After an unexpected hiatus from acting, Kapuso actress Mikee Quintos is back on screen, this time in a new role as host of GTV’s cooking show, ‘Lutong Bahay.’
In a press conference held at Limbaga 77 in Quezon City on October 25, 2024, Quintos shared her challenges during her time away from acting and her excitement for her new hosting gig.
Following her last TV project, ‘The Write One,’ Quintos felt the sting of missing the acting world. “No naman. Yung takot, more on takot yung naramdaman ko. Kasi mahal ko yung ginagawa ko, e, yung trabaho ko, yung pag-arte,” she said. “Feeling ko, yung pinaka-negative na na-feel ko, nainggit ako na nag-aaral ng script si Paul, ako hindi. Nagkaroon kasi ng time na ganun, na parang nag-aaral siya ng script…”
During this period, Quintos admitted to feeling the weight of her career break. “Papunta dun, oo, aaminin ko, nandun na. Although, hindi naman full yung reason, like, dinecide ko sa sarili ko unahin yung school, na mag-focus sa school. Sabi ko, yun muna ang focus ko talaga. Tapos, kasi for the longest time, akala ko ang nagpapatagal sa school is work, totoo naman din. Pero inisip ko, baka mas mapabilis, matatapos na yung school pag nag-focus ako doon. Pero na-realize ko nung ginawa ko, hindi din ako nakapag-focus dun, e. Kasi yung utak ko, nami-miss kong umarte. Yun, nami-miss ko. Tapos yun, nag-overthink ako naman. Tapos akala ko mawawala na, hindi ko na magagawa,” she said. But with the support of Salas, who was by her side throughout, Quintos managed to work through these challenging emotions. She also chose to focus on her studies but found that she still missed her craft.
Known for being in a stable four-year relationship with Salas, Mikee said that her boyfriend’s encouragement helped her face these challenges. “Hindi or never ko naman na-feel na magsisi ng ibang tao, or sisihin yung network, sisihin yung manager. Wala akong na-feel na ganoon,” she clarified. “Kasi feeling ko, sa pagpapalaki ng magulang ko, ganoon na din sa akin, ako, ugali ko, una kong sisisihin sarili ko. Yun ako, sarili ko.”
Excited to dive into her new role, Quintos shared how Lutong Bahay has been an uplifting experience, with the show teaching her various recipes alongside a team of talented chefs. Though she expressed some sadness about not being able to cook her late grandmother’s favorite recipes, Mikee is eager to share her culinary passion with her fans.
As for Salas, he already has a request lined up — his favorite tinolang manok, which Mikee promised to make. ‘Lutong Bahay’ airs daily at 5:45 p.m. on GTV, where viewers can catch Mikee exploring Filipino cuisine and honing her skills in the kitchen.
