Filipino food tells the story of who we are, and there’s no better time to reflect on that than during Filipino Food Month. In this episode of Good and Green, Chit Juan sits down with cultural heritage worker and food historian Felice Prudente Sta. Maria to explore the roots of Filipino cuisine, from pre-colonial ingredients and food traditions to the ways colonial influences were transformed into something distinctly our own. Their conversation delves into what authenticity truly means in Filipino cuisine, why our culinary identity has long been shaped by adaptation, and how supporting local and artisanal food today can help preserve the richness of our food heritage for generations to come.

GUEST BIO:

Felice Prudente Sta. Maria has been a cultural heritage worker for over 50 years and is a pioneering food historian known for studying the Philippine colonial era through written historical records. Her latest books, When Mangoes and Olives Met at the Philippine Table (National Historical Commission of the Philippines, 2025) and What Recipes Don’t Tell (Ateneo Press, 2025), offer rich insights into the evolution of Filipino food and culinary identity.

WHAT YOU’LL LEARN:

• Felice’s journey into food history
• The roots of pre-colonial Filipino food
• The truth about “authentic” Filipino cuisine
• How Filipino food evolved through adaptation
• Simple ways to sustain Filipino food heritage

QUOTES:

• If you see the list of pre-colonial foods, there's quite a lot we are still eating. That is important. —Felice Sta. Maria
• The precolonial element of Filipino cuisine is still alive. —Felice Sta. Maria
• Present day food culture is what is contemporary, and that contemporary food is a combination. —Felice Sta. Maria
• Contemporary Filipino food is an extremely fine example of our innovation. —Felice Sta. Maria
• We're at a very critical point in our food heritage sustainability. —Felice Sta. Maria
• We must keep eating Filipino and support each other in our research and in our branding of what is the best of Filipino food. —Felice Sta. Maria

LINKS or RESOURCES MENTIONED:

Connect with Felice Sta. Maria

• Book: When Mangoes and Olives Met at the Philippine Table by Felice Prudente Sta. Maria - https://nhcp-bookstore.beesuite.ph/product/when-mangoes-olives-met-at-the-philippine-table/
• Book: What Recipes Don’t Tell by Felice Prudente Sta. Maria - https://unipress.ateneo.edu/product/what-recipes-don’t-tell-philippine-food-history-fifty-words
• Felice Sta. Maria on Instagram - https://instagram.com/felicepstamaria
• Felice Sta. Maria on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/felice.p.maria/

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Purchase Brew: Cafe, Coffee. Kape at Echostore.ph.

For more information about Brew: Cafe, Coffee, Kape, visit the Food Writers Association of the Philippine Facebook Group.

Sustainability becomes more powerful when it is passed down through generations. Chit Juan sits down with Badjie and Bea Trinidad, daughter and granddaughter of zero-waste pioneer Annie Guerrero, to talk about how one woman’s practical, disciplined way of living became a lasting family legacy. From the founding of CCA Manila to embedding green practices into culinary education and everyday life, this conversation explores how sustainability can be taught, lived, and shared across generations. It’s a moving reminder that when values are rooted in family, they can shape schools, communities, and the next generation of changemakers.

GUEST BIO:

Badjie Trinidad is a hospitality leader, educator, and CEO behind one of the Philippines’ pioneering homegrown food, hospitality, and education enterprises. For over 35 years, she has helped build the well-loved Cravings brand and, together with her mother, Susana “Annie” P. Guerrero, co-founded CCA Manila, the country’s first formal culinary school, as well as the Asian School for Hospitality Arts (ASHA). A Certified Public Accountant and entrepreneur, Badjie continues a strong legacy of purposeful food, sustainability, and people-centered hospitality, carrying forward the values that helped shape both the family business and culinary education in the Philippines. Joining her in this episode is Bea Trinidad, who represents the next generation of this family legacy and its commitment to good and green living.

WHAT YOU’LL LEARN:

• Annie Guerrero’s zero-waste legacy
• Sustainability as a system, not a trend
• How CCA Manila teaches zero-waste practices
• Passing on sustainable values across generations
• Annie’s zero-waste programs for schools and communities
• Simple ways families can start living good and green

QUOTES:

• Sustainability is a system. It's not a personality. —Bea Trinidad
• Her philosophy was: it has to be local, practical, and use common sense. —Badjie Trinidad
• My grandmother has always said that it's not a trend. It's really a way of life. —Bea Trinidad
• She operated our kitchen like a commissary, even if it was just for the house. —Badjie Trinidad
• It doesn't have to be perfect as long as you know you have that intention. —Badjie Trinidad

LINKS or RESOURCES MENTIONED:

Connect with Badjie and Bea Trinidad

• Center for Culinary Arts Manila (CCA Manila) - https://cca-manila.edu.ph/
• The Cravings Group - https://www.cravingsgroup.com
• Bea Trinidad on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/beatrinidad_/

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Purchase Brew: Cafe, Coffee. Kape at Echostore.ph.

For more information about Brew: Cafe, Coffee, Kape, visit the Food Writers Association of the Philippine Facebook Group.

As part of our Women’s Month series highlighting impactful women in sustainability, Chit Juan sits down with Pastry Chef Gel Salonga-Datu of Ted’s Hospitality Group and the Slow Food Community Laguna. Chef Gel shares how reviving heirloom recipes, supporting local farmers and artisans, and organizing the Sa Pantalan Food and Heritage Festival helped build a thriving community around Laguna’s food culture. Her journey from finance professional to pastry chef and community organizer shows how collaboration, patience, and trust can strengthen local food systems and create new opportunities for producers while preserving culinary heritage.

GUEST BIO:

Chef Gel Salonga-Datu is a pastry chef and restaurateur from Santa Cruz, Laguna, and the founder of Ted’s Hospitality Group, which includes Ted’s Kitchen, Aurora Filipino Cuisine, Ted’s Bed and Breakfast, and Ted’s Warehouse Events Space. A former financial trader turned baker, she has earned recognition for desserts that celebrate local ingredients, including her Santa Cruz Bibingka Cheesecake, which won the People’s Choice Award at the Ultimate Taste Test Pro Edition. Several of her creations have also been named among the country’s best desserts by the Philippine Daily Inquirer. Through her work and advocacy, Chef Gel promotes Laguna’s seasonal produce and culinary heritage, including through the food and heritage festival Sa Pantalan Biyaheng Pangkatagalugan and her involvement in Slow Food Community Laguna.

WHAT YOU’LL LEARN:

• From finance to pastry and returning home to Laguna
• Reviving heirloom dishes through Aurora Filipino Cuisine
• How the Sa Pantalan Food and Heritage Festival began
• Discovering and supporting Laguna’s artisans, farmers, and home cooks
• Using local and seasonal ingredients such as lipote and sampinit
• Building Slow Food Community Laguna through relationships and trust

QUOTES:

• I like being unique. —Gel Salonga-Datu
• They [the artisans] saw an opportunity for their products, that they can sell it at a higher value because of the festival. —Gel Salonga-Datu
• We are promoting our town as a food and gastronomy destination. —Gel Salonga-Datu
• We are like brothers and sisters. We treat each other as family. —Gel Salonga-Datu
• We try to know each other's products. We don't compete with each other. We promote each other's products. —Gel Salonga-Datu

LINKS or RESOURCES MENTIONED:

Connect with Gel Salonga-Datu

• Ted's Laguna on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/tedslaguna/
• Gel Salonga-Datu on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/baker_gel_salonga/
• Slow Food Community Laguna - https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61573981354398
• Sa Pantalan Laguna Food and Heritage Festival - https://www.facebook.com/p/Sa-Pantalan-Laguna-Food-and-Heritage-Festival-61565711154294/

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• Subscribe to the Good and Green Podcast on Apple Podcasts and Spotify
• Follow Chit Juan on Instagram and Facebook, and

Purchase Brew: Cafe, Coffee. Kape at Echostore.ph.

For more information about Brew: Cafe, Coffee, Kape, visit the Food Writers Association of the Philippine Facebook Group.

Luxury means nothing without nature. In this episode, Chit Juan speaks with Janet Oquendo, General Manager of Banwa Private Island, about returning home to Palawan after decades of opening world-class resorts across Morocco, Venice, Turkey, Bhutan, and beyond. From protecting thriving reefs to building a culture of environmental care within her team, Janet shares how true luxury eco-tourism is not about excess, but about preservation, partnership with local communities, and honoring the land that makes it all possible.

GUEST BIO:

A native Palaweña, Janet Oquendo’s career is a testament to Filipino hospitality on a global scale. Having spent more than 20 years with the Aman group - starting at Amanpulo in the 1990s, she was assigned by the founder to manage, support and lead hotel openings in Morocco, Venice, Turkey, Montenegro, Bhutan and around Asia.

Over a decade ago, a shared vision began to take shape when she met with the island’s owner, a true Aman aficionado, regarding the opening of a Banwa Private Island in Palawan.

Today, Janet has come full circle, bringing her years of experiences back home to Philippine soil. As General Manager of Banwa Private Island, she is uplifting the local landscape of luxury eco-tourism, blending service with a heartfelt commitment to sustainability and developing the local talents.

WHAT YOU’LL LEARN:

• Growing up in Palawan and entering tourism
• Why luxury and eco-tourism can coexist
• Marine conservation and the power of simply protecting what is already there
• Working with local communities and government to safeguard marine protected areas
• Building a culture of environmental care within the team
• Reducing plastic use and rethinking daily operations
• Why luxury is nothing without nature

QUOTES:

• I wish that we would have more luxury tourism or luxury places because we have the natural environment for that. —Janet Oquendo
• We make sure that whatever conservation plans or programs we have, it starts with us first knowing what is there. —Janet Oquendo
• We're  very blessed with a team that is all Kababayan. We are a 100% Filipino team here on the island. —Janet Oquendo
• Understand what you have so you'll know how to protect it. —Janet Oquendo
• We have to build a culture of care for the environment and our team, because we will do it all together. —Janet Oquendo
• Luxury is nothing without nature. —Janet Oquendo

LINKS or RESOURCES MENTIONED:

Follow Banwa Private Island

• Banwa Private Island - https://www.banwaprivateisland.com/
• Banwa Private Island on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/banwaprivateisland/
• Banwa Private Island on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/BanwaPrivateIslandPH/
• Banwa Private Island on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/banwa-private-island/

Listen, rate, and subscribe!

• Subscribe to the Good and Green Podcast on Apple Podcasts and Spotify
• Follow Chit Juan on Instagram and Facebook, and

Purchase Brew: Cafe, Coffee. Kape at Echostore.ph.

For more information about Brew: Cafe, Coffee, Kape, visit the Food Writers Association of the Philippine Facebook Group.

What does it really take to build a business that lasts for decades? In this episode of Good and Green, Chit Juan sits down with franchising pioneer Armando “Butz” Bartolome to unpack how entrepreneurship has evolved and why values, credibility, and responsibility matter more than ever. Drawing from over 35 years of mentoring Filipino entrepreneurs, Butz shares insights on balancing speed with caution, using technology wisely, and building businesses that serve both people and communities. This conversation is a grounded reminder that growth means little without purpose.

GUEST BIO:

Armando Bartolome is an entrepreneur, franchise consultant, and mentor with over 35 years of experience helping Filipino MSMEs grow through responsible franchising. As President of GMB Franchise Developers Inc., he has guided over 800 entrepreneurs across food, retail, and service industries.

He is a founding member of the Philippine Franchise Association and the Association of Filipino Franchisers, and a Go Negosyo mentor for over 20 years. His co-authored book Is Franchising for You? was named Book of the Year in 2012, and he was granted a special E11 visa by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services in recognition of his expertise in franchising and business development.

WHAT YOU’LL LEARN:

• How today’s entrepreneurs differ from those of previous generations.
• Why speed and opportunity need to be balanced with discipline and numbers.
• The role of credibility and sincerity in long-term business success.
• How franchising and business models have evolved with technology.
• Why values, sustainability, and community impact are shaping modern entrepreneurship.
• What it means to build a legacy through mentoring and shared responsibility.

QUOTES:

• There is wisdom in the old way, and there is also wisdom in grabbing opportunities quickly because of the fast pace of business today. —Chit Juan
• You cannot say one platform will suit everyone. —Butz Bartolome
• I always input my legacy in our clients. We don't want them to be dependent on us. —Butz Bartolome
• There's no secret in this business. It's a matter of mindset. —Butz Bartolome
• The award will only come when people remember you. —Butz Bartolome

LINKS or RESOURCES MENTIONED:

Connect with Butz Bartolome:

• Butz Bartolome's Website - http://www.butzbartolome.com
• GMB Franchise Developers - http://www.gmb.ph/
• Butz Bartolome on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/franguru/
• Butz Bartolome on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/butzbartolome
• Business Mentor Talks Podcast - https://bit.ly/3ZeEAn0

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• Subscribe to EchoNews on LinkedIn.

Purchase Brew: Cafe, Coffee. Kape at Echostore.ph.

For more information about Brew: Cafe, Coffee, Kape, visit the Food Writers Association of the Philippine Facebook Group.

What started as a simple search for a healthier chocolate drink for her children became something much bigger. In this episode, Chit Juan sits down with chemist and entrepreneur Melanie “Mel” Medrano, founder of Cacaomistry, to talk about how science, motherhood, and sustainability came together to create a Filipino origin based cacao brand rooted in clean ingredients, local sourcing, and social impact.

GUEST BIO:

Melanie Medrano is a chemist, entrepreneur, and chocolate maker, and the founder of Gramworth Enterprises Inc., a family-owned social enterprise behind PhOligo and Cacaomistry — the Philippines' first origin-based instant cacao mix.

Rooted in science, heritage, and sustainability, Melanie creates clean, thoughtfully made products using local ingredients, while working closely with farmers, artisans, and communities. Her work bridges food innovation and social impact, proving that businesses can grow profitably while caring for people and planet.

WHAT YOU’LL LEARN:

• Why reading ingredient labels is a powerful act of conscious consumption.
• How motherhood and science shaped the creation of Cacao Mystery.
• The difference between chocolate flavored products and real chocolate.
• Building a plant based food business rooted in local ingredients and Filipino cacao.
• Staying calm and creative during supply chain and pricing challenges.

QUOTES:

• Your kids are your best critics. —Chit Juan
• It can be healthy but it's useless when your child doesn't like it, so it has to be both. —Mel Medrano
• My greatest challenge was when the cacao price tripled. —Mel Medrano
• Entrepreneurship is a little like chemistry. —Chit Juan
• Make it a habit to read ingredients. —Mel Medrano

LINKS or RESOURCES MENTIONED:

Connect with Mel Medrano:

• Cacaomistry Website - https://www.gramworthph.com
• Cacaomistry on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Cacaomistry/
• Cacaomistry on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/cacaomistry/

Listen, rate, and subscribe!

• Subscribe to the Good and Green Podcast on Apple Podcasts and Spotify
• Follow Chit Juan on Instagram and Facebook, and LinkedIn
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Purchase Brew: Cafe, Coffee. Kape at Echostore.ph.

For more information about Brew: Cafe, Coffee, Kape, visit the Food Writers Association of the Philippine Facebook Group.

Chit Juan sits down with the co-founders of ARTFARM Sustainable Solutions to explore how a small family-run farm in Bay, Laguna evolved into a certified organic and Slow Food-recognized enterprise. From surviving a natural disaster to building a regenerative, technology-enabled, and community-driven farming model, this conversation offers insight into resilience, innovation, and how sustainable farming can create both livelihood and impact.

GUEST BIO:

ARTFARM was co-founded in 2011 by Turo Tolentino and Andrea Alforte as a small-scale farming venture that evolved from hydroponics into a certified organic, regenerative agriculture enterprise specializing in high-value salad crops. Turo is an agriculture professional trained in horticulture and regenerative composting, with extensive experience supporting farmers through agribusiness entrepreneurship and organic certification work. Andrea brings a background in human ecology, social enterprise, and sustainability education, leading ARTFARM’s value-added processing, community engagement, and training programs. Together, they run ARTFARM Sustainable Solutions, a circular, zero-waste farm model recognized as a Slow Food Farm and a Top 10 Social Enterprise in the BPI Sinag Challenge.

WHAT YOU’LL LEARN:

• How ARTFARM transitioned from hydroponics to soil-based organic and regenerative farming.
• Why small-scale farms can be productive, resilient, and financially viable.
• The role of family, diversification, and technology in sustaining a farm business.
• How composting, soil health, and minimal tillage support long-term productivity.
• Sharing knowledge through training, consultancy, and community-based farming models.

QUOTES:

• We have always been looking for solutions that will be more sustainable over the longer term. —Andrea Alforte
• The key is to diversify your production, the products that you are offering. —Andrea Alforte
• Since our land is limited, our consulting service is our way of expanding our production area. —Turo Tolentino
• Just make the first step. Take a small plot. Plant something. —Turo Tolentino
• Anything good and anything green that you can do, you can do it at home. You teach it to your kids. —Andrea Alforte

LINKS or RESOURCES MENTIONED:

Connect with ARTFARM:

• ARTFARM Sustainable Solutions on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/artfarmph
• ARTFARM on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/artfarm.ph/

Listen, rate, and subscribe!

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Purchase Brew: Cafe, Coffee. Kape at Echostore.ph.

For more information about Brew: Cafe, Coffee, Kape, visit the Food Writers Association of the Philippine Facebook Group.

In this New Year episode, Chit Juan shares a gentle reflection on welcoming 2026 with intention and purpose. She talks about simple ways we can shift our habits, broaden our experiences, and make the coming year more meaningful for ourselves and others. This short conversation is an invitation to start the year with clarity, curiosity, and a renewed sense of what it means to live good and green.

WHAT YOU’LL LEARN:

• Welcoming the new year with intention and mindful habits.
• Exploring meaningful ways to care for our health and well-being.
• Finding inspiration through movement, reflection, and personal growth.
• Considering spiritual practices or acts of service as part of the new year.
• Embracing a fresh start by choosing purposeful and fulfilling actions.

QUOTES:

• This coming year, let's make it different. —Chit Juan
• A new habit is something you can carry out throughout the year. —Chit Juan
• Do something out of the ordinary. —Chit Juan

LINKS or RESOURCES MENTIONED:

Listen, rate, and subscribe!

• Subscribe to the Good and Green Podcast on Apple Podcasts and Spotify
• Follow Chit Juan on Instagram and Facebook, and LinkedIn
• Subscribe to EchoNews on LinkedIn.