Food Trip Magazine | Vol 1, Issue 11

Welcome to the world of gastronomic indulgence

Makati Restaurant: Great vibes, yummy food

Istambayan Barbecue Grill: Pinoy street foods, grilled catfish, batchoy and more!

Wandering Kusina gains first YouTube milestone

Jennifer Delgado Lladoc: From home care nurse for the royalties to restaurateur

Reviews: Razon’s of Guagua Talk Hang

Cuisinerong Pinoy: The best of Philippine regional dishes on your table

Atin Ito! Abu Dhabi’s go-to place for Filipino food

Mark Anthony Dela Cruz: Pizza parlor dishwasher now manages 8 restaurants

Chef Ren: Creating Cajun culinary wonders

Publisher Gabriel John Rimando

Publications Manager Ryan Namia

Content Writer / Creator Jojo Dass

Contributing Writers Amanda Hensley

Zainab Shahid

Sayed Hussain

Sales and Marketing Manager Orli Gayeta

Sales and Marketing Elaine Marbella

Joel Lara Genove

Darshani Nimanthi Rajapaksha John Paul Cosico

Social Media Coordinator Gilbert Gomez

Senior Graphic Designer Allan Caragao

Multimedia Manager Jonathan Dumas

Distribution Manager

Raymart Patulot

Distribution

Qassim Quereshi

ON THE COVER

Chef Ren’s is a story of Cajun sauce – with a Pinoy twist in it.

Once upon a time in Dubai, a fresh college graduate from the Philippines, who had just obtained her degree in electronics and communications engineering, arrived in the city desperate for a job. She took her chances on the next available opening – kitchen helper.

Today Chef Ren oversees operations of Cuisinerong Pinoy Restaurant in Barsha, famous for its spread of regional dishes from the Philippines.

Page 22

Publisher’s

Welcome to the 11th edition of Food Trip Magazine, an online monthly presenting wonderful Filipino culinary creations to the world. This issue has a lot of interesting good reads in it, among them, Jennifer Delgado Lladoc, a former home care nurse to the royalties, who now runs a successful restaurant specializing in Filipino street foods and exotic dishes.

We also bring the story of Mark Anthony Dela Cruz, a former pizza parlour dishwasher in the Philippines, who now oversees operations of eight restaurants across Dubai and back home. Filipinos living in Satwa, Dubai now has another choice for their dining paciandos: Makati Restaurant.

On the kitchen scene, we bring you Chef Ren and her famous homemade Cajun sauce. There is also a host of exotic dishes featured including Adobong Page, Paklay and Balut with aligue (crab fat).

In all, this edition is wrap.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Review: An afternoon of Beef Lengua, Pancit Luglug and Halu-halo @ Razon’s of Guagua – Pages 32-33

Cuisinerong Pinoy Restaurant – The best of Philippine regional dishes on your table –Pages 8-9

Mark Anthony Dela Cruz: Former pizza parlor dishwasher who now manages 8 restaurants – Pages 38-39

Jennifer Delgado Lladoc – from home care nurse for the royalties to Istambayan Barbecue Grill owner – Pages 40-41

Dencio’s, a popular Filipino F&B brand, opened its flagship restaurant in Dubai on April 5. Located on the ground floor of the newly opened five-star Asiana Grand Hotel in the Al Muraqqabat area of Dubai’s Deira district, Dencio’s is well-known for its crispy pata, sisig, lechon kawali, and grills.

• Makati Restaurant: Great vibes, yummy food

• Cuisinerong Pinoy Restaurant – The best of Philippine regional dishes on your table

Photo courtesy of Lola Taberna Española

Makati Restaurant: Great vibes, yummy food

There’s a new dining venue for Filipinos in Satwa – Makati Restaurant situated a stone’s throw away from the bus station.

Named after Metro Manila’s business district, Makati Restaurant, which opened on March 20, 2023 is a chic place, dishing out homegrown Pinoy comfort foods.

It also has a stage for live entertainment and outdoor sitting for the al fresco evenings.

Makati Restaurant also accepts bookings for special events like birthdays, wedding and christening receptions, among others.

Satwa is home to thousands of Filipino expatriates and their families. As such, there are dozens of Filipino restaurants

around the area – among them Sweet Pepper, Bilaot, Kusina Natin ‘to and El Batangueno along Al Hudaiba Road; as well as Luneta Restaurant, Istambayan, Bibingka & Paratha Cafeteria and Panadero near the main road across from the Big Mosque.

Makati Restaurant, the latest addition to these dining venues, ups the ante with its entertainment plaza where performers can play, and its great food.

Cuisinerong Pinoy Restaurant – The best of Philippine regional dishes on your table

Cuisinerong Pinoy Restaurant is located in Al Barsha, behind Mall of the Emirates and Citymax Hotel; as such a typical daily footfall would include Pinoys living in the area and tourists billeted at the dozens of nearby hotels.

Pancit Negra. Ginamos Rice. Kansi. Batangas Lomi. Dishes originating from all corners of the Philippines on your table.

Indeed, dining at Cuinerong Pinoy Restaurant is like indulging in various meals a typical guy born and raised in Manila wouldn’t have known to exist.

Pancit Negra, for instance, or pancit choca as it is also known, is a black seafood noodle dish made with squid ink and rice vermicelli (bihon). A specialty of Cavite, south of Manila, Pancit Negra is also known more commonly as pancit pusit in Filipino.

Hence, being seafood-based it also gives that flavor similar to Pancit Palabok.

Kansi, meantime, is an Ilonggo dish from Bacolod City in the Visayas that mixes bulalo (beef shank) with a sour hue akin to a Sinigang – in other words, you’ll be enjoying Sinigang but with the shanks.

Cuisinerong Pinoy Restaurant is located in Al Barsha, behind Mall of the Emirates and Citymax Hotel; as such a typical daily footfall would include Pinoys living in the area and tourists billeted at the dozens of

nearby hotels. It also has a food court kiosk, which opened in January this year at Daylife Hypermarket in Port Saeed, Deira beside Greenhouse and the Toyota Showroom.

“Our concept is to bring authentic dishes from the different regions of the Philippines to Dubai. We are popular for our Kansi of Bacolod, Lomi (big round noodles) of Batangas, Pancit Negra, Ginamos Rice, Beef Sisig ng Kapampangan and Kare Kare,” said Xen Gaballo, the restaurant’s marketing head, who hails from Imus, Cavite.

Both branches also serve a range of milk teas.

Gaballo said Cuisinerong Pinoy Restaurant was originally named House of Flavours in 2019. “We were serving international cuisines like Indian food, Filipino food, Chinese and so on. Management decided to convert it into a full Filipino restaurant by March 11, 2021 and so the name,” she explained.

The catchy name Cuisinero, which in Filipino translates to “kusinero,” takes it root word from “cuisine.” “Kusinero” means a chef. Hence, Cuisinerong

Pinoy means a Filipino Chef dishing out Philippine cuisine.

Running a unique dining venue can be “very challenging, yet exciting because we are faced with different competitors every year,” said Gaballo, who obtained her degree in Business Administration from the Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP) in Manila.

“Since we are really focused on food quality, we make sure that customers will keep coming back. So far, we’re doing very good naman,” she added.

Cuisinerong Pinoy Restaurant have been awarded as one of the Top 5 Most Famous Filipino Restaurants in Dubai by TAG 91.1, a popular radio station in Dubai.

The dining venue is open from 11am to midnight. It has an all-Filipino team of eight chefs hailing from the different provinces of the Philippines, bringing with them their hometown’s flavors; it also has four waiters and a cashier. The restaurant, open from 11am to midnight, can accommodate up to 50 people.

Xen Gaballo (5th from left) marketing head, and Chef Ren Mendoza, head chef and manager (4th from left) with their team.

Atin Ito! – Abu Dhabi’s go-to place for Filipino food

‘concept that makes us different is that we manage a food court that serves authentic Filipino food. Our blockbusters are our Filipino Shawarma and Filipino Takoyaki.’

Situated in Abu Dhabi’s Tourist Club area along Hamdan Bin Mohammed St is a supermarket fast becoming popular for its range of Filipino products on shelves and a food court dishing out Pinoy foods, including “Pinoy Shawarma” and “Pinoy Takoyaki.”

“We are a supermarket with an area for Filipino food favorites,” says Shane Asistores, marketing manager.

She said grocery items are mostly what Filipinos prefer. Despite this, she said other nationalities also buy these products.

Atin Ito – Filipino for “It’s ours” – is Filipino-owned and has been growing over time.

“The concept that makes us different is that we manage a food court that serves authentic Filipino food. Our blockbusters are our Filipino Shawarma and Filipino Takoyaki,” Asistores said.

Takoyaki is a ball-shaped Japanese snack made of a wheat flour-based batter and cooked in a special molded pan. It is typically filled with minced or diced octopus, tempura scraps, pickled ginger, and green onion.

Asistores said their Takoyaki at Atin Ito comes in two types: Cheese Bomb Takoyaki as well as Vegetable and Squid Takoyaki.

“Our foods offers are a must-try for all,” she said.

Asistores said Atin Ito is open for franchise.

Istambayan Barbecue Grill: Pinoy street foods, grilled catfish, batchoy and more!

One of the dishes that people go to Istambayan Barbecue Grill for is the restaurant’s La Paz Batchoy – a Filipino noodle soup of pork offals, crushed pork cracklings, chicken stock, beef loin and round noodles.

“Istambayan” is Filipino for a place where people hang out to relax and enjoy food on a lazy afternoon or after a long day at work. It is also where they share stories over coffee.

Tucked in one of Satwa’s labyrinth of alleyways is Istambayan Barbecue Grill – Home of the original ihawihaw, which specializes in a range of “tusok-tusok” (street food barbecues) like chicken feet, chicken liver and other innards, as well as well as a selection of fish prepared and cooked as requested, of which very popular is the grilled cat fish – an all-time favorite Pinoy delicacy.

The 24-hour dining venue is located

just a stone’s throw away from the main road opposite Fakhree Center, a general merchandise store that has been around for years so much so that it has become a Satwa landmark.

Another dish that people go to Istambayan Barbecue Grill for is the restaurant’s La Paz Batchoy – a Filipino noodle soup of pork offals, crushed pork cracklings, chicken stock, beef loin and round noodles. The popular variant, the La Paz Batchoy, traces its roots to the district of La Paz, Iloilo City in central Philippines.

One really amazing thing about Istambayan Barbecue Grill is the nonstop footfall from regular customers, mostly Filipino expatriates living in the

flats or apartment units nearby, who’d go there for snacks and meals like lunch and dinner.

There is also no end to the takeaway orders, usually the grilled selection. Meals are served with beef shank soup and free kimchi.

Established just three years ago in 2020, Istambayan Barbecue Grill has developed a steadily growing number of loyal customers, some coming as far as Deira, Al Barsha, even Abu Dhabi and Sharjah.

For deliveries within the vicinity, call 052 220 0386. A minimum order of at least AED 80 is requested for those ordering from afar.

Wild Mushroom & Truffle at Bao Hutong Restaurant

• The enigmatic Paklay

• Balut anyone?

• Adobong stingray

Photo courtesy of Pullman Dubai Creek City Centre’s Medley International Restaurant

Paklay refers to two different Filipino braised dishes from the Mindanao and Visayas Islands characterized by julienned ingredients.

It is composed of pork or beef innards cooked in pineapple juice with bamboo shoots.

Balut (pronounced bah-loot) is a fertilized developing egg embryo of usually a duck that is boiled or steamed and eaten from the shell. It is commonly sold as street food in South China

and Southeast Asian countries like Philippines, Cambodia and Vietnam.

What could even more be exotic than balut topped with aligue (crab fat) sprinkled with squeezed

lemon or plain vinegar with onions, garlic and chili?

(Photo courtesy of @CaptainCookPh)

This adobong pagi sa gata (stingray sautéed in soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, onions and coconut cream) by Anne Rose

Maeh Lictawa of Baguio

Home Cook Facebook page is divine.

Renalyn ‘Chef Ren’ Mendoza and her Cajun sauce

This is a story of Cajun sauce –with a Pinoy twist in it. Once upon a time in Dubai, a fresh college graduate from the Philippines, who had just obtained her degree in electronics and communications engineering, arrived in the city desperate for a job.

“‘Pag dating ko dito sa Dubai nuong 2016, nasa isip ko kahit anung trabaho okay na ako. Kahit cleaner na lang kaysa matambay ako kakapili ng trabaho at maubos ang perang dala ko,” recalls Renalyn Mendoza, now a head chef and manager at Cuisinerong Pinoy Restaurant in Al Barsha.

(I was thinking of getting any job when I arrived here in Dubai in 2016. I’ll take any, even a cleaner role. I was thinking that would be better instead of trying my luck here and there till I run out of money.)

Indeed, Mendoza – or Chef Ren – got her first job as a kitchen helper at a restaurant.

“Mahirap at challenging, kasi ako ang nag-iisang babae sa kitchen. Pero hindi ko ginawang dahilan iyun para hindi mag-perform ng Mabuti. Hanggang unti-unti from kitchen helper, naging line cook na ako,” Chef Ren tells Food Trip Magazine.

(It was tough because I was the only female. But I did not let that affect my performance at work. Until finally, I was upgraded from being a kitchen helper to a line cook.)

Chef Ren said she was very fortunate to have worked with people who eagerly shared their kitchen talents with her. Came a time when her boss asked her to create a Cajun sauce as it was his favorite. “I managed to deliver the Cajun sauce he likes without ordering from the supermarket or elsewhere,” said Chef Ren in a mix of English and the vernacular.

History is replete with accounts about accidental discoveries – Penicillin, X-rays, teabags, Post-it and microwave

‘I created may Cajun sauce from scratch. I have had many failed attempts at getting the desired taste until finally the universe conspired and voila! I stumbled on the perfect mix.’

I run out of money.

to name a few.

And Chef Ren’s version of Cajun sauce counts among them.

“I created it from scratch,” she said, adding that she has had many failed attempts at getting the desired taste until finally the universe conspired and voila! She stumbled on the perfect mix. These days, regular customers at Cuisinerong Pinoy Restaurant, which is just behind Mall of the Emirates and Citymax Hotel, say they are in love with Chef Ren’s Cajun mix, which goes well with the dining venue’s Seafood in a

Bucket deal.

And this a good thing if you are running a restaurant, considering how competitive Dubai’s food and beverage scene is.

“In this business,” Chef Ren, in charge of the restaurant’s operations, said, “the challenge is how to keep an edge over the rest.

“You need to come up with something new so that customers won’t get tired of the same old thing on the menu. And so, our customer base is expanding. Now we not only have fellow Filipinos

dining at our restaurant, we have people of other nationalities as well.”

Cajun sauce is a bold spicy flavor with a subtle earthiness from garlic, onion, and herbs. It is also perfect for pastas.

Chef Ren’s passion for cooking began when she was young, further bolstered during college when she lived away from her family and had to do her own cooking.

Of course, she has also developed other culinary creations.

‘I was thinking of getting any job when I arrived here in Dubai in 2016. I’ll take any, even a cleaner role. I was thinking that would be better instead of trying my luck here and there till

Going vegan with Chef

Ricardo Pina

Chef Riccardo’s years of experience in cooking has allowed him to create dishes that are not only delicious, but also nourishing and satisfying.

Chef Riccardo Pinna, a skilled chef who has created numerous highly regarded dishes in the luxury hospitality industry, and executive chef at the renowned Sheraton Maldives Full Moon Resort and Spa, has announced the release of his latest collection of plantbased recipes.

From a savory lunch to a mouthwatering dinner, these recipes are sure to satisfy every food enthusiast’s craving.

Chef Riccardo’s years of experience in cooking has allowed him to create dishes that are not only delicious, but also nourishing and satisfying. Join him on a culinary journey and discover the delicious world of vegan cooking.

Wandering Kusina gains first YouTube milestone

‘Our journey may have taken us this long to reach our first milestone as YouTube content creators. But with humility we can say that our content is rooted in dedication, passion and consistency. The growth of Wandering Kusina may not be that fast, but it is organic.’

‘Wandering Kusina has had a total of 423 videos in four years, with approximately seven million channel views and 500,000 watch hours. Ninety-five per cent of their videos were instructional cooking materials. The most staggering viewed videos to date are the Maja Blanca, which had about three million views; and the Mixed Seafoods Cajun, which has more than 1.2 million views.’

It has not been an easy journey for Chakoy and Chef Mark of Wandering Kusina to reach their first YouTube Milestone after receiving the YouTube Silver Play Button. YouTube awards creators on their platform for those who have reached 100,000 subscribers while religiously following their community guidelines.

Chakoy, whose real name is Chuck Vosotros from Cebu City, and Chef Mark, whose real name is Mark Anthony Talavera from Macabebe, Pampanga, are both full-time employees while also focused on their content creation on YouTube.

Wandering Kusina’s content creation started in August 2019 with their first recipe, Chicken Adobo. They believed that doing a piece about the Philippines’ national dish was a good way to start their first cooking video on YouTube. They started their first video recording using only a mobile phone without a microphone and with a white background wall. Chakoy, who created the YouTube channel Wandering Kusina, pushed back his hesitations to record their first cooking video, which he first hosted, alone.

“Wandering Kusina was created as a medium for me to go back to media since I was a Broadcast Journalism graduate,” said Chakoy.

“When I was in the Sultanate of Oman in 2019 for a month, it dawned on me that I was no longer in line with what I wanted in life. I was already too far away from my goals, and my purpose.

That was when I decided to pursue my passion in media regardless of how I needed to start and no matter what it takes.

“The name Wandering Kusina was chosen as a way for us to express our skills in cooking food, hence “Kusina”, which is kitchen in English; and with the hope of traveling around the world experiencing different cuisines of different cultures, hence the word “wandering,” said Chakoy.

Chef Mark, who is so attuned to the kitchen and the silent type, started as the guy behind the camera who didn’t want to be seen. His first few appearances in Wandering Kusina were as a guest until both decided that they will be in it together. Mark’s title as a chef was coined by Chakoy since Mark is the one who is more skilled in cooking even if he has no formal culinary training.

Chakoy works for a private communities management company; Mark works for an I.T. outfit. Both always schedule recordings of their episodes to make sure it doesn’t hinder their day jobs.

For almost four years, Wandering Kusina has had a total of 423 videos, with approximately seven million channel views and 500,000 watch hours. Ninety-five per cent of their videos were instructional cooking materials.

It consisted of innovative Filipino dishes, regional Filipino dishes, and original recipes. The most staggering viewed videos to date are the Maja Blanca, which had about three million views, and the Mixed Seafoods Cajun, which has more than 1.2 million views.

According to Chakoy and Chef Mark, despite Maja Blanca’s highest views on their channel, it was the Mixed Seafoods Cajun video, which has been the most memorable.

When they created this recipe, no Cajun recipe from scratch was available on YouTube to learn from. It was only after they posted their Mixed Seafood Cajun recipe video, which was created from nothing did other similar videos started showing up on YouTube.

Chakoy and Chef Mark said: “Our journey may have taken us this long to reach our first milestone as YouTube content creators. But with humility, we can say that our content is rooted in dedication, passion, and consistency. The growth of Wandering Kusina may not be that fast, but it is organic.”

Wandering Kusina’s future content will not be limited to their current kitchen set as they will soon be wandering to experience the culinary cultures of other countries. They are thankful to all their viewers and followers, who gave them more reasons to continue with their passion for content creation.

Photo courtesy of Pai Thai Restaurant.

An afternoon of Beef Lengua, Pancit Luglug and Halu-halo @ Razon’s of Guagua

‘The barbecued Beef Lengua is so fork-tender (Steve said they boil these for four to six hours), not too chewy, no funny aftertaste and is full of flavour brought about apparently by hours of marination.’

One of the nicest things about Dubai is that there is always a dining venue dishing out comfort foods you grew up with back home.

Among them is Razon’s of Guagua. Located in the heart of Karama, the smart casual dining restaurant dishes out authentic Kapampangan cuisine prepared and cooked just like the way your grandma did back in the day.

Food Trip Magazine recently had the pleasure of being invited by Steve Fuentes, the restaurant’s operations manager, to indulge in their barbecued Beef Lengua (beef tongue) and Pancit Luglug – the Kapampangans’ version of Pancit Malabon and Palabok.

Of course, no visit to Razon’s is complete without digging in to its famous halu-halo, Tagalog for “mixed,” and a popular cold dessert in the Philippines made of various ingredients including ube jam, beans,

jackfruit…the works, then washed down with evaporated milk, buried in crushed ice and topped with ice cream or leche flan or both. The joy of indulging in halu-halo is in the jabbing of the ice till it melts and mixes up with the sweets below.

To begin with, the barbecued Beef Lengua is so fork-tender (Steve said they boil these for four to six hours), not too chewy, no funny aftertaste and is full of flavour brought about apparently by hours of marination. So, what you have is a finger-licking barbecue that goes well with the fried rice and achara (pickled, grated unripe papaya) that go with it.

It was a great afternoon treat really! Taking a mouthful of the Beef Lengua then a spoon’s scoop of the halu-halo, catching your breath before savouring the Pancit Luglug.

The ambiance at Razon’s of Guagua is a bit laid back with piped-in music filling the air. There is outside sitting

for the cold days to enjoy al fresco dining, and an extensive selection of great food on the menu.

It’s no wonder Pinoys take the extra mile to enjoy Razon’s of Guagua, for unlike most restaurants serving Philippine cuisine, this one is not anywhere near Filipino enclaves like Satwa and Deira – dinarayo talaga (people really visit the place).

Razon’s of Guagua, which has kiosks at the Ibn Battuta Food Court near Jebel Ali and Al Wahda Mall in Abu Dhabi, will be celebrating its 5th anniversary this month and will be coming up with activities to make it a blast. “It will be a fiesta atmosphere,” Steve told us.

Razon’s of Guagua, which operated Mangrove Philippine Cuisine restaurant at the Philippine Pavilion during Expo 2020 Dubai, won the title as “Best Casual Dining Restaurant” at the six-month global event held from Oct. 2021 to March 2022.

Talk Hang: ‘I was thoroughly impressed!’

‘As a seafood lover, I was pleased to see a wide range of flavored seafood options, including prawns, crabs, and fish. I decided to try the garlic butter prawns, and they were cooked to perfection. The prawns were juicy, and the garlic butter sauce was delicious and had just the right amount of flavor.’

By Joel Lara

Irecently had the pleasure of dining at Talk Hang, a seafood restaurant located at Centurion Tower B, Port Saeed, Dubai, United Arab Emirates. I must say, I was thoroughly impressed with the variety and quality of the dishes they offer.

The first thing that caught my attention was the seafood menu. As a seafood

lover, I was pleased to see a wide range of flavored seafood options, including prawns, crabs, and fish. I decided to try the garlic butter prawns, and they were cooked to perfection. The prawns were juicy, and the garlic butter sauce was delicious and had just the right amount of flavor. The presentation of the dish was also impressive.

Aside from the seafood, Talk Hang also offers original Pinoy dishes such as Sinigang, kare kare, and chicken Sisig. I tried the Sinigang, and it was one of the best I’ve had in a long time. The soup was rich and flavorful, with just the right amount of sourness. The meat was tender and cooked to perfection. It was a perfect comfort food for me.

Lastly, I also had the chance to try their grilled dishes, and they did not disappoint. I ordered the Chicken Barbeque, and it was cooked perfectly. The chicken was juicy, flavorful, and perfectly seasoned. The grilled vegetables that came with it were also delicious and added an extra element of flavor to the dish.

What impressed me the most about Talk Hang was their prices. Given the quality and variety of the dishes, I was expecting the prices to be quite high, but they were surprisingly affordable. The portion sizes were also quite generous, so it’s definitely a place to consider if you’re looking for good food at an affordable price.

In conclusion, I highly recommend Talk Hang to anyone looking for good quality seafood, Pinoy dishes, and grilled dishes in Dubai. The flavors are authentic and delicious, and the prices are reasonable. The ambiance is also perfect for a casual meal with friends or family. It’s definitely a restaurant worth checking out!

Photo courtesy of Cocotte Restaurant.

• Former pizza parlor dishwasher now manages 8 restaurants

• Jennifer Delgado Lladoc

Photo courtesy of Belgian Beer Café

– from home care nurse for the royalties to Istambayan Barbecue Grill owner

8 restaurants

“I’m an undergraduate. Some companies rejected my applications. But I worked hard to learn all the standard procedures – from back of the house to front of the house. Skills and experience have been my best teachers.”

Mark Anthony Dela Cruz: Pizza parlor dishwasher now manages

Mark Anthony Dela Cruz with his wife, Jona and kids, Yuie and Zoie.

The story of 35-year-old Mark Anthony Dela Cruz is that of an unrelenting ride against the wind.

Dela Cruz, who hails from Angeles City, Pampanga, Philippines, took up a course in Hotel and Restaurant Management at Holy Angel University (HAU), but fell short of the required unit loads to graduate due to financial reasons.

He knew right from the start that this would be a hurdle.

“I’m an undergraduate. Some

companies rejected my applications,” Dela Cruz tells Food Trip Magazine.

“But I worked hard to learn all the standard procedures – from back of the house to front of the house. Skills and experience have been my best teachers.”

It is what it is and so Dela Cruz, at 20, took the next best job opportunity he could get: a dishwasher at a pizza parlor in his hometown, where he gradually rose from the ranks.

“I started out as a dishwasher at Shakey’s Philippines in (the former) Clark (US Airforce Base) in Pampanga,” he said. He had also worked at a popular chain of fast food restaurants when he was 18 to support himself through college.

Dela Cruz was then upgraded to being kitchen staff at Shakey’s and on to service staff before finally becoming a trainer in service enhancement and leadership support, and finally as restaurant marketing coordinator. He also topped the company’s leadership revalidation program.

Dela Cruz was hired by the same

company as part of its opening team in Dubai years ago where he soon became shift manager.

Time flew, and these days Dela Cruz is head manager of eight dining venues – a Kusina Natin ‘to in Satwa and JLT; Bulgogi in Deira and at the Centurion Tower across from City Centre Deira, as well as three other branches in the Philippines, and Bilaot Restaurant also in Satwa.

Indeed, it was a long uphill ride and one worth writing a story about.

‘I have been very fortunate to have been a home care nurse for a member of the royal family. I was so happy because I didn’t even dream of this. I was with them in all the activities. I went with them in other countries like UK, China, Hong Kong, Lebanon, Germany and many more.’

Jennifer Delgado Lladoc – from home care nurse for the royalties to Istambayan Barbecue Grill owner

Jennifer Delgado Lladoc arrived in the UAE 17 years ago to take her chance. Her father has died and she is the eldest among the siblings.

“I needed to find a job to support my family,” she tells Food Trip Magazine. And so began the story of a woman who owns Satwa’s popular Istambayan Barbecue Grill.

Hailing from Iloilo, Lladoc, who holds a degree in midwifery and another in nursing, got a job in Abu Dhabi as home care nurse, where she would stay the course for 15 years and during which, she would be fortunate to be a private nurse for a member of one of the UAE’s royal families.

“Bilang isang home care nurse sa isang miyembro ng Royal family ay napaka-swerte ko po dahil maraming

nurses sa company naming at ako ung napili assign sa palasyo,” said Lladoc.

“Sobrang saya ko kasi kahit sa panaginip, hindi ko inaasahan na duon mag-work. Lahat ng activities kasama ako. At hindi lang dito sa UAE kundi pati rin sa ibang bansa tulad ng UK, China, Hong Kong, Lebanon, Germany at iba pa. Mahirap din pinagdaanan ko pero ginawa ko po ang lahat ng makakaya ko para sa pamilya.

“Malaking bagay yun sa akin na isang ako sa naging nurse ng royal family ng UAE. I’m so proud of it,” she said.

(I have been very fortunate to have been a home care nurse for a member of the royal family. There were many other nurses in our company, but I was the one chosen. I was so happy because I didn’t even dream of this. I was with them in all the activities.

I went with them in other countries like UK, China, Hong Kong, Lebanon, Germany and many more.

(There were challenges but I overcame them for the family. It’s a big thing for me to be a nurse of the royal family. I’m so proud of it.)

It was 2020 when Lladoc decided to venture into the food and beverage (F&B) business.

“I put up Istambayan Barbecue Grill. It was very difficult at first because I didn’t know anything about F&B. But because it’s my passion, I made it,” she said.

These days, Istambayan Barbecue Grill is a household name among Filipino expats in Dubai, put together by a woman who once was a nurse to the royalties.