For over six decades, MAYA has been a trusted name in Filipino kitchens, synonymous with home cooking, baking, and culinary education. Today, the brand ushers in a new chapter with the revival of The Maya Kitchen Culinary Elite, a special cooking demonstration series that highlights heritage Filipino ingredients and reintroduces them to a new generation through contemporary techniques and storytelling.
Originally launched in 2010 and held until 2016, the Culinary Elite program returns with renewed purpose: to strengthen connections with regional food producers, celebrate Filipino culinary traditions, and inspire home cooks to rediscover the richness of the local pantry.
“For decades, MAYA has been part of Filipino family traditions, from breakfast hotcakes to first baking experiences in the kitchen,” said Ernesto Fajardo, President of Liberty Commodities Corporation. “Reviving The Maya Kitchen Culinary Elite allows us to strengthen that legacy by working closely with chefs and storytellers who share our passion for promoting Filipino culinary education and innovation.”
A Legacy of Culinary Education
Since its introduction in 1962 with the pioneering hotcake mix, MAYA has become a household staple, expanding into a wide range of baking and pantry essentials. Its culinary arm, The Maya Kitchen, continues to champion food education through short courses, lifestyle classes, and now, the revived Culinary Elite program.
Maya Kitchen consultant Nina Daza Puyat emphasized the program’s role in shaping Filipino culinary culture, “The Maya Kitchen has always been about sharing knowledge and teaching Filipinos how to cook confidently at home. The Culinary Elite program allows us to promote and preserve our food heritage while adapting it for the next generation of home cooks.”
Collaboration Rooted in Heritage
The revival is made possible through a creative partnership with FEATR, the food storytelling platform founded by Erwan Heussaff. Together, MAYA and FEATR spotlight regional ingredients and the communities behind them, encouraging mindful cooking and a deeper appreciation of Filipino food traditions.
Heussaff’s featured concept, “Not-So Modern Filipino Pantry,” reimagines heritage ingredients through modern, accessible recipes. Among the highlighted staples are:
- Asin Tultol – rare cooked sea salt from Guimaras
- Gamet – hand-harvested dried seaweed from Cagayan
- Pudpod – smoked fish patty from Eastern Samar
- Sukang Paombong – nipa palm vinegar from Bulacan
- Pakaskas – buri palm sugar from Batangas
- Kinuday – smoked meat from the Cordilleras
These ingredients, rooted in tradition, are reframed as versatile pantry staples for today’s kitchens, bridging heritage flavors with contemporary creativity.
Celebrating the Culinary Elite
Over the years, The Maya Kitchen Culinary Elite has featured some of the country’s most respected chefs and restaurateurs, including Glenda Barretto, Claude Tayag, JP Anglo, Jessie Sincioco, Tatung Sarthou, Chele Gonzales, and the late Margarita Forés. With its revival, MAYA once again places Filipino chefs, ingredients, and culinary storytelling at the forefront of its mission, ensuring that the traditions that shaped Filipino cooking continue to inspire the kitchens of today and tomorrow.
For recipes and a list of upcoming cooking classes:
Website: https://themayakitchen.com
The Maya Kitchen Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/themayakitchencac
The Maya Kitchen Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/themayakitchencac/
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