FoodTok Icon JM Granado Cooking Up Filipino Food Like You’ve Never Seen Before

JM Granado has been taking comforting Pinoy culinary classics to new and exciting places barely ever imagined before. The home cook turned FoodTok icon has been capturing the imaginations of the online landscape with his unique twists on familiar Filipino dishes. Looking for a warm, savory bowl of sinigang to get through the rainy season? Granado fuses it with the noodles and umami of Japanese ramen. Have some leftover kaldereta taking up space in the fridge? Use it as the protein for a decidedly Pinoy tasting take on the grilled cheese sandwich.

These are just some of the innovations borne of Granado’s intense passion for the flavors from his childhood. “I started cooking because I wanted to recreate the flavors I grew up with which is Filipino cuisine,” said Granado. “Over time it became something more. I started sharing my cooking online during the pandemic and people connected with it.”

Far from just connecting to his recipes, netizens have flocked to JM Granado for continued inspiration in the kitchen. His TikTok account currently has over 130,000 followers, with his most watched video on the website having reached 13.9 million followers. In this video, he presents a brilliant fusion of Pinoy and Chinese flavors with a ginataang vegetable dumpling recipe.

Granado’s passion as a home cook has allowed him to break free from culinary traditions and embrace the creativity allowed by his audience and kitchen. “I like mixing familiar flavors with new ideas. Hindi naman fine-dining level, just food na hind imo aakalain na magma-make sense. Since I’m a home cook, I don’t really follow rules.”

The creativity on display in his dishes remains rooted in a respect for the traditions that he works in though. For example, one of his signature dishes brings a Pinoy twist to an American breakfast favorite: chicken and waffles. Granado swapped out the traditional waffle for a pancake bursting with the sweet flavors of bibingka instead. The combination of familiar flavors in a surprising new form has made bibingka’t chicken a major bestseller at Granado’s restaurant Silid in Mallorca City.

This understanding of tradition but forward-thinking creativity has helped Granado stand out in the online space. On top of his myriad followers, he’s also already collaborated with such major brands as Knorr, Heinz, Selecta, and even Grab. Granado’s expertise and practiced hand at content creation has allowed for fruitful collaborations that fuse share-worthy videos with brand recognition. Each time, he brings a personal touch to each collaboration, creating true, resonant stories that speak to his audience.

Granado has since taken a further step in this online journey as he’s now represented by Sphere Celebrity and Influencer Management. “Now that I’m part of Sphere, sobra akong excited to collaborate more and share bigger stories,” said Granado.

It’s clear that whatever JM Granado’s cooking up in the kitchen, everyone will be rushing to take the first bite.

For further inquiries, contact Sphere Celebrity and Influencer Management at 09178017876 or inquiresphere.ph@gmail.com.