Today we’d like to introduce you to Christopher Ryan Santos.
Hi Christopher Ryan, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
In all honesty, I never would’ve seen myself cooking professionally. Throughout high school, you would’ve caught me talking about being an accountant or some type of routine 9-5. Growing up, I didn’t have that amazing grandma who made some amazing regional cuisine or the mom/dad who had a crazy vast knowledge of culinary skills, but what I did end up having was an amazing family who strongly values food and the meaning behind having a meal.
To end the day on such a high note where everyone gets to sit down, unwind, and truly have a good time with the ones you love was something I truly cherish to this day. The first time I ever did something remotely close to cooking was back in high school. I took a home economics class because I thought if I knew how to cook, I’d be winning them hearts and eventually get myself a girlfriend.
Eh- in actuality, it didn’t really work out the way I wanted, but what I did get was an opportunity. Pushing through with C-CAP (Careers through Culinary Arts Program) was life-changing. Being able to re-live the interpretation of my childhood but through a different perspective, was astonishing.
After winning a scholarship to go to culinary school, I decided to work in kitchens on my days off. My first ever restaurant was at Barrel and Ashes with Timothy Hollingsworth out in Studio City. To say it was overwhelming would be an extreme understatement. From the first time I held a knife, to my first time ever working a service (brunch out of all things, if you know you know), to my first special, to my first major burn, to my first ever second family, and to the many other firsts, it was a great experience to say the very least.
But what really made me who I am today was my family at Broken Spanish.
The blood, sweat, tears, every service, every dish, to our Michelin Bib Gourmand, to closing our doors due to Covid, to re-opening them at NeueHouse, and every single plate I put out during my four years there just gave me this little moment of gratification. Knowing I put a piece of myself on that plate, I truly couldn’t ask for more. A special thank you to Monti Carlo (I can talk about all of our shenanigans and adventures, but you’d be here forever, hahaha), Broken Spanish, Chef Ray Garcia, Chef Jason Mattick, and the whole BS family for giving this wide-eyed kid a chance to better himself and figure out what it really means to be a chef.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
To say it was easy and that everything fell into place would be a damn lie. There was a lot of pushback, especially from my parents.
Being the oldest child and a first-generation Filipino-American, there was a weight on my shoulders that wasn’t really talked about, rather it was expected of me. To be the one to drop the news of me becoming a chef for a living was way out there as compared to being a nurse, working for the government, or being in IT.
It took years, and I mean years, to even convince them that this is the field and career I want to be known for. Even to this day, I still get the “hoy you should work for ‘xyz’ department of the government”. I just can’t help but say, “Yeah, sure” or “I’ll think about it”, and then just go do some RnD or jot some notes down for some new dishes/concepts I want to do at the restaurant or my future pop-ups.
As you know, we’re big fans of Kuya’s Noods. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
As a Filipino-American, I don’t really feel like I fit in with Filipinos back in the Philippines, and I don’t truly feel American. When it comes to this whole “who am I, what am I” mindset that most first-generation Asian Americans go through, I feel like it’s just as important to understand that it’s our turn to tell a story that bridges those two worlds and turns it into our own.
With Kuya’s Noods, it’s not necessarily an homage to Filipino food or an end all be all of cultural identity, but rather what Filipino food is like to someone who grew up cooking, breathing, and eating in one of America’s greatest melting pots. It’s not so much your traditional take on Filipino food, but it’s more so the story, amalgamation of cultures, and techniques I want to show and tell to whomever wants to listen and experience.
Yes, it’s a business that’s still a work in progress, but it’s one that I’m truly passionate about. Expect us to be at your local brewery, farmers market, night market, or whatever event you can dream of serving up some pancit, palabok, and some inasal cooked off binchotan charcoal, but don’t expect it to be your orthodox perception of them.
Kuya’s Noods plans to hit the streets in fiscal 2024.
How do you think about happiness?
Some things that truly make me happy are experiences. Whether it be supporting a small business, going out to new/old restaurants, spending time with my amazing partner, friends, and family, listening to a vinyl I haven’t spun in a while, or even painting/creating with my miniature hobby. Whatever it may be, as long as there’s company, it’s always a great time. It’s the little things in life that truly put a big ole smile on my face.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: Jechrispy
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christopher-ryan-santos-169a48121?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=android_app
