I’ve known Bebo for a little over a year now, and he is one of the easiest people to talk to. He may seem a bit quiet at the start: soft-spoken and kind. But this musically inclined man not only makes some kick-ass music, but he also cooks one mean pot of chili.

I’m not much of a fan of beans. I find them starchy and they make me gassy most of the time. I rarely eat beans, so you could say Bebo’s Chili is perhaps the only exception.

The first time I tried Bebo’s chili was in a potluck dinner with friends in their Ayala Alabang home. I think I ate the most number of bowls because when everyone else was getting dessert, I was still getting more chili. It goes really well with tortilla chips, but I love eating the chili on its own. What I like about the chili is that it has this tingly effect that literally warms up your belly. Very delicious.

Bebo’s Chili isn’t the spicy kind that makes you want to reach out for a glass of milk to extinguish the burning flame on your tongue. It’s loaded with tomatoes, beer, cayenne pepper, and dark chocolate. And given this bipolar weather, there’s no other dish I’d dream of snuggling with on a rainy day.

Bebo also told me that he used to be quite anal about the cooking process, leaving the beans to soak overnight for a full-blasted flavor and a better bite. But for this batch of chili, he opted to use canned beans because not only because they’re easier to prepare, but also because they make you less gassy as compared to organic ones. Sounds perfect for me.

His wife, Nikki of The Green Grocer, is indeed quite lucky to have bagged herself a husband who makes music and cooks good food. Bebo mentioned something about his winner steaks and fabada, which is a white bean stew flavored with smoky meats such as pancetta, etc. Hmmm, I don’t think it’ll be long before you see him featured on the website again.

Let’s collaborate! If you have an original recipe that you’d want to have featured in Pepper.ph, send it to us at hello@pepper.ph, and we’ll get in touch.