Words and Photos by Karl Angelo G. de los Santos
“People say it’s the best they have tried ever. Maybe I’m lucky that what’s good for me is good for most. And the beef is always tender. Tender enough that, as they bite slowly the flavor oozes and it’s very tasty but not overpowering”, this is how Chef Bambi Lichauco describes his Salpicao as he echoes the sentiments of this writer as well.
Exactly a year ago in March 2014, Chef Bambi (LSGH 82) was given the green signal to open up a small table space at the Saturday Salcedo Market held every Saturday from 7 AM to 2 PM all year round except Black Saturday of Lent and dangerous calamity warnings. For safety precautions for the clients and the vendors as well.
With over 500 vendors waiting in line for a “stall vacancy”, Chef Bambi feels lucky to have been given the opportunity to share the taste of his salpicao to the residents living in the Salcedo village condominiums, the Barangay Bel-Air community, and other people from far-away places as well.
In a website for tourists, it says that the Salcedo Saturday Market “offers and sells food fresh, cooked and/or easy to heat at home and other items for the house as well as garden plants. It was conceptualized more than a decade ago by the Kapitana of Barangay Bel-Air with a big help from a group of residents from Salcedo village condos that belongs to Barangay Bel-Air too. The objective was to bring out the residents of the condos and to meet each other. They figured, how else can one lure them on a Saturday rest day weekend. So the idea of food and shopping gave the organizing committee the idea. And the weekend market was born”.
“So in short, the Salcedo market is a place to buy, eat, and meet friends or see long lost friends. It’s has been featured too in National Geographic 500 places to visit in the world for A must-visit food market place”.
Chef Bambi recalls “thought of joining and to sell only one item. And no one was offering that item there at the time – my Salpicao and of course fried rice as people and friends would encourage me and say there’s nothing like it and will surely sell. So why not? I applied and waited for more than a year”.
“Whenever someone asks, I also take the opportunity to share with the customers the wonders of my Rocket stove. This revolutionary burner delivers high-pressure blue flame that gives you heat to seal in the flavors of whatever you are cooking and cook faster.”
It was very practical for me to sell at the Salcedo Market because it is very close to my home. Very convenient and practical. Especially I have only 1 inventory to sell. THE SALPICAO!
So next Saturday, do drop by the stall of Chef Bambi Lichauco at the Saturday Salcedo Community Market located at Jaime Velasquez Park in Salcedo Village, Makati. It’s a place to buy, a place to see and to be seen.
Editor’s Note: Chef Bambi Lichauco passed away July 22, 2021. Condolences to his family and loved ones. He will be missed by his AnimoMagazine family.
