(Chef Roline) Hearts! *laughs* (Kirby) Plenty of hearts!
(Kirby) Yeah, even on social media you're popular! You have a very loyal following.
(Kirby) I know people who can't start their day without watching your "good morning! going to work..."
(Chef Roline) Really? Thank you! I know when they come in here, they even copy my voice.
(Chef Roline) It's so fun oh my god. I know!
How did you learn how to cook?
How did you learn how to make Filipino food?
From my lola (grandma).
(Kirby) What is your lola's name? (Tita Roline) Lola Rosa
(Kirby) Wow, Rose! (Tita Roline) Yes, I know, Rose.
And she had a lot of roses in her garden.
Because I was the youngest in the household,
So I'm always the one next to my grandma.
Every time she’s cooking
Every time she needs something prepared
Even being the official taster for my grandma.
Yeah, because you know, I'm like 5 years old or 4 years old.
I'm the one always next to her.
(Kirby) So you're like always tailing behind grandma? (Chef Roline) Yes, I'm always tailing behind.
Because you know, all my cousins who lived with my grandma were in school.
So I'm the one left with her.
So I see everything, even when you know,
When she'll butcher the chicken or something like that, I see that.
(Kirby) Oh, from scratch! (Chef Roline) Yes, really.
Talk about "from farm to table" *laughs*
(Kirby) Right in the farm! (Chef) Yes!
And you know, our backyard is surrounded with vegetables
and we even have pineapples, and jackfruit trees, and guavas.
So name it, we have it.
So that's how I learned. You know, I request food from her,
And then readily it's available.
So that's how I'm always like, "eat the food" since I was young.
(Kirby) Since you were a baby. (Chef Roline) Practically yeah, right?
(Kirby) Your earliest memories. (Chef Roline) And I think we also had a restaurant before.
My mom had a restaurant even, back when I wasn't even born.
But I don't know what happened, I was not there yet.
(Kirby) So it's in your blood Tita, to cook and serve food? (Chef Roline) It's in the blood *laughs*
*laughs*
(Kirby) But you're a chef! (Chef Roline) Yes!
(Kirby) You're a real chef like... traditionally, and officially (Chef Roline) Yes! *laughs*
I had to. right? I really like cooking and I like to entertain people,
And I love science!
So going into culinary [school] gave me that, you know, all the aspects of preparing the food.
You know, it has science, it has all those, and then entertaining, and
[Now] I'm here.
(Kirby) You're fun to be with Tita. (Chef Roline) Thank you, salamat!
(Kirby) We've been here since 2000... what year was [that?] *laughs* (Chef Roline) Uhm, 2011.
(Kirby) When we first started coming here. Wow. (Chef Roline) Yes, 2011.
(Kirby) I was still in college then. (Chef Roline) I know, right?
(Kirby) I was much thinner then (Chef Roline) Me too! *laughs*
(Chef Roline) 30 lbs. lighter *laughs*
(Kirby) Yee was kinda shy back then. (Chef Roline) *laughs* Oh yes, that's true!
(Kirby) So the dishes you serve remind you of home and your childhood (Chef Roline) Yes
(Kirby) With Lola Rose (Chef Roline) Yes
Especially when we’re catering
I always remember my grandma
Because we like to have parties at home.
Don't you have it, like your grandma to right?
We like to have parties [feasts] at home.
Or if not parties, on weekends or during the summer,
My cousins would come visit.
And it's like a party already!
And everyone has like a different favorite dish
(Kirby) So she'll cook each for everyone? Wow. (Chef Roline) Yeah.
Like for example, you, she knows you like Kare-Kare so she'll cook it for you,
The other one likes Paksiw na Pata, then another one likes another dish...
So I always choose something else.
(Kirby) Oh yeah, is it the one you told me about? (Chef Roline) Yeah, but actually everything is my favorite!
(Chef Roline) But I pretended not to, 'cause I don't want to compete with my older cousins.
(Chef Roline) Since I was the smallest, (Kirby) And they're rarely home.
(Chef Roline) Yeah, you know, they only come home once in a while, so I make them feel at home, and just enjoy the food.
(Chef Roline) So our grandma's house was like that!
(Kirby) So Lola's house was fun? (Chef Roline) Very fun, yeah
It's really nice, even the neighbors loved her,
Because she likes to help everybody.
She likes to help, even if it was her last money in her pocket, she'd still give it away to help.
So the people were also like that towards us, when we need help, we don't even need to ask.
Because they know, they have this feeling, that we're in critical you know, needs back in the Philippines.
So I'm glad, because you know, even now that Lola's gone, they still remember me.
They open their doors. Once I visited my grandma's old neighborhood,
They welcomed us, you know that's amazing for them to even remember.
They say it's because they do remember our late Lola Rosa.
(Chef Roline) So I hope people remember me in that way too... (Kirby) We do, everyone remembers you in that way too!
(Chef Roline) I want to be like that too, I want to be remembered like my [Lola Rosa]
(Kirby) You're like an icon in the community, from Vacaville all the way to Davis (Chef Roline) Aww, thank you!
(Chef Roline) That's a big, you know, undertaking for me.
(Kirby) Like working on campus, at UC Davis (Chef Roline) Yeah
(Kirby) When I tell our students that the catering is from Tita Roline, they get really excited! (Chef Roline) Aww, really? That's nice!
(Kirby) They really show up! (Chef Roline) Up to now I'm really thankful.
I'm thankful for all the students,
And all our customers who have been very supportive of us.
And they've seen our growth, You have seen our growth!
People have stayed with us from day one up to now... oh my god!
(Chef Roline) Because you know, sometimes people they [come and go]
(Kirby) They disappear? (Chef Roline) Yeah, they disappear.
(Chef Roline) And it's really challenging (Kirby) And it's not like a growth that only goes up and up...
(Chef Roline) I know, it's hard, you know, running a business it's really hard.
(Chef Roline) Because you know, like what you said... (Kirby) But you're doing great! People love you!
(Kirby) There's always a lot of people. (Chef Roline) Aww, heart! *laughs*
(Kirby) Plenty of hearts! (Chef Roline) *laughs*
(Kirby) Yeah, even on social media you're popular! You have a very loyal following.
(Kirby) I know people who can't start their day without watching your "good morning! going to work..."
(Chef Roline) Really? Thank you! I know when they come in here, they even copy my voice. It's so fun.
(Chef Roline) Oh my god, it's even more humbling because
(Chef Roline) "I know your voice!" they'll go like that.
(Chef Roline) Because I'm not on camera all the time so they'll say "I know that voice!"
(Chef Roline) Oh my god, thank you!
(Kirby) People love you Tita. (Chef Roline) Yeah, thank you very much!
(Kirby) People love you and your food! (Chef Roline) Thank you Kirby, and thank you everybody!
(Chef Roline) I want them to embrace their Filipino in them.
(Chef Roline) I want them to eat the food,
And not be embarrassed by, you know when you're eating Filipino food.
You know, like "Hey, I don't eat that..." Just embrace it.
You are Filipino, be proud that you are Filipino.
(Chef Roline) Right? (Kirby) Yeah.
(Kirby)And I see it with your granddaughter.