It's a theory I've heard a lot, that Filipinos don't support Filipino restaurants. I don't think that's true on the whole, but I do think there's people that convincing. It may be the older generation; it may be a generational gap. It may be the difference between being born in the Philippines and being born in the US. But I think it's more complex than that.

There's a lot of pressure and significance that we put on food as Filipinos.

AC: It's us. It's like saying, This is me on a plate.

Mia Alvar, the Filipino author of the short story collection In the Country, said in an interview that she initially shied away from including too much food in her stories about Filipinos. Ultimately, she said, she couldn't be disingenuous. For one thing, it's something that brings people together. Food is a key tool for Filipino immigrants.

AC: Using food to care for somebody is a very human trait. I don't think it's unique to immigrants, or even to Filipinos. It's just something that Filipinos in particular have adopted, especially in these restaurants. You go in and you feel part of the family.

Right. Food is how we get to know each other — Oh, this is your recipe for fruit salad? This is my recipe for mango supreme. We kind of trade in that and we form our bonds.

AC: It gives us a connection to fellow Filipinos and Filipino-Americans. We can say, we both enjoy this, this is some version of what we both grew up with, it's some version of ourselves — even more so when we're connecting with a non-Filipino. I can say: This is a version of me, this is a version of my history, what I grew up with, and you should try it. If you don't like it, that's OK. I have twenty other dishes for you to try.

That's the reason why I interviewed so many different kinds of chefs and restaurants. The more Filipino food you have, the more you understand it. And this film is by no means a bible to Filipino food. If anything, it's just an attempt at opening the door and saying, Here are some places you should try. Keep an open mind and see what you think. It's so difficult to explain Filipino food to somebody. You just have to eat it.