The noted chef is set to serve the best Pinoy dishes at Kooya Filipino Eatery
A quick scroll on Filipino chef JP Anglo’s YouTube channel and you’ll get how passionate he is about food and places. He has been to many spots in the Philippines, from up north in Ifugao and Baguio to special eats in Malabon and Quezon City, among others, savoring the best dishes these destinations have to offer. This time, the culinary leader behind Sarsa restaurant in Makati City journeys to Dubai, not just to taste its food but to serve its people a Pinoy feast at his new restaurant Kooya Filipino Eatery.
With a name that plays with the Filipino word “kuya,” meaning “brother” in English, Dubai diners can expect a great Filipino gastronomic experience from the restaurant. Through a series of Instagram posts, Chef JP shared updates about his latest food venture located at Jannah Place Dubai Marina hotel apartment.
Designed by Gabriel Lichauco, Kooya Filipino Eatery presents a warm ambiance made more inviting with its wooden fixtures and tall plants. The space’s glass walls give passersby a glimpse of what it has inside, a good way to lure in hungry customers.
Apart from the restaurant’s look, Chef JP has also shared some of the Filipino dishes he has been working on—reimagined meals but still have the taste of home. Some of the #Filipinofoodforward dishes Kooya’s soft opening set menu are his version of grilled tofu, pancit molo, kare-kare, and chicken inasal.
“Opening a restaurant is not just about making or concocting good food. It is everything. It is building a house, building a family,” Chef JP says. “Kailangan ‘yung pasensya mo sobrang haba talaga (You need to have patience), because there are a lot of moving parts.”
You can check out the progress of Kooya Filipino Eatery on Instagram or watch Chef JP’s vlog below: