Today we’d like to introduce you to Ria Dolly Barbosa
Hi Ria Dolly, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I went to culinary school right after high school but my path to where I am today started long before that.
My first food memory was when I was a toddler in the Philippines. I remember walking down a row of sugar cane with my mom and my lolo (grandpa). I became fussy as toddlers often do and then I watched as my lolo pulled out his machete and expertly whittled a small piece of sugar cane that he then handed me to chew on.
Growing up, I would watch food shows on tv and the one that really captivated me was Great Chefs. I would make myself a bowl of steamed rice and scrambled eggs and watch the show, saving my first bite for when the Chef would take a bite of the dish they’d just made. I would imagine I was eating what they were making, hoping that someday I’d be able to.
As the eldest of three in a Filipino household, I was responsible for helping my parents prep and sometimes cook dinner and dishes for family gatherings. It was these first experiences that would eventually catapult me into the world of food and hospitality.
Following my schooling, my externship led me to Las Vegas, where I spent the first five years of my career working for notable chefs at kitchens like The Mansion at MGM Grand, Lutece, Michael Mina, and Daniel Boulud Brasserie. I then spent the next three years in Salt Lake City, learning about seasonality working with local Utah and Californian farmers as a produce manager for a specialty grocery store. This experience helped me acquaint myself with farm-to-table cooking.
Upon returning to Los Angeles, I began working under Chef Corina Weibel at Canele. From there, I became the chef of Sqirl, WILD at Canele, Go Get Em Tiger Los Feliz, Paramount Coffee Project, and Petite Peso, where I could express and share my modern take on Filipino food.
I joined my long-time friend and peer, Alvin Cailan, at Amboy QMDB earlier this year in Chinatown. Along with Amboy, I also launched Polvo Cookie, Filipino shortbread with flavors like Ube Gavotte, Black Sesame, Food for the Gods (walnut date), and Calamansi Pistachio.
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?
Pursuing your passion is rarely a smooth road, even if you think you’ve figured it all out. I’ve encountered misunderstandings, lost friendships, even deception and mismanagement. But the point is to get up after every fall, reassess, and keep moving forward in the face of adversity.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I’ve been a professional cook for a little over twenty years and a chef for about fourteen. I am classically trained and came up in traditional French kitchens. I need to emphasize the difference between cook and chef in this current culinary landscape where too many individuals take the title without ever setting foot in a professional kitchen, let alone managing a team.
After moving back home to L.A., I began working in more relaxed restaurants that allowed for more time and freedom to develop unique ideas before it dawned on me that I should take the techniques thatI’ve learned and apply them to the Filipino food I grew up eating – initially just for shits and giggles but I also thought, “why not?”
Not just Filipino or French influence alone, growing up in L.A. is such a privilege. We have access to many cuisines from many different cultures, which have greatly influenced my cooking. These last few years I’ve become known for my unique perspective on modern Filipino food. Halfway between home cooking and avant-garde, it straddled that thin middle line that made it approachable to everyone whether you’d had Filipino food or not. Taking this road led me to meet other Fil-Am Chefs in the city and the country. It’s truly amazing to see Filipino food and its many different iterations flourish over the last few years. I’m very proud of the cumulative work of our community.
We’d love to hear about how you think about risk taking?
I used to fear failure. Then I feared not taking risks. I still maintain this stance, but now I approach it with a more strategic lens. Nothing is certain when it comes to risk-taking, and that’s why it’s so thrilling but I’ve learned you need to be smart about it. It’s in your best interest to take the time to familiarize yourself with all possible outcomes. Don’t trust anyone else to map it out for you.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @riadollybarbosa @polvocookie
Image Credits
Aloha Headshot
Wyatt Conlon
Ria Dolly Barbosa
