Today we’d like to introduce you to Joanna Lawlor.
Hi Joanna, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I’ve lived in Santa Barbara for the last 10 years of my life and I’ve loved every minute of it. The one little problem that I faced was that there was no Filipino food. Food has a great way of connecting people and I always felt lost it.
Once covid hit, I was at a crossroads with my life (as did many people) with what did I want to do. I recently got laid off and couldn’t leave my house, I was a bit lost. That’s where lumpia’s came about. I started selling frozen homemade lumpias out of my garage off of Instagram. I didn’t think much of it, but they were a hit! Everyone loved these tiny special bites.
This got my wheels turning, I should make Filipino food in Santa Barbara. I had an idea to start making ‘Boodle Boxes,’ which are Kamayan dinners inside a cardboard box enough for two people. I thought it would be a Covid friendly way to share food with your loved ones at home. From there, I started doing pop-ups all over the Santa Barbara County area from coffee shops, breweries, wineries, etc. Now I am gearing toward private intimate events!
I am constantly evolving and I love it. Sharing food was a way to bring us all together. From feeling alone to now knowing there’s a thriving Filipino community in Santa Barbara!
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It has been somewhat smooth, what I find challenging is navigating my way on what to do next. I constantly want push myself to do more and keep growing my business.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am a self-taught chef, I specialize in Filipino food. I try to keep my cooking as traditional as possible with my own flare.
The thing I enjoy most doing are my Boodle Fights, traditionally known as Kamayan dinner, kamayan simply translates to hands. This type of dinner is truly a community bonding experience, usually put together for celebrations, this is where food is laid onto banana leaves along the table and everyone gathers around and eats with their hands off the table.
Whenever I host these types of dinners, I feel like I am either bringing back a familiar memory to someone, educating people about my culture or simply feeding people with ridiculously delicious food.
I am able to bring an unforgettable, interactive experience through food.
Before we let you go, we’ve got to ask if you have any advice for those who are just starting out?
My advice to someone starting out is to stick to what you are truly most passionate about, if you are loving what you do it will be the key to what drives you every single day.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @eatingwithjo
Image Credits
Andrew Schoener
