1. What is your first food memory?
I remember my aunt making tapsilog, which is a classic Filipino breakfast dish (egg, garlic rice and marinated beef strips), and always thought that nothing else will ever compare for breakfast.
2. Did you attend a culinary school? If so, where?
My mom advised against it so I never did.
3. What was your first kitchen job?
I helped my mom at her restaurant for a bit and then worked at Cactus Club.
4. When did you know you wanted to be a chef?
I thought of being a photographer or a videographer at one point but my mom was a chef and she was my role model growing up, following her footsteps was a no-brainer.
5. Do you have a favourite ingredient?
Not a favourite ingredient, but my favourite season for produce is definitely a BC spring.
6. What chef or chefs inspired you? Both past and present.
Wiley Dufresne, Gordon Ramsay,David Chang and Rene Redzepi.
7. What do you enjoy doing on your days off?
I like to cook at home, go out and check out new places, play with my LEGO and explore the great outdoors... often leading to a restaurant. (Haha)
8. You can only listen to five albums for the rest of your life. What are they?
Drake- If You're Reading This it's Too Late
Tupac- Me Against The World
Kanye- The College Dropout
Nas- Stillmatic
Common - Be
9. How would you describe your style of cooking?
Fun but familiar, taking classic flavours in a different presentation.
10. Tacos, Wings or Pizza?
Wings,wings,wings.
11. Food Network. Yes or No?
Old school food network!
12. What is your standard go-to alcoholic beverage?
Negroni
13. What is your favourite movie of all time?
Land Before Time.
14. If you weren't a cooking for a living, what do you think you would be doing professionally?
Definitely a photographer or a videographer.
15. Do you have a most memorable meal?
Vue de Monde in Melbourne, Australia.
16. What is one tip you would give a home cook to help improve their cooking?
Don't be afraid to make mistakes, it's all part of the process.
17. What inspires you?
A lot of my environment contributes to my inspiration but in the kitchen I draw from classic flavours and modern techniques.
18. What is your favourite local restaurant?
Zakkushi on Denman! Sticks on stick.
.19. What did you eat for dinner last night?
Fried Chicken at Juke!
20. What would you eat for your last meal?
Different cuts and flavours of fried chicken with buttered rice... with Heinz ketchup and some kewpie mayo. Yum!
