Miss Universe 2022 R’Bonney Gabriel caught Filipinos’ attention after she ate bagoong or fermented shrimp paste without pairing it to other dishes while staying in Boracay.
The Filipino-American beauty queen on Tuesday posted a video of herself eating Filipino food in Coast Boracay Hotel with the caption:
“Eating way too good at @coastboracay #boracay #filipinofood”
In the clip, the half-Pinay showed various meals like bangus, kare-kare, shrimp and crab.
She also showed a bowl of bagoong, which she said “looks so good.”
“Honestly, I can eat it by itself,” R’Bonney said. She later had a spoonful of the sauce, which appeared to have chunks of meat inside.
@rbonneynola Eating way too good at @coastboracay #boracay #filipinofood ♬ original sound – rbonneynola
The beauty queen’s love for bagoong caught the attention of some Pinoys, who expressed their reactions in the comments.
“Pinapak ‘yung bagoong,” a TikTok user wrote with a crying emoji.
“She can eat it without a rice,” another user wrote with a flushed face emoji.
“I have never seen anyone indulge bagoong by itself, let alone a Miss Universe!! But I’m here for it!” a different user exclaimed with a heart emoji.
“Ginawang champorado ‘yung bagoong, mi,” another Pinoy commented. Champorado is a rice pudding variation that uses chocolate or tablea.
“Wow! Parang dessert lang ’yung bagoong ah,” a different user wrote.
“Bagoong mukbang, beautiful queen,” another Pinoy commented.
Bagoong is a Filipino condiment consisting of fermented fish or shrimp paste known for its strong flavor and distinctive aroma.
It is usually used to flavor dishes like kare-kare and pinakbet and as a dip for grilled or fried dishes. It is also used to give flavor to unripe mangoes.
R’Bonney recently hosted the Miss Universe Philippines 2024 coronation on May 22 at the SM Mall of Asia Arena, along with Emmy award-winning TV personality Jeannie May, actors Alden Richards and Gabbi Garcia and multi-media personality Tim Yap.
READ: R’Bonney Gabriel’s ‘Pinoy’ humor shines in invite to watch MUPH 2024 coronation night | Who’s who: Performers, hosts for Miss Universe Philippines 2024 coronation
She has been in the country since last month for “special projects,” which include modeling and guesting appearances.
The beauty queen has also been sharing her vacation in Boracay this week.
READ: ‘Loko!’: R’Bonney Gabriel’s father’s fashionable scarf steals spotlight in beach video
R’Bonney’s father is a Filipino who immigrated to the United States and married an American.