Hollywood actress and entrepreneur Gwyneth Paltrow gave Filipino fans a delightful surprise when she shared a video of herself cooking a classic Filipino breakfast — pork tocino with eggs and rice — on Instagram.
Posted on 6 April as an Instagram Reel, the video opens with a clip from The New York Times Cooking website, showing the recipe she followed, authored by professional cook Romel Bruno.
The recipe highlights tocino as a sweet, cured pork dish popular in the Philippines, served any time of the day. Although the word "tocino" comes from the Spanish term for bacon, the Filipino version is uniquely its own, often made with pork, chicken, or beef.
Instead of using store-bought tocino, Paltrow marinated the pork slices herself, aiming to bring out the authentic sweet and savory flavors of the dish. While waiting for the meat to soak in the flavors, she fried sunny-side-up eggs and prepared cauliflower rice — a healthier substitute for the traditional garlic fried rice.
In her caption, she wrote, "Tried my hand at making pork tocino this morning — sweet, savory, and incredibly flavorful. Brad requested cauliflower rice for a carb light #boyfriendbreakfast."
She was referring to her husband, Brad Falchuk, a TV writer, director, and producer, with whom she's been married for six years.
Though some netizens questioned whether the dish was indeed Filipino tocino, given that Spain and Latin American countries also have variations of cured pork called "tocino," the recipe's source and preparation clearly referenced the Filipino version.
With her fresh, health-conscious take on this beloved comfort food, Paltrow has charmed not just her fans, but also Filipino celebrities and food lovers alike.