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Why has it taken so long for Filipino food to become mainstream in Houston?

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I stopped over at the only Jollibee in Houston the other day and I noticed that there was a minivan parked in the parking lot.  When the door opened, packed liked sardines, unfolded out of the car, were three kids, a mom, dad and a lolo (grandfather).  It seemed as if they had been driving for awhile.  I imagine, that as soon as they arrived in Houston, they needed their Filipino food fix.  They must of pulled up Yelp and searched "Filipino Food".  One of the top hits was Jollibee, the nationally recognized chain. via GIPHY I immediately had flashbacks of my dad's Chevy van.  He bought it in the 1980s.  It was tan and bare bones, an empty shell of metal.  There were no windows, carpet or chairs.  I recall trips to Galveston when my brothers and sisters had to rotate shifts to sit on the cooler full of fish, preventing it from sliding around in the back.  There was no seat belt law back then!  As soon as dad had the money, he souped up that van and racked up a mass

Up Close and Personal With Yana Gilbuena: Kamayan and Filipino American History

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Self-proclaimed gypsy chef Yana Gilbuena, held a pop-up dinner in Downtown Houston’s Henke and Pillot on December 27, 2015.  I was able to grab a moment of her time before she headed out to Bogota, Columbia for her next adventure.  I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did. Gilbuena is a kindred spirit and guardian of the Filipino identity.  Learn the deeper meaning of the SALO Project - reconnecting the world to the Filipino in all of us through the treasured cuisine. "I want to inspire people to keep spreading the word and spread culture through food.  I am not saying I am a world class Michelin star chef.  I am far from that, this is my language and food is my currency.  For me, being able to share that experience with people and give them a concept of what Filipino food is and Filipino culture, I think that is one of the best rewards I can ever get." Yana Gilbuena wearing a Filipino Veterans Recognition and Education Project t-shirt. The back of the s