If I could put into words what being Filipino means to me I would first start by saying, I  have an immense amount of pride in my heritage and sharing that with others through food in my restaurants allows me to channel that pride.  I was fortunate to be able to discover and embrace my roots much later in life but it's allowed me to go on a self discovery and help me feel more connected to a part of me that I never knew much about.  Through this discovery I feel like I am able to help others like me find a home in a space that allows us to feel connected without the pressure of needing to be anyone more than who we are. I have created a space for the diaspora to come together and celebrate our culture through food and inclusion so that we can see that together our representation shows the tapestry of global divesity.  

I think as a culture we tend to shy away from bringing attention to ourselves or celebrating our accomplishments. I think more recently there has been a surge of Filipino pride through so many diverse outlets, when years ago you only heard of the more famous Filipinos.  Now more and more of us are raising our flags and creating opportunities for us to be seen.  I do however think there are not enough voices in media, politics or education that represent us.