Conversations with CESAR & MARIA GARVIDA

Today we’d like to introduce you to CESAR & MARIA GARVIDA.

Hi CESAR & MARIA, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
From the Office to the Grill: The Story of BBQ BAON
The day my company announced it was closing, the office lights felt a little dimmer. For most of my colleagues, it was a crisis. For me, it was the terrifying, exciting shove I had been waiting for. I had always dreamed of opening a food trailer, but I had played it safe for years.

That night, I sat at the kitchen table, scrolling through Craigslist job listings. I eventually wandered over to the “commercial space” section and found a listing for a food trailer rental. I must have lingered on the page too long, because my wife, Maria, leaned over my shoulder.

“You aren’t looking for another desk job,” she said firmly. She didn’t say it as a question; she said it as a directive. “You’ve talked about this forever. This isn’t a setback—it’s your opportunity to finally do what you love. I’m behind you 100%.”

Making the Move

I reached out to the gentleman renting the space, and luck was on my side. He told me the previous tenant was retiring and looking to sell his trailer. We made a deal, and suddenly, I wasn’t an office employee anymore—I was the owner of a food trailer.

The transition wasn’t overnight. We spent months diving into upgrades, navigating the maze of health permits, and paying the endless fees that come with starting a small business. Through every late night and every stressful inspection, Maria was the one pushing me forward. She saw the vision of BBQ BAON even when I was buried in paperwork.

Learning the Streets

We chose the name BBQ BAON because baon represents the Filipino tradition of a meal prepared with love to take with you. We wanted to bring that taste of home to the streets of LA.

The Smoke and the Hustle

Today, the rhythm of my life is completely different. Instead of typing at a keyboard, I’m at the grill, watching the smoke rise as the pork caramelizes. The “click-click” of my tongs is my new office soundtrack.

Maria is right there beside me, managing the window and greeting our customers with the same belief she had in me that first night at the kitchen table. We’re currently staples at farmers markets and local night markets, and we’re working hard to break into the festival and major event circuit next.

Looking back, losing that job was the best thing that ever happened to me. It took a closed door and a very supportive wife to finally get me onto the road.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Our start in a rented parking lot in Sherman Oaks was a reality check. The foot traffic just wasn’t there, and the quiet hours were tough. But we didn’t give up; we adapted. We did our research and realized we needed to be where the energy was. We shifted our focus to farmers markets and night markets—places where people come specifically to eat and explore.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
We specialize in Filipino street food, we sell pork and chicken bbq skewers along with pork belly bowls over rice. We also have pork and veggie egg rolls. Our newest item is my wife’s ideas Filipino tacos which are super popular with our customers. For desserts we serve Turon Sans Rivals and Yema Cake. Everything on our menu is hand made and everything we make is made fresh to order. We don’t cook ahead of time or use and reheating tools.

How do you define success?
Success to me is when you wake up every morning and don’t have to worry about paying bills or stressing about money.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bbqbaonandmore?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==

Image Credits
Maria Garvida