"Funny story when we moved here - Anthony didn’t know how to fry an egg," tawa ng Sydneysider na si Tonet Bermejo.
Matagal na ang panahong nakalipas na hindi marunong magluto ng itlog ang asawa ni Tonet na si Anthony Penano. Ngayo'y may-ari na sila ng General Charlie café, isang kapihang ipinangalan nila sa kanilang pusang si Charlie.
Self-proclaimed cat parents Tonet and Anthony named their cafe after their cat, Charlie. Source: Tonet Bermejo
Mga kapit-bahay
"In 2016, Anthony studied as a chef. He took Certificate III in Commercial Cookery and that's when he learned how to cook. He was a barista before his course; after it, he worked as a chef in some pubs and cafés," saad ni Tonet.
Aminado si Tonet na bago pa sila dumating ng Australya, ninais nila talagang magtayo ng sariling negosyo dito.
"Back home, we ran random businesses; after Anthony became a chef, we though that maybe it was time for us to take a risk. We didn't see ourselves as just part of the corporate wheel," saad ni Tonet.
Tonet admits that Anthony's experience in pubs and cafés furthered their want to build a business of their own. Source: Tonet Bermejo
Ginamit ng mag-asawa ang kanilang mga ipon at naghanap sila ng espasyo na kakayanin nilang bayaran ang renta.
"There are a lot of nice spaces in Sydney, but the struggle is the rent. Also, I'm not a morning person. It's a stuggle to wake up in the wee hours to open the shop so we had to find a location close to home," aniya.
"There are a lot of nice spaces in Sydney, but the struggle is the rent."
Ang nahanap nilang lokasyon na malapit sa kanilang tirahan ay isang espasyo sa Crows Nest na kaharap ng bagong itinayo na metro station.
"We have a regular customer say that he had been looking for a café for the past few months where he could sit down and chat. He said they lost places in the community to hang out in because of the train. Every customer that comes in, I try to relate to them in their daily struggle and when he said that...stories like his make the struggle of opening a café worthwhile."
Napagtanto ni Tonet na malaki ang pagkakaiba pagdating sa social expectations sa café at restawran.
"The Crows Nest community, it’s very tight-knit. Customers aren't just clients; they become almost like family." Source: Supplied
"The Crows Nest community, it’s very [and tight-knit]. Customers aren't just clients; they become almost like family. With restaurants, customers come and go; with cafés, clients come in every morning for their coffee run and they come back a second time for lunch. You see them daily and get to know them on a more personal level."
Pilipinong almusal
Habang mas nakikilala nina Tonet at Anthony ang kanilang mga parokyano, mas nakikilala naman ng kanilang mga kliyente ang pagkaing Pilipino.
"We didn't plan for us to be a Filipino-themed café. We just added two menu items that were Filipino - the tapsilog (marinated fried beef served with egg and garlic rice) and choriburger (grilled chorizo burger)...and the first weekend we opened [last October], hoards of Filipinos came. We realised our cuisine was underrepresented; so every week, we would add one Filipino food item to the menu. Now, we're here."
Malaking bahagi ng menu nila ang Pilipinong almusal, gaya ng Ube French Toast at mga silog.
Ube French Toast Source: Supplied
"The reception has been very good with non-Filipinos as well, surprisingly. Non-Filipinos who go to the café are open-minded and they are interested in trying Filipino dishes. We have an Aussie client who drops by everyday to order either tapsilog or longsilog (pork sausage with garlic rice and egg) for breakfast. He says it's a power breakfast. It has protein, carbs and vegetables. A great balance to start the day!"
Sinisigurado din ng mag-asawa na maganda ang presentasyon ng kanilang pagkain.
"We’re used to the idea that Filipino restaurants serve food banquet-style, to share...just dishes on a plate with no focus on making them look pretty. We wanted to show other people that Filipino dishes don't have to look like carinderia (roadside or street food stall) food. They can also look pretty and still be comforting and taste good."
Power breakfast - Longsilog and Sinangag fried rice Source: Supplied
Habang ang itsura't lasa ang pokus ng mag-asawa, paniwala nila na ang pinakabatayan ng kanilang magiging tagumpay pagdating ng panahon ay ang suporta ng Crows Nest at Filipino community.
"Community support is so important. In the long run, [they're the one who are there to help] us serve more promising dishes in the future that represent Filipino food."
BASAHIN / PAKINGGAN DIN
