There’s nothing like a mother’s cooking since their dishes are usually prepared without any constraints in terms of time and components. And while home cooked food does its job at filling hungry appetites and providing warm comfort, to do it on a commercial capacity can be daunting and difficult. But not impossible as China Mommy and Mama V Delicious would prove.China Mommy started because of their love for food, which made people crave just by seeing their family’s Sunday meals posted on social media. “It’s the only time in the week the whole family is complete, so I make sure that we have at least 6 to 8 dishes. My signature dishes are my Chinese lumpia, curry crabs, misua, prawns, fortune bags, soups, et cetera,” she says.
Her culinary skills were something she and her sisters inherited from their parents, Chinese immigrants who were both very good cooks. While she knew she was quite proficient, the home cook realized that it was an activity she thoroughly enjoyed when she started volunteering for the Buddhist temple in San Juan, preparing vegetarian dishes for the monks and students. “It made me happy,” she admits.
Tina Vitas, too, drew the same satisfaction from feeding others, a trait she got from her Chinese-Filipino mom. She recalls the time when she was living in New York and she would famously host parties at her friend’s apartment for 40 to 80 guests, “with the minuscule budget of $1 per person.” When she returned to the Philippines, she and her mom opened a restaurant called Mama V at the lobby of their building in Malate. Tina left the business to pursue opportunities in the corporate world and start her own businesses, but eventually returned to cooking when she saw the potential online.
…with the minuscule budget of $1 per person.
“Mama V Delicious started because of our Bacon Carbonara which is Pinoy style. It has a perfect blend of creamy and cheesy, topped off with loads of crispy, salty bacon,” Vitas narrates. “I had a lightbulb moment one night sitting in our restaurant with my mom, my late brother Tony, and with my cousin Paulo. Paulo mentioned that he ate half a box of party tray Bacon Carbonara for 6-8 people, in one sitting.” Mama V Delicious was born that evening, with Vitas adding “delicious” to the name because, “Let’s get literal here. After all, it is delicious, delicious, delicious!”
It is difficult to pick a breakthrough dish from China Mommy’s selection of Chinese-Filipino comfort food, since all of them are, according to Co, “staples for celebrations” and “very unique.” But when made to pick one, Co decides, “it would be our Chinese Lumpia. Countless people have claimed it to be the best that they’ve had. And it’s very dynamic—it can be eaten for lunch, merienda, dinner.”
Despite the growing competition, especially during these peculiar times when people are stuck inside and more dependent on food delivery than ever, China Mommy and Mama V Delicious are two homegrown businesses that are thriving. “Since all of our dishes are food that we actually eat, I put special care in preparing them, and of course we don’t scrimp on ingredients,” Co assures. Vitas gives credit to her mother as the “creative genius” behind the recipes that she accumulated for 60 years. “I tweaked the recipes slightly for today’s modern palate, but the “umami” flavor is always there which is her trademark,” she says. Proof, again, that mother knows best.
Recent Comments