Meet the lady friend who got Brownlee hooked on chicken adobo

Sheila Afable and Browlee's friendship all started with this one special dish
Jan 2, 2020
PHOTO: Marlo Cueto

SHE must have owned the most appetizing chicken adobo this side of the country.

For how one can you explain how crazy Barangay Ginebra import Justine Brownlee is to this Filipino dish that Sheila Afable has her own special way of cooking it.

Sheila who?

Afable is the plump and adorable lady who for a long time served as caterer of the Gilas Pilipinas team.

They say the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach and that’s how Brownlee’s friendship with her all began, by means of her special chicken adobo dish.

“Yan ang gusto niya, yung chicken adobo. Walang kasawa-sawa,” Afable said of the soft-spoken former Best Import.

She developed a deep friendship with Brownlee through the years that she would later become a house help and nanny to Justine’s kids whenever they are in the country.

“E, kailangan niya ng kasama sa bahay, yung maglilinis, magluluto,” she said. “Tapos ako rin nagbabantay sa mga anak kapag andito sila.”

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She met Brownlee through a common friend, former Gilas Pilipinas naturalized player Marcus Douthit.

It was also Douthit who told Brownlee how sumptuous Afable’s chicken adobo is.

“Tapos nung natikman niya na, nagustuhan niya na rin,” she added.

Another former PBA import, Renaldo Balkman, also became fond of Sheila’s special dish.

But since it’s Brownlee who frequents the country as Ginebra’s resident import, Sheila, who’s related to former coach Gene Afable, eventually forged a close friendship with the 31-year-old native of Tifton, Georgia.

Brownlee also likes eating shrimp and fish, and hardly eats rice, according to Afable.

“Favorite niya mga seafoods. Mahilig yan sa tempura,” she said. “Pero hindi siya mahilig sa mga sabaw.”

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    Afable describes the import as a ‘homebody.’

    “Tulog lang yan ng tulog,” she said. “Laging pagod sa practice yan, sa game kaya imbes na lalabas pa, magpapahinga na lang yan.”

    Humble as Brownlee is, the import is also generous in nature, and Afable could attest to that.

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    “Sobrang matulungin yun sa lahat ng bagay,” she said. “Sobrang bait na kapag humingi ka ng tulong hindi yan magda-dalawang isip.”

    Especially if her friend, cook, helper and nanny all rolled into one, is the one in need.

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    PHOTO: Marlo Cueto
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