Meet Matthew Curry of Tisoy Curryative Cuisines

Today we’d like to introduce you to Matthew Curry.

Hi Matthew, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
Growing up in a Filipino family, food is the language of love and hospitality. No matter who you are or where you’re from, you are welcomed at the table. At a young age, I watched my grandmother cook authentic Filipino Cuisine from Pinoy Empanadas, Biko, to Lumpia and Pancit, name it! She worked hard from her tiny home kitchen to put a smile on her customers’ faces. This inspired me to follow her footsteps.

In 2006, I graduated The Art Institute of California majoring in Culinary Arts and I owe this amazing opportunity to my mom who as a single parent, worked hard to provide for my brother and I. This gave me the edge to pursue my passion for over 17 years. I’ve worked in hotels, hospitals, special events, child development centers and now, at the largest university in California.

As I go along in my journey, there were moments that I paused, re-evaluated my life and asked myself if I was walking on the right path. Year 2020, COVID-19 hit and the pandemic caused many businesses to close down. Employees lost jobs and I was one of them. I got temporarily laid off for nearly four months as the university was on lockdown. It was an unfortunate situation, another moment of re-thinking and this time it is impacting my whole family. There is no such thing as security, but I learned resilience and ingenuity.

I cannot afford to just stay home and be depressed, I took classes in IT and had no clue what I was doing. My focus and happiness wasn’t there. I reassessed my decision and my long-term goal. It was such a blessing when Foodnome came into my life and opened up a door that I’ve been praying for. Foodnome is a web-based platform where cooks can share their passion for food in the comfort of their homes and customers can order.

My beautiful wife Ornella encouraged me to keep pushing and to trust in God will all of my heart, even when the storms were rough. I’m beyond blessed to have my wife and 3 kids by my side inspiring me each and believing in me.

Now, I am proud to say that I have a fully permitted home kitchen operation with food safety and quality as my main priority.

Now, it’s my turn to show off my passion for cooking the “lutong bahay” style (home cooked) and let the food speak for itself. Kain na po! (Let’s eat!)

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I was worried about our mortgage payments on our new home and how I will provide for my family/ put food on the table. Day to day, I kept beating myself up because I was supposed to be the provider for my family. I ended up selling my collectibles to start up this amazing business.

As you know, we’re big fans of Tisoy Curryative Cuisines. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
Since an early again, I was exposed to my grandmother’s traditional Filipino cooking – from Empanadas & Biko to Lumpia & Pancit, you name it! My grandmother’s cooking is what inspired me to open Tisoy Curryative Cuisines, Murrieta’s newest permitted home restaurant specializing in authentic Filipino cuisine.

What matters most to you?
Providing a memorable experience for our guests and going above and beyond to ensure quality/ food safety. My goal is to build lasting friendships and serve my community. Everyone is welcomed at the table, no matter who you are or where you are from.

Contact Info:

• Website: foodnome.com/TISOY-CURRYATIVE-CUISINES
• Instagram: @tisoycurryativecuisines
• Facebook: @tisoycurryativecuisines

Image Credits:
Foodnome