"At work, I would eat Filipino food for lunch. My workmates would always ask why Filipino isn't as well-known like other cuisines. I'd try and share my food with them, but they would be hesitant to taste. This made me want to promote Filipino food even more."
Para sa Melburnian na si Catherine Pascua at sa kanyang asawa na si Rafael, ang ibig sabihin ng pagsulong ng lutuing Pinoy ay ang pagsali sa multi-kultural na Dandenong Market gamit ang kanilang Filipino street food na stall.
"It was frightening."
Binuo ng mag-asawa ang Si-KAT Pinoy Eatscetera noong 2017.
Husband-and-wife team, Rafael and Catherine Pascua Source: Supplied
"I was working three jobs and Rafael was working full-time; but when I realised the potential of the stall and we were offered a full-time spot at the market, I quit my two jobs and only continued working as a technician. Starting the business was frightening because we knew a lot of Filipino food businesses that closed shop, but our love for Filipino food was stronger than our fear of failure," saad ni Catherine.
Habang ang pagmamahal nila para sa pagkaing Pinoy ang nagtulak sa kanilang magpatuloy, aminado si Catherine na nahirapan sila noong unang anim na buwan ng Si-KAT. Nahirapan silang tugunan ang pangangailangan ng mga taong di kilala ang pagkaing Pinoy at ang mga Muslim na di kumakain ng baboy.
"It was so hard to introduce Filipino food to non-Filipinos. Of course they would be hesitant to spend $10 on food they weren't sure they would like, so we gave out free samples in the beginning. We started with 12 kilos of meat per week - that was it," aniya.
Sweet, salty and slightly spicy Filipino-style barbecue Source: Supplied
Mula sa 12 kilong karne, lumaki ang bilang ng tumatangkilik sa kanilang negosyo.
Ayon kay Catherine, "We get support from the Filipino community, but the Dandenong Market caters to different nationalities. People here are adventurous so they want to try Filipino food. Although Muslims in our area first got turned off from our stall because we sold pork, some of our regular customers now include Muslims who buy chicken arroz caldo and chicken barbecue from us."
Both Filipinos and non-Filipinos patronise Catherine and Rafael's food. Source: Supplied
Kasikatan ng Si-KAT
Kasama ng kanilang chicken arroz caldo at chicken barbecue, dinala nila ang kanilang mga lutuin sa Dandenong Market for the Full Moon Festival at Dandenong Market World Fare, gaya ng pancit, iskrambol at mga silog.
"Our queue reached the last marquee during the festival and we were sold out in 3.5 hours. Also, our ube champorado (a twist on the usual chocolate champorado, a sweet rice porridge) with espada fish won as the most unique dish at the World Fare. We started getting recognised even by local papers," saad ni Catherine.
Nagulat si Catherine sa pagkakilalang ito dahil aminado siya na wala siyang masyadong alam ukol sa pagkain hanggang siya'y nag-aral ng Hospitality in Cookery at nagtrabaho bilang line cook at Food and Beverage Senior Supervisor.
From the sweet to the sour - two of Si-KAT Pinoys offerings, Iskrambol and green mango on a stick Source: Supplied
The famous ube champorado with espada fish featured during the Dandenong Market World Fare. Source: Supplied
"I know the ins and outs of running a food business because of my previous work, but Rafael was the one who grew up really knowing a lot of Filipino dishes because his dad was a chef back home I'm proud to say that Rafael cooks really well - that's why I gained so much weight when we got married!"
Si-KAT Pinoy Eatscetera at the Dandenong Market Source: Supplied
Pagkatapos ng ilang kilo at dalawang taon ng pagbebenta ng pagkaing Pinoy, saad ni Catherine na ang isang mahalagang natutunan nila ni Rafael sa pagkakaroon ng Filipino food business ay ang pagkakaroon ng paniwala sa sarili nilang pagkain.
"You don't need to give Filipino food a twist to impress other nationalities. Be straightforward with it. Cook it the Filipino way and they'll embrace it as much as we Filipinos do."
BASAHIN / PAKINGGAN DIN
