Erik Matti slams Netflix show for 'bad research': 'Is the eel bakasi the most important street food to showcase from our country?'

Director Erik Matti has a lot to say about Netflix's "Street Food," a docu-series that shines the spotlight on the street food culture in nine Asian cities.

The ninth episode delved into the street food of Cebu City.

But the episode left a bad taste in Matti's mouth.

"The #Cebu episode of #StreetFood at @netflixph borders on poverty porn. The dishes except for lechon are food that are not really a staple of Filipinos. All the other Asian countries had their classic world-renowned street food while we had...bizarre," he said in a post in Instagram.

"Bad research. There are hundreds of original Filipino street food and they chose to show an esoteric eel dish and a goddamn Chinese fried vegetable lumpia!" he added.

 

 

 

 

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The #Cebu episode of #StreetFood at @netflixph borders on poverty porn. The dishes except for lechon are food that are not really a staple of Filipinos. All the other Asian countries had their classic world-renowned street food while we had...bizarre. Bad research. There are hundreds of original Filipino street food and they chose to show an esoteric eel dish and a goddamn chinese fried vegetable lumpia! Whada?@ck!

A post shared by erikmatti (@erikmatti) on

Apr 29, 2019 at 12:18am PDT

Matti's post was met by angry netizens, who pointed out that the episode meant to focus specifically on Cebu, not Manila or the entire country.

The director defended himself in a Twitter thread, saying that he never said ell bakasi, and other Cebu food is not good.

Twitter world. Pls dont put words in my mouth. I am not saying eel bakasi is not good. I am not saying Cebu food is not good. I love Cebu food. The eel bakasi is just not IDENTIFIABLY regarded as a quintessential Filipino street food that can represent our food to the world.

— Erik Matti (@ErikMatti) April 29, 2019

"I love Cebu food. The eel bakasi is just not IDENTIFIABLY regarded as a quintessential Filipino street food that can represent our food to the world," he said.

"The question I wanted to ask was: Given all street food in Cebu and the entire Philippines, is the eel bakasi the best and most important street food to showcase from our country to the world?" he asked.

He added that he felt that Ilocano friend empanada would have been a better dish to feature.

"I don’t think it would hurt to choose a generally regarded Filipino street food to best represent our country to the rest of the world," he said.

"Street Food Asia" premiered on Netflix on April 26. — LA, GMA News