Actor and TV star Joel Torre has been in the entertainment industry since 1978. Over the course of his career he has brought several memorable characters to life, most notably Rafael Dacanay in the 2010 film Amigo, which led to his best actor win at the 17th Puchon International Fantastic Film Festival.
The actor’s love of food, but in particular Bacolod city’s signature inasal (grilled marinated chicken), is the reason he says he decided to become a restaurateur in the first place. He opened his first eatery, JT’s Manukan Grille, back in 2003, with a menu crammed full of Ilonggo food from the province of Negros Occidental. Is it any good? Torre has done so well that he now has over 20 branches in the country, and one in Guam.
Marvin Agustin
Marvin Agustin is best known for his gritty performance as Filipino boxing champion Rolando Navarette in an episode of Maalaala Mo Kaya, and as Lemuel, a disturbed psychopath in the horror-thriller Kutob.
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He may have won awards for his acting, but his heart seemed to belong in the kitchen, pushing him to study culinary arts and become a chef and restaurateur. With several restaurant chains across the Philippines, the most popular is SumoSam, a Japanese restaurant that draws on global influences.
Richard Yap
Chinese-Filipino actor and model Richard Yap is known for his role on daytime television drama Be Careful with My Heart. However he claims that he has always been entrepreneurial (as well as a big foodie), and to understand the restaurant business better, took culinary classes before opening Singaporean-Chinese restaurant Wang Fu with two of his friends, Lester Pimentel Ong and Ace Wang.
Along with some super-tasty Singaporean dishes, the restaurant is bursting with colour and motifs from the Lion City, and, in a nice gesture to all the mothers out there, hand out special orange roses to mothers on Mother’s Day each year.
Jodi Sta. Maria
Richard Yap’s Be Careful with My Heart co-star Jodi Santamaria, better known by her stage name Jodi Sta. Maria, is also no stranger to the restaurant business. The Emmy-nominated actress, famous for her portrayal of Georgina in Tabing Ilog, is also a psychology student and mother who says she has always been passionate about food.
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She opened her Mardi Gras-inspired Rue Bourbon Bar and Restaurant in 2012, which has since grown to open five other branches. Customers are invited to recreate the atmosphere of Bourbon Street, the French Quarter street in New Orleans, Louisiana, that is famous for being one of the main parade routes for Mardi Gras. Our suggestion? Grab one of their signature dragon fruit mojitos and attempt to do just that.
Maxene Magalona-Mananquil
Maxene Magalona-Mananquil is widely known for her role as Alex Acosta in the 2015 drama Doble Kara, and as the daughter of the late Filipino rapper Francis Magalona.
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Her restaurant, Milky & Sunny, is partly owned by her mother Pia and brother Elmo, and offers all-day breakfasts. But why? Maxene says the concept was inspired by the family’s weekend tradition of having pancakes and bacon on Sundays.
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