David Licauco in the kitchen
The rising star's venture into the food business
By Poch Eulalia
At A Glance
- I failed, and because of that failure, I learned. And due to that learning, I'm getting better and better. So it's all about trying and trying and trying and putting in diligent hard work. —David Licauco
Actor David Licauco has found himself becoming a household name for his portrayal of Fidel, the love interest of Klay (played by Barbie Forteza), in Maria Clara at Ibarra. Their chemistry on set appears to have warmed the hearts of its many viewers on television and Netflix, leading to the formation of the “FiLay” love team. He is set to return onscreen with Forteza in the upcoming romantic comedy film That Kind of Love. Before garnering all this attention, he mostly took supporting roles and small parts in various television series. He has come a long way since then. Now, Licauco has taken on a new venture that proves just as exciting—the food business.
after their roles as Fidel and Klay in Maria Clara at Ibarra
Licauco’s interest in the culinary scene started after he came across a Facebook post about the Filipino breakfast staple beef tapa. Using his experience as a graduate of Bachelor of Science in Business Administration Major in Computer Applications (BSBA-CA) from De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde, Licauco created the online food delivery business Sóbra Café at the height of the pandemic, providing a warm ambiance and serving all-time comfort food. It became popular enough for the star to open a physical restaurant at the Molito Lifestyle Center in Alabang. Just last June, he and Sóbra Café’s co-owners, Chef Mike Victorioso and AC Adriano, celebrated its first anniversary.
Filipino food isn’t the only cuisine Licauco has found interesting. Expanding his food venture, the actor also opened a Korean fastfood joint Kuya Korea at UP Town Center along Katipunan Avenue in Quezon City. It offers crowd favorites such as fried chicken, bulgogi, bibimbap, and bingsu. He also put up Nature Intended, an online store that offers vegan and keto products.
Despite all this newfound success, Licauco underscores that such success only came to him due to the failures he had to face before. “I failed, and because of that failure, I learned. And due to that learning, I’m getting better and better. So it’s all about trying and trying and trying and putting in diligent hard work,” he said.