'I want people to sip something distinctly Filipino': How Pinoy Liquido Maestro pours pride, culture, and native ingredients into every bottle

Kalel Demetrio, known in the industry as the Liquido Maestro, is on a mission to put indigenous Filipino ingredients on the global bar. In an interview with SBS Filipino, he opens up about his passion for uplifting local farmers, preserving Indigenous knowledge, and introducing the world to the rich, often overlooked flavours of the Philippines.

Kalel Demetrio is a passionate advocate for foraging, native botanicals, and the Slow Food Movement in the Philippines.

Key Points

• Demetrio is a visionary mixologist and the creative force behind Destileria Barako, the Filipino craft distillery known for bold, proudly local spirits like Ube Cream Liqueur, Kanto, and Agimat.
• As a passionate advocate of the Slow Food Movement in the Philippines, he works closely with communities to rediscover and celebrate native botanicals, foraged herbs, and forgotten flavours.
• While visiting Australia, he shared his curiosity for local bush tucker and Indigenous fruits — hoping to find common ground between Filipino and Australian native ingredients.

LISTEN TO THE PODCAST

Timpla at sangkap na sariling atin, paano ipinapakilala ng isang Pinoy mixologist sa buong mundo

SBS Filipino

48:14Filipino

The Philippines is home to a treasure trove of native botanicals, many of which remain unknown to the world. But a growing movement led by artisans like Kalel Demetrio, also known as the Liquido Maestro, is changing that.

Kalel Demetrio distilling Lambanog in Quezon Province. Source: Supplied

From sampaguita to ylang-ylang, from wild ginger to rare citrus, Kalel brings forgotten local ingredients to the global stage, one cocktail at a time.

Rooted in heritage and driven by innovation, Kalel Demetrio and Siggy Bacani are are working in parallel to make Filipino flavours part of the global palate, and the global conversation. Source: Supplied

Dive deep into the world of Philippine craft spirits with Kalel Demetrio and Siggy Bacani. Listen to the podcast for the full conversation.

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