Bretman Rock recently showcased Filipino food in a limited-edition collaboration.
The Filipino-American online star partnered with the Los Angeles-based Pinoy restaurant Big Boi and the food delivery service Postmates for School Lunch with Bretman Rock, which is in celebration of Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month.
It comes with a serving of tortang talong, which Bretman Rock said is his favorite packed lunch to bring to school.
"Growing up in Hawaii, everyone at the cafeteria table was lucky because we all had something special in our lunchbox. And my favorite school lunch of all time was tortang talong. It's egg beaten with eggplant and served with rice," he said in a video posted on his Instagram page.
"I would eat it every day for breakfast and still beg my mom to pack it for lunch. Girl, I could not get enough," he added.
Bretman Rock went on to share an empowering message to his fans.
"Now that I'm older and cuter, Filipino cuisine is more than just my comfort food, it's an extension of my identity," he said.
"To the kids who didn't share my positive experiences, remember something: when you let people have opinions about your food, it's no different than letting them have an opinion about who you are. If they don't get it, they don't get it. More food for you, girl."
BigBoi's take on tortang talong also includes seasoned ground beef aside from the usual egg and eggplant. It is served with garlic rice and house-made banana ketchup.
The meal, which was stored in a Bretman Rock-themed metal lunchbox, was available for a limited time on BigBoi through Postmates.
According to Bretman Rock, Postmates donated to Stop AAPI Hate, a coalition addressing hate against AAPI communities, as part of the collaboration.