This Filipina is the first female executive chef at iconic LA restaurant

LOS ANGELES — Vallerie Castillo Archer is still pinching herself.

"I am living my dream," said the 51-year-old Filipina-American chef.

One day she is teaching Cardi B how to make sushi, the next day she is with Nicki Minaj. Or she is entertaining Bruno Mars and Anderson Paak one day. Next time, she is cooking for Pops Fernandez; the other night she was rewarded by a serenade by Martin Nievera.

Gary Valenciano and Arnel Pineda of Journey also made stopovers at Yamashiro, the iconic Los Angeles hilltop restaurant where Vallerie is the first female executive chef in its 50-year history. She has also cooked for Lovi Poe, Raymond Gutierrez, Ruffa Gutierrez, and Miss Universe Philippines 2020 Rabiya Mateo, among many others.

Born in the bakery of her maternal grandparents in Ilocos Norte, Chef Vallerie said that "food has always surrounded me all my life." No wonder she started as a pastry chef at Yamashiro until she landed the prime position of executive chef.

Photo: Sthanlee B. Mirador

We were able to talk to Chef Vallerie during one of her breaks and below are excerpts of our conversation with her:

At age 51, you are breaking barriers by being the first female executive chef at Yamashiro. Do you feel any pressure to live up to expectations or to be even better than the previous male chefs?

There are a lot of expectations in the industry especially from a female chef. When I applied for the position of pastry chef, I did not have any expectations. I just know that I will go to work eight hours a day and leave. There were no intentions of becoming the executive chef because I know that means you have to be married to the job. Day in and day out that will be your life. These were the challenges coming in before you know how to cook. Plus being a woman, they will ask you whether you are emotional, if you get upset. These are some of the obstacles that you have to overcome. Then you show them that you can cook and that you have the stamina and the drive to cook. There is no rest expected. That is the biggest challenge of being a female executive chef.

What odd jobs did you take as an immigrant before you became a chef?

I went into retail. I worked at JC Penney as a make-up artist for Christian Dior and Lancôme. I was in the beauty products department. Then I went to real estate. I took real estate classes. I tried to stay away from nursing because most Filipino parents want their kids to be nurses. But I did study nursing for two years but I kept telling myself, this is not what I want to do. So I went back to doing real estate. But one thing that was consistent was my love for cooking and baking.

How was that experience learning culinary arts and pastry from Filipina chef and educator Cecilia de Castro at the Academy of Culinary Education? How long was the course?

The school was just next to our house and I pass by it every day. Since it was close to our house, it allowed me to bring the kids to school and to attend the cooking classes. First, I enrolled to study doing pastries. Then I enhanced my experience as time passed by. I really did not plan to have a culinary career but I invested one year and a half on the cooking classes. Chef Cecilia allowed us to participate in the other restaurants that she worked with. There were people who my age and not only the younger ones. As time went by, I realize this is what I want to do.

How did you feel at the screening premiere of your episode on MYX on "Making it in America" with your life being shown on the big screen, flashbacks on your life and with the whole Filipino community watching?

I was really nervous. I watched the episode before and it is not just my story but a lot of immigrants' stories. It resonates with most immigrants' stories. People have told me that my story is the same as theirs. They tell me, "My parents are still in the US and we have not seen them up to now." It tells of the struggles of immigrants. Coming to the US, making a career, making dollars. It tells of the struggles that we all face as immigrants. The thing is, we cannot give up. We keep pushing it. We need to take care of our home and our families. When I came to the US at age six, I saw my parents work hard to be able to support their parents back in the Philippines, even their aunts and uncles. A lot of people don't understand that. We work hard not only for ourselves and our families but also for our loved ones whom we left in the Philippines.

Photo: Sthanlee B. Mirador

Did you ever have a point in your life when you were ready to give up and throw in the towel?

Yes. I was married twice. I did not know what I was going to do with my life. I thought I was just going to be a stay at home mom or a teacher mom. I thought I would just sit down and live my life until it is time for me to go back to the Philippines. There was no drive. But one thing I continually did was I kept on cooking and baking. I remember my grandparents who were always cooking and baking for us. I did not want to be a mom who just brought her kids to school. I wanted to try something and experience this and see where it goes. I took up internship when I was in school already at age 45. There were people who were younger than me but I was the one lifting 50-pound bags of flour and wake up at 2 a.m. to open the bakery. And I kept asking myself if this is really for me. I had a lot of those but I was determined to do something.

Growing up in San Nicolas, Ilocos Norte and being raised by your grandparents, how did that experience shape you into who you are today?

I love my grandparents. They are the world to me. Until six years old, they taught me to appreciate whatever we have in life. We have a garden. We watch them cook at home. They were always surrounding us. There was never a day that I had meal without them. They always took care of me with love and kindness. I also did bad things as a child but they were always there for me. They sacrificed their careers to take care of me because my parents were not there. They were there 12 hours a day or more.  I raised my children the way I was raised by my grandparents. I felt I needed to be home because my grandparents were always home for me. They helped and nurtured me. I did what my grandparents did to us. They taught me not to be selfish and to uplift others. I owe a lot to my grandparents—Tata Ramiro and Nana Filipina, on my mother's side who owns the bakery, and my paternal grandparents Daddy Lakay Pedro and Mamang Baket Zosima.

If you were not a chef today, what would you think you would have become?

You know there is a lot of pressure from Filipino parents for their children to be in the medical field whether it be a nurse, a doctor, a medical assistant, etc.

So I took up nursing in a nursing school but it was just was not me. I could not see myself in scrubs. I wanted to be more creative. Probably if I were wearing scrubs, I would redesign and make a new scrub. It was just not in me to be a nurse. I just could not force myself to be a nurse. I would probably be in some creative career.

Have you ever met Cristeta Comerford, the Filipina White House chef? Who are your chef idols?

I have not met her but I admire her so much as a Filipina in the White House working as a White House chef. These are goals that are hard to imagine that as a woman we can accomplish this. When I was a child, my mother always watched American chef Julia Child. My mom loved her cooking enthusiasm and charisma and she admired her so much that is probably why I got interested in her as well. I love people who cook and are stay-at-home chefs. Food and cooking reminds me of my childhood. So I really admired Julia Child.

Do you dream of having your own cooking show, your own cook book? What are your dreams?

I dream of opening a place where I can inspire girls who want to become chefs. I want to inspire them that they can accomplish their dreams and succeed. I probably want a cooking show that basically shows off our Filipino cuisines. Our food is so good that we need to show that to the world. I want them to discover not only adobo, pancit or lumpia but also dinuguan and sisig. We need to open our doors and show them how dinuguan is done. No one knows or no one tries it.

Have you introduced some Filipino dishes at Yamashiro?

There are some guests who message me on Instagram and they tell me if they could have chicken adobo, sinigang, Ilocano pinakbet, pancit, dinuguan, kaldereta, igado or lechon belly. My goal is to introduce our Filipino cuisine to everyone.

You have had a lot of Hollywood and Filipino celebrities go to Yamashiro already. Do you have any funny or memorable experiences with some of them?

I have been a fan of Martin Nievera for the longest time. One time, I told my Clark Air Base friend Natalie that if he ever came to the restaurant, I want him to sing to me. When they were dining at Yamashiro, she told Martin that my favorite song is "Ikaw Ang Lahat Sa Akin." So he stopped eating and sang to me. I felt like 16 all over again. It was funny that he would do that. I showed the video to my mom and my mom was so happy. I watched these amazing artists as a kid. I always wanted to meet Pops Fernandez, Piolo Pascual, and I never dreamt of meeting them. It was a dream meeting them.

Photo: Sthanlee B. Mirador

When I met Piolo Pascual I told him, "Can I smell you because my mom always wanted to know how you smelled?" After I said that, it suddenly hit me, "What the hell did I just say to him?!" Then I told him I always told myself I would jump up and down if ever I met you. And so he said, "Do you want to jump up and down now?"

It's amazing that I get to live this dream at this age. To see those beautiful Filipino faces, to have them hug you and thank you for representing them. It is just an amazing experience. At 51, I feel that I have accomplished my dream and I am living my dream. I work seven days a week because I need to and I will continue to do so until I cannot do this anymore.

What was the best compliment that you have ever received?

The best compliment for me is when somebody tells me, "Chef, we have some Filipino guests and they want to meet you." It is a daily thing. I am being celebrated every day. I am being thanked every day. It is an amazing experience because they are not just supporting me but us Filipinos. We support each other for who we are.

You have a very supportive husband Mike and kids—Zachery, 28, Jade, 22 and Michael, 16. What do they say about your long hours at work?

My husband is an eye doctor and he wakes up early in the morning around 5 or 6 a.m. Before my kids would always see me at home but now, they say, "Where are you? I don't see you anymore." When I was a stay-at-home mom, I sometimes get depressed. I always find myself cleaning the house, driving them here and there but now my family sees me happy. I love what I am doing and I am happy and they are happy for me. My husband and my children are very supportive of what I am doing and I love what I do.

If you had a chance to give advice to your younger self, what would you tell her?

I would tell her to be patient because I was always searching for what career to get famous, to get rich, to get easy money. I would tell her to be patient because we will get there when it is time. Some people ask me if I wished I got here at an early age. Probably I would still have the energy to party. Or probably I wouldn't have taken my career seriously or I would have been big headed already to do better. But at my age right now, I appreciate the hard work, the dedication, coming to work and going through the big doors of Yamashiro where 20 years ago, my husband and I had our first date. It is really coming full circle for me to be working in this iconic restaurant in Los Angeles and just be given it to you is like a dream. Good things come to those who wait patiently and do not expect anything in return. I wouldn't change how I got here.

And the secret of your success?

Being raised by amazing grandparents who taught me how to be humble and how to love and being always true to yourself. Good things will happen if you are true to yourself.

—MGP, GMA News