This may be a mommy blog but I want you to meet a dad in the kitchen from Bacolod City whose cooking found its way in many Bacolod homes. Now, his passion for cooking has allowed him to leave the corporate world, work at his own pace, and spend more time with his family. And he also gets to feed other families with good food.
Having a Dad in the Kitchen
For most families, the homecook in the family is usually the mom. She manages the family budget and handles the daily menu selection. Then she gets to decide the big Sunday lunch special that the whole family can share.
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While we often associate the mom in the kitchen at home, picturing her with an apron all day, many of the greatest chefs in the world are actually men. They say that men are actually very creative and focused in the kitchen, which is why they can come up with very technical and well-crafted dishes.
Moreover, they are very particular with taste and texture, hence the quality of their outputs. I have observed the same with my husband, who even has comments about texture and temperature—among everything else.
In Bacolod City, here is one dad in the kitchen who has given up his lucrative career in the banking industry in order to spend more time with his growing family. Read the story of Daddy Manolito del Castillo, who is now making baked rice meals and selling them online.
Former Banker Turned Homecook
“No regrets. I am having the best time with my family,” Daddy Manolito quips, as he shares how he decided to leave his profession to put his family first.
Married to the former Joy Au, the del Castillo couple has two sons, namely Miggy, 8, and Joaki, 8 months. Daddy Manolito had served long as a bank officer, handling the loans department.
Meanwhile, Mommy Joy is an online seller. Both of them also have interests in different ventures, such as the Hydrolife Alkaline Water Filtration System, KIDS Inc. Learning Center, and Baby Stork. These are all Bacolod-based businesses.
Their eldest son Miggy had been their only child for several years. But when Mommy Joy got pregnant with their second, she suggested for Daddy Manolito help her take care of the new baby and the household. Having a second baby in her 40th year was not a breeze for Mommy Joy, so Daddy was just all too willing to leave his stressful job and put his family first.
Handy in the Kitchen
Daddy Manolito had always been a passionate homecook. He even considers it his first love and now his stress therapy. Before, he even owned food carts in malls. But most of the time, it’s the family who gets to enjoy his cooking. It is a good thing because Mommy Joy is not so much into it so this way, they complement each other.
When he resigned late last year, Daddy Manolito had more time to spend in the kitchen. He prepared meals and also experimented with new dishes, discovering new recipes along the way. He got to cook some more when the quarantine happened in Bacolod City because of Covid-19.
While Mommy Joy got hooked with K-Drama and taking care of their newborn son, Daddy busied himself in the kitchen.
The Motivation to Sell
Many of their family friends encouraged Daddy Manolito to start selling his dishes. Since he loves to entertain people at home, it became like second nature for him to prepare good food for them. His dishes became all the more in-demand when the quarantine happened because Bacolod restaurants are closed and people needed reliable food sources.
At first, they sold marinated, ready to cook Bacolod Chicken inasal. Then Daddy Manolito made baked rice meals for their friends. The feedback was good so he kept developing it until he got three variants available and started selling it publicly through Facebook.
Mommy Joy says that so far, pasta and rice toppings are Daddy Manolito’s awesome creations. He is now experimenting with smoking meats, which might be his next offering.
His food business had been a good way to earn, especially now that he has left a regular job with a scheduled payday. But more than that, it’s the satisfaction that his creations have satisfied people that drives him to cook further. “I just love to cook and prepare food for people. When they enjoy what I make, I’m happy,” Daddy Manolito enthuses.
Keeping the Family Together
Like everyone else, the del Castillo family are also affected by the crisis. So now that everyone is staying at home, they keep the kids active and busy.
Their eldest Miggy goes biking around the neighbourhood. Sometimes, they set up slip and slides and an inflatable pool. They dad and son also play Nerf, online games, or board games. Plus they also bond in the kitchen, baking cookies, and muffins.
Meanwhile, baby Joaki is still taking his sweet time growing up.
Baked Rice Dishes by Dad in the Kitchen
For now, Dad in the Kitchen sells Baked Rice Platters that are available in three (3) flavors. They are great for a family meal or for birthday platters. These are:
- Pork Sisig: Small – P300
- Spicy Tuna: Small- P350 (with 1 pack Nori) | Large – P650 (with 2 packs Nori)
- Crab and Mango: Small- P350 (with 1 pack Nori) | Large – P650 (with 2 packs Nori)
The small platter is good for 2-3 persons while the large size can serve up to 6 persons.
For orders, contact:
(0917) 1181025 | (0988) 8500048
The del Castilo couple is positive that Dad in the Kitchen will succeed in the food industry. As of now, they are still testing the market. So far the response has been really good so they are inspired to come up with more.
Homecooking Recipes
Meanwhile, check out some of our budget meal recipes that you can prepare at home. They are designed to get us through the economic crisis brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic.
- Sardine and Salted Egg Salad Recipe for a Budget Meal
- Easy to Make Mongolian Rice Bowl Recipe at Home
- Sardine Java Rice: A Filipino Family Meal Below P50
- Sardine Spaghetti Aglio Olio Recipe: 50-Peso Dish During Family Quarantine
- Easy Chicken Misono Recipe | Homecooking by Mommy Sigrid
- Homecooking Recipe for a Healthier Bicol Express
- Pork Skin Kilawin Recipe (Pork Skin Salad): Ulam Below 100 Pesos
- Homemade Fried Cauli Rice Recipe
- Snack Time: Pandesal Creations During Quarantine | Merzci Bakeshop
- Spicy Sardine Frittata: 50-peso-Dish for a Family of 5 from Covid-19 Relief Packs