As a contestant on "American Ninja Warrior" in 2017, Rex Alba leapt across suspended platforms, clung to a speeding tube on a downward roll and ran across narrow platforms above a pool of water.

"It's nothing compared to this," the Columbus resident said of his latest reality-TV competition, a PBS showdown of accomplished home cooks from across the United States. "You have all these ideas, and then they say you have to cook it in an hour."

On "The Great American Recipe," eight competitors representing hometowns from New York to San Diego and food traditions from a globe-spanning range of cultures take on weekly elimination challenges until one is crowned the winner.

It's a softer, friendlier competition than most American reality fare, more akin to "The Great British Bake Off" than "Top Chef."

Season 4, featuring Alba and fellow home cooks from California, Colorado, Louisiana, Montana, New York, North Carolina and Washington, premieres July 11. It will air at 9 p.m. every Friday through Aug. 15 on WOSU-TV.

Alba said he used his time on the show — like all reality-TV contestants, he can't divulge results before they air each week — to shine a spotlight on the food of his native Philippines. The 47-year-old grew up in Tagbilaran, a city of about 100,000 people in the central region of the country, and came to the United States with his wife, a nurse, in 2005.

"What makes Filipino food unique is each dish has its own story," he said. "Having 7,461 islands in the Philippines, we make each dish unique from region to region. Every plate has a heart, every bite has a soul and every moment you share a Filipino dish is worth savoring."

The rest of America has, in recent years, become increasingly familiar with Filipino food, which combines its own unique flavors and ingredients with influences from its time as a territory of Spain and the United States.

Trader Joe's sells pancake mix, ice cream and other products made with a purple sweet potato called ube, and Kroger has sold frozen Philippine eggrolls called lumpia under its Private Selection label.

Bulalo, a soup made with beef shank, cabbage and corn, is one of Rex Alba's specialties. The physical therapist from the Northwest Side is competing on Season 4 of "The Great American Recipe" on PBS.

Bonifacio, north of Grandview Heights in the Fifth by Northwest area of Columbus, has introduced diners to traditions such as the boodle fight, a communal dinner where everyone sits around a table laden with food from edge to edge.

Laguna Bay Bistro, formerly known as Kuya Ian's Bistro just south of Westerville, serves seafood and pork dishes, soups and desserts such as halo-halo, a mix of candied fruits, sweetened beans, ice cream, flan and other bits over shaved ice.

And at Three Bites Bakery in Downtown, owner Isabella Bonello often showcases desserts and pastries of her Philippine and Italian roots.

Sharing Philippine food and culture is familiar territory for Alba, who's president of the Philippine American Society of Central Ohio. He also posts cooking videos on his own YouTube channel, Bisdak Chef. ("Bisdak" is a term for people from the Visayas region of the Philippines.)

At a recent lunch he hosted at his home on the Northwest Side, Alba displayed some of the cooking and time-management skills required in competitions such as "The Great American Recipe." He kept pots and pans on every burner of his stove and in the spaces in between.

The menu included bulalo, a soup with beef shank, corn and cabbage, and two styles of adobo, the Philippine national dish of chicken (Alba used pork) cooked in soy sauce and vinegar. He also prepared a noodle stir fry called pancit guisado, a fried pork leg known as crispy pata, and a not-fried version of lumpia that's served inside a soft crepe-like wrapper.

Rex Alba at his work station on the set of "The Great American Recipe." Season 4, featuring the home cook from Columbus, airs on PBS starting July 11, 2025.

Other pork dishes included chicharrones and sisig, a salty and citrusy bar snack made with pig ears and cheeks that's served on a sizzling plate.

Alba was hesitant to share whether he made any of the dishes for "The Great American Recipe" judges, but it's a safe bet he did. Weekly challenges on the show typically call on contestants to make recipes that represent their heritage and family traditions.

In the Philippines, Alba owned a restaurant that served Filipino food. He made a lot of dishes that his father and siblings liked; after his mother passed way, they would eat there regularly. He has cooked for pop-ups and other events in Columbus. He was planning a watch party for the first episode of "The Great American Recipe" and wanted to serve lechon, a whole roasted pig.

The contestants on Season 4 of PBS' "The Great American Recipe." The home cooks come from eight different states and include Columbus' Rex Alba, who's fourth from the right.

He said he was happy that judges and other contestants seemed familiar with Philippine food and flavors. His biggest regret: He didn't get much of a chance to enjoy their dishes.

"That's the sad part," he said. "After you cook, you don't have time to eat."

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Columbus home cook is a contestant on Season 4 of 'The Great American Recipe'