It's a Sunday evening and every seat is full inside a cafe that's best known for its daytime hours and casual fare. Instead of omelettes and sandwiches, though, a pair of talented local chefs are in the small kitchen, pooling their creative culinary forces to produce a menu of dishes that marry Filipino and Mexican flavours.
As each course is presented to the guests, the chefs talk a bit about the flavours and philosophy of what's on the plate. More often than not, the food's origin point is a memory, telling the story of heritage and culture and its expression in what we eat. It's powerful, it's eye-opening, it's palate-expanding, and, not surprisingly, it's delicious.
These dinners happen about once a month, and they are the work of Vancouver chef Kristoffer Young. Called Kada, the pop-up events are designed to bridge gaps, redefine what it means to work in hospitality, and bring people together - but one unexpected side effect for Young is that what began as a pursuit of a connection to his Filipino roots resulted in an affirmation he's been "Filipino enough" all along.
Post-pandemic visit to the Philippines proves inspiring
Born in the United States but raised in the Philippines, Young came to Canada as he was exiting his teens and has repeatedly felt a tug from all sides about where his identity allegiances are. His culinary career has found him in a variety of posts, including up until about a year ago when he left his sous chef position at Grapes & Soda, a bar-restaurant known for its inventive small plates and cocktail program.
Feeling burnt out from the stress of the industry, Young and his partner, poet Hannah Yerington, had the opportunity to travel to the Phillipines late last year. Young describes an overwhelming sensory experience that began the moment they got off the plane, with the sights, sounds, smells, and humidity instantly enveloping the couple.
Roaming the vibrant streets of Poblacion, Manila's former red light district that's become the city's trendiest neighbourhood, Young was taken by the mixed-income area with its eclectic mix of shops, bars, and restaurants in a densely-packed zone still untamed enough to have wild dogs and chickens running loose. Volleying from a pirate-themed bar to a pinxto spot, with a little sari-sari store in between, Young was doing a bit of research for the next step in his restaurant career.
Before departing, Young met up with Vincent Garcia, one of the founders of Vancouver-based artisanal chocolate brand Kasama. The two got to talking about teaming up to launch a new concept based on Filipino food, but Garcia was eager for Young to make his trip home before they rolled out any official plans.
And it worked. Young recalls coming home and realizing: "I kind of want to do something more Filipino now."
That something became Kada.
'Why don't we form a freaking archipelago?'
Young's vision for Kada is multi-fold. The chef sees his pop-up as a way to connect members of Vancouver's creative community for a strength-in-numbers approach that also serves as affirmation few in the food or arts have to go it alone. Drawing inspiration from some other culinary collectives in town (take the "network" of restaurant-less ramen-makers who support each other via WhatsApp groups as an example), Kada is a way to bring the creators together as well as reach a wider audience for Filipino cuisine.
"I want other global chefs who are still siloed to realize, hey, you know what, why don't we form a freaking archipelago? Let's make a little empire and let's actually work together," says Young.
Storytelling is also a vital component of the Kada experience, which is why the chefs present each course and talk about why they've created each dish.
Young says he's grateful to Chef Alden Ong, whom he worked under at Grapes & Soda, for urging him to keep his food simple and to focus on telling a story.
"With Kada, the story I want to tell is that the world's smaller than you think," adds Young.
"I like to make food that's very personal," continues Young, who says that it's that personalization that is a hallmark of pop-up dinners like Kada. By offering intimate, interactive events, he creates a platform for personal connections between chefs and diners. Each event is an opportunity to share stories, flavours, and memories, fostering a deeper appreciation for Filipino cuisine.
Why it can be hard to get Vancouverites to try Filipino food
Young hesitates to use the term "elevate," however, when it comes to his culinary approach to Filipino food. It's part of what he believes makes getting Filipinos in Vancouver excited about trying modern Filipino food in restaurant settings such a challenge.
"Filipino food in itself, I feel is already 'elevated,' in terms of being interesting and what techniques that we've had over the years," the chef explains. He points to fermentation, and vinegar-based marinades, deployed because of lack of refrigeration, and cooking on open flames in the absence of electricity.
Even the infamous Boodle Fight, which finds mounds of food set out on banana leaves directly on the table-top that diners pick up with their hands, is a demonstration of technique, believes Young. "Like, is that not elevated enough in its own way?" posits the chef, who compares the feast to presentation in modern dining. "It's the same stuff. Your textural contrast, your colour contrast, your height."
Another barrier Young says he faces when it comes to making and selling Filipino food in Vancouver is the lingering lore of the 1990s, when the "turo turo" style of dining was popularized. The term means to literally "point point," at a buffet display where diners point at what they want on their plates. With so many casual options popularized, the older generation may be reluctant to spend a little more to try something more contemporary.
Young also says some Filipino Canadians may remember food at home in the Philippines as being noticeably unsophisticated as well as reliant on imported, often American, packaged products.
"When we were growing up, we were obsessed with imported goods," explains Young. "But the idea that import is better is kind of shifting now back home."
Now, Filipino chefs "are not afraid to turn the food on its head" and are pushing their own limits in their home country with their elegant, multi-course tasting menus. In turn, it's become more possible for Young to take a similar approach in Vancouver.
What Kada offers is somewhere in between the old and the new. With each meticulously planned menu, Young and his collaborators take diners on a sensory journey, infusing traditional Filipino dishes with modern twists and local ingredients. "That's one of the things that sets Kada apart from Filipino food back home is that we have access to local or near-local produce," notes Young.
Being in the kitchen for Kada is an exciting new space for Young, and an empowering follow-up to his time in established restaurants like Grapes & Soda, where he was able to carefully dip his toe in what it was like to serve Filipino-inspired dishes to guests. Young says the restaurant's approach to using what was on hand that day opened up opportunities for creativity.
Pop-up series connects chef to his roots
"Grapes for me was almost like a playground, where I got to try and learn a bunch of different things that I would not have had access to," attests Young. He describes how he translated a personal craving for kare kare, a traditional peanut and meat stew, into a dish showcasing braised lamb, with flavour notes akin to the comforting Filipino dish.
Being able to share components of his home cuisine provided Young with a "renewed vigour," which carried him into his current project.
"I think the most important thing for me is to not be afraid of showcasing the real flavour," adds Young. "I'm now making food for Kada that, in a way, connects me again to my roots."
As Young and Garcia work alongside other culinary collaborators and Filipino artists, the Kada platform offers a unique opportunity to be the kind of business Young says hospitality workers need, with good wages and a healthy work environment. It's also an adaptive concept that can shift with each iteration or collaborator - like the summertime dinners Young did alongside Chef Martin Vargas from Alimentaria Mexican and an upcoming snack-focused event showcasing the work of local Filipino artists.
"As Kada, we're able to offer a bridge, almost make a meet-cute, where local creators and artists get to meet each other and realize the world's smaller than we thought," describes Young.
While Young used to ruminate on his own identity, thinking about how "Filipino" he felt or presented, he says he has shifted from a wish to mask or blend in to really stepping into his cultural heritage. "I've honestly become more Filipino," the chef says of his life in Vancouver.
Young knows other Filipinos living in Vancouver, including those he works with through Kada, are also questioning their identity.
"I just want to tell everyone: You are Filipino enough."
- Follow Kris Young on Instagram: @wok.of.ages
Kada's next event is called "Tikim Ng Kulay" and features an art showcase inspired by Filipinx folk stories, food and culture alongside an array of mouthwatering Filipinx cuisine that will take you straight to the streets of Manila. The event takes place Sunday, October 22 at Heirs Pears (605 Nelson St) in Vancouver. Tickets for available entry times can be purchased online from $11.98.
