her on a lifelong culinary journey.

After graduating from the University of the Philippines, Myrna migrated to New York to work. The experience, she said, taught her speed, precision, and discipline. “When I came back to the Philippines, I noticed I was faster than many people around. That gave me an edge.”

Her early years in the hotel industry were fast-paced and grueling. “It was so stressful that I thought if I stayed five more years, I’d be dead,” she said with a laugh. But the rigorous training she received in New York’s top establishments honed her management and organizational skills, which would serve her well as she transitioned to a different kind of kitchen: corporate dining.

Leading the table

Chef Myrna’s move to corporate dining began at PCI Bank’s in-house restaurant, where she learned the art of keeping a limited clientele excited and engaged. Creativity became a daily requirement. “You had to constantly excite your market. Even if it meant walking on your head, you had to make them feel they were eating something new.”

Her success in this field eventually led her to Restaurant 9501, ABS-CBN’s executive dining establishment, where she cemented her reputation as a culinary innovator and leader. There, she began experimenting with Filipino dishes — adobo, sinigang, lechon kawali — giving them fine-dining flair while preserving their soul.

“Executives would tell me, ‘We’ve had all the French food. Can we have adobo?’ So we elevated Filipino dishes, not to Westernize them, but to show they can stand proudly beside any cuisine,” she explained.

That realization marked a turning point in her career. “At some point, I asked myself: who else is going to promote Filipino cuisine if not us?”

Championing Filipino flavors abroad

In the late 1990s, chef Myrna began representing the Philippines in international food festivals. Yet she noticed a troubling pattern. “Our audience abroad was mostly Filipinos missing home. The locals didn’t come because they didn’t understand our food.”

Determined to change that, she pushed for a more “intelligent” approach to culinary diplomacy. “I said, let’s not just cook. We have to explain our cuisine. We need lectures, demos, talks with the media and academe. We have to educate them about our ingredients and techniques.”

Her efforts eventually aligned with programs from the Departments of Tourism, Foreign Affairs and Trade, shaping what she calls “cultural diplomacy through cuisine.”

Chef Myrna also challenged the so-called “fear factor” marketing of Filipino food. “Why do we always highlight balut and salagubang? Other countries don’t promote their cuisine that way. We should put forward what’s truly good about our food — our history, our culture, our flavors.”

A lifelong advocate for food and writing

After retiring from ABS-CBN, chef Myrna shifted her focus from kitchens to causes, continuing her mission to elevate Filipino cuisine through education, writing, and mentorship.

She co-founded the Doreen Gamboa Fernandez Food Writing Awards (DGF Awards), now on its 22nd year, to encourage better food writing in the Philippines. “It started out of frustration,” she admitted. “We felt the quality of writing was wanting. Doreen was my idol, and we wanted to honor her legacy.”

This year, the awards expanded to include a new category: the Doreen Fernandez Short Food Video Awards, recognizing the power of digital storytelling in promoting culinary culture. “If Doreen were alive today, she’d probably be on social media, too,” Myrna said with a chuckle.

Beyond the awards, chef Myrna and her small but passionate team at the Food Writers Association of the Philippines continue to publish books and organize events that highlight Filipino heritage. Their latest, Café, Coffee, Kape: The Journey of the Coffee Bean from Tree to Cup, explores the country’s rich coffee culture and was launched alongside the DGF Awards last 20 September.

A legacy rooted in flavor and purpose

Even in her so-called “retirement,” chef Myrna remains as busy as ever — planning events, mentoring young chefs, and continuing to give back to the industry that shaped her.

“You give back to the industry that was kind to you,” she said simply. “That’s why I do what I do.”

Her story is one of accidental beginnings, tireless innovation, and enduring love for the flavors of home. For chef Myrna Segismundo, food is more than sustenance — it is heritage, history and heart.

And through her life’s work, she continues to prove that Filipino cuisine is, and always will be, world-class.