The first Filipino master carver of the renowned Spanish Iberico ham was showcased at the recent Madrid Fusion Manila International Gastronomy Expo.
Professional Maestro Cortador Michael Lopez Teves prepared thin slices of the Iberico Ham inside the Spanish stalls of the convention grounds as he talked about how an Iberian pig became a high quality ham by having the breed feed on acorn.
The Madrid-based Filipino works at Cinco Jotas, an authentic Iberico Ham producer in Spain where he started as a waiter back in 2000. The Maestro Cortador there found potential in his skills and trained him as an apprentice.
Teves talked to DZRH News about teaching the correct slicing technique to people who buy the Spanish ham. He says that slicing paper thin slices of Iberico ham is “like playing a violin and every parts of the ham has different techniques in cutting.”
The Inquirer reports about how Teves’ business card proudly reads: MCF Maestro Cortador Filipino, “the first Filipino master carver of Iberico ham in the history of the world.”
The Marikina City native shared to media his pleasure at presenting the art of slicing in front of his fellow Filipinos at the Madrid Fusion Manila.
