We’re talking with Francis Ang, the man behind a pop-up dinner series called Pinoy Heritage. Francis has worked in some of San Francisco's best restaurants, including the acclaimed Gary Danko and Fifth Floor. He's been named a west coast "People's Best Pastry Chef" by Food and Wine Magazine and nominated for Zagat's "30 Under 30" list in San Francisco.
Pinoy Heritage is a culinary project Francis started with his wife, Dian, following a trip to the Philippines. For the full story of how that led to the most exciting pop-up dinner series I've ever heard of - one that's grounded in Filipino food traditions - you'll have to listen in.
Show notes
03:20 Training at culinary school and in San Francisco's best kitchens
05:00 A life-changing visit to the Philippines
07:05 The seeds of Pinoy Heritage
10:25 Interpreting traditional Filipino dishes
11:30 Personal experience as a source of inspiration
12:50 The "soul" needs to be in it
14:25 Dishes with roots
17:35 On travel plans
22:20 Dishes come from what's local and abundant
26:55 Why you need to go to the Philippines
27:45 A nod to tradition
32:15 Advice for interested cooks
34:20 On Filipino hospitality
FIND THE FULL EPISODE TRANSCRIPT HERE.