In The Kusina: My Seasonal Filipino Cooking —equal parts culinary journey and personal love letter—reimagines traditional Filipino recipes through the lens of seasonality. Friends including Chef Tara Thomas, Blake Abbie, Kim Shui & more danced it out to DJ Tito Vida, left with signed copies and homemade bibingka, and toasted to Woldy over tequila cocktails and San Pellegrino.
Before it all went down, we chatted about the behind-the-scenes of cookbook publishing, travel tips for The Philippines, and everything in between.
Tell us a little about how you got started with cooking and fell in love with the kitchen.
I fell in love with the kitchen by spending time with my family, especially my grandmother—my Lola. Just being in the kitchen with her, learning traditional Filipino dishes like adobo, tasting her food made with so much love—those sweet, sour, salty, and spicy flavors really left an impression on me. I wanted to bring those flavors into today’s world. That’s why I created this cookbook. For me, food is a way to connect with people and share my culture.
What inspired you to write a cookbook, and what do you hope readers take away from it?
There should honestly be a reality show about what goes into making a cookbook—it’s such a creative and intense process. For me, the beauty of it all is holding the final product, this book, my baby.
Before we even started shooting, I had to write and test all the recipes. I sent them to both home cooks and professional recipe testers to make sure they worked. It was a lot of work—taking feedback, making edits, fine-tuning everything.
But for me, recipes are just a guideline. What I love most is cooking intuitively. The book gives you a roadmap, but I want people to interpret each dish in their own way—add more salt, a little extra spice—make it your own.
That said, clarity is important. I wanted to make sure the home cook could follow every step the way I intended. Professional testers have that experience, but home cooks might wonder, “When do I add the salt? Before or after?” Those little details matter, so I had to make sure the instructions were crystal clear.
Filipino food is having such an exciting moment. People are curious, and I wanted to be part of that. This cookbook reflects how I personally like to eat Filipino food—more vegetable-forward, seasonal dishes. It blends my own lifestyle with my culture.
It’s also a great introduction for people unfamiliar with Filipino food. I hope it sparks curiosity and leads them to try more traditional dishes. This is my way of offering a deeper understanding of our cuisine, and I’m really proud of that.
What’s your must-try ingredient for spring?
If I’m at Union Square Market in spring, it’s all about ramps. I love their mild, garlicky, onion flavor. I have a recipe in the book that features ramps—they’re the crème de la crème of spring produce. I also love asparagus. I use it in a recipe for asparagus lumpia, which is like a Filipino vegetable egg roll.
Ramps are especially popular in the Northeast. You can make ramp oil, ramp salt—they’re super versatile. I put them in pancit, a Filipino stir-fried noodle dish. If you can’t find ramps, spring onions, scallions, or green onions are great alternatives. They're similar but each has its own character.
What’s your favorite place for late-night bites in New York?
Paulie Gee’s in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. Any slice from their window or display case is a must.
Top travel tip for a foodie visiting the Philippines?
You have to visit Quiapo Market in Manila, near Quiapo Church. It’s full of amazing street vendors selling everything from barbecue on a stick to balut and palabok, which is one of my favorites. It’s a vibrant, energetic market and a great way to experience authentic Filipino street food.
