Category: Mercato

MERCATO CENTRALE’S THE NEXT BIG FOOD ENTREPRENEUR! Over the years, Mercato Centrale has evolved from being just a simple food market, to becoming a haven for budding food entrepreneurs. We’ve been lucky enough to give opportunities to home-based cooks with their own creations or heirloom recipes. We’ve encountered so many great entrepreneurs with huge dreams … Continue reading Are you the Next Big Food Entrepreneur in Manila? (Deadline: November 8)

We are finally ready to announce our latest collaboration project — The Molina Market at Brgy Poblacion, Makati! The Molina Market is the first Filipino Hawker Market establishment in Manila promoting the Filipino Local Soul, with authentic Manila ambiance in the heart of Brgy Poblacion in Makati. Here’s my Behind-the-Scenes discussion with Czarina Ledesma behind the … Continue reading Announcing… The Molina Market (Now Open for Applications!)

From the organizers of the popular night food market Mercato Centrale, the BELLYSIMA! Food Fair is a launchpad for passionate up-and-coming food entrepreneurs to share their gourmet, artisanal food creations alongside healthy and organic food products with equally passionate foodies and food enthusiasts!   Some foodies usually go on a staycation this long weekend, so make sure not to … Continue reading BELLYSIMA: What to try in the Independence Day Food Trip at Glorietta 5?! @MercatoCentrale

(Text by Paul Wenceslao, Photos and Video by JR Velasquez) One bright idea, as the old adage goes, leads to another, and in the case of the Filipino food enthusiast, a family favorite recipe or an odd combination of ingredients scrounged up in the cupboard can perhaps lead to the next local food craze. Mercato owners, RJ Ledesma and … Continue reading The Next Big Food Entrepreneur: A Hotbed of Food Entrepreneur Startups in Manila! @MercatoCentrale

Text by Paul Wenceslao, Photos and Video by JR Velasquez  Mercato Centrale, the country’s premier chain of food markets, has served as a launch pad for a plethora of successful food establishments, such as Manang’s Chicken, Spring and Chuck’s Grub among others. Recently, it held a competition for budding food entrepreneurs, doling out a much needed avenue … Continue reading The Next Big Food Entrepreneurs: The Four Big Winners @MercatoCentrale

Text by Paul Wenceslao, Photos by JR Velasquez    Emerging as the overall winner of The Next Big Food Entrepreneur, Bakmi Nyonya impressed both the judges and the buying public with their take on Indonesian food – they serve Indonesian noodles topped with mushrooms, herbs, spices and one’s choice between beef, pork and seafood.   Complementing the noodles … Continue reading BAKMI NYONYA: Best Indonesian Cuisine in Manila!

Text by Paul Wenceslao, Photos by JR Velasquez  Triumph and having a keen eye for detail are the keys to success for Benguet band vocalist, JR Royol. After all, stringing together words for songs and meticulously minding the taste of cooked dishes are never easy tasks. Royol, however, isn’t one to back down from a challenge, and … Continue reading BIGOROTS: Bicol + Igorot Heritage Cuisine by Pinoy Master Chef JR Royol!

Text by Paul Wenceslao, Photos by JR Velasquez  Who would’ve thought that a regular afternoon snack such as turon could be tweaked and stylized to become an artisanal meal? Danz Semilla, a food enthusiast, didn’t think of it as a possibility, at first. It just so happened that the game of chance landed on his lap, literally, … Continue reading TURONNE DE MANILA CAFE: Best Pinoy Dessert Innovation!

Text by Paul Wenceslao, Photos by JR Velasquez  College is the breeding ground of young entrepreneurs, as students learn the fundamentals on how to come up with a business concept and make its products quite tempting to its target market. Such is the case with Erika Cantor and her friends, owners of the burger booth Hunger Buster. … Continue reading HUNGER BUSTER: Best Affordable Gourmet Burgers in Manila!