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Pinoy Abroad

Former OFW now runs successful cloud kitchen in Dubai


Former OFW now runs successful cloud kitchen in Dubai

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates – Here’s a story about how hard work and resolve pay off.

Following years of working at restaurants here in a managerial post, a 37-year-old single mom now runs a successful cloud kitchen operation after deciding to give up being an employee and finally run her own business.

“Nagsimula ako sa isang order lang para sa isang kabayan na may party sa bahay nila,” Brenda Britania, who hails from Caloocan City, said.

(It all started with just one order for a party at a home.)

“Then, 'yung mga guests nagtanungan kung saan inorder 'yung food. And then ayun na, eventually kumalat na sa community at social media,” said Britania.

(Then, the guests at that event inquired about where the food was ordered from. And that’s it. It grew by word of mouth and social media.)

Britania maintains a Facebook page named “Lutong Bahay ni Brenda,” (Brenda’s home-cooked meals), where she posts orders and her contact details. The page has over 3,000 followers.

She went full swing with her cloud kitchen in 2016, and has now become the go-to cook among most Filipinos for their party needs – from birthdays to yacht events.

Among her customers were the famed fashion designer Michael Cinco and the award-winning film actor, Michael Deo Macaraig.

Britania also accepts orders for “Kabayan pack meals” from grocery stores for their Filipino customers.

Day starts at night

Working from a small kitchen in a flat in Muraqqabat, a residential district, Britania, who operates on an e-commerce business permit, said her day actually starts at night. She lists down ingredients for the meals ordered for the next day, and informs suppliers for deliveries.

“Then, gigising ako sa umaga para magluto – depende 'yun sa order ng customer. Gusto ko kasi mainit pa 'yung food 'pag pinick-up,” Britania said.

(Then, I get up in the morning to cook, depending on what time the food will be picked up. I want the food to still be warm when the customer gets them.)

Orders range from the regular rice-and-viand combo, to spreads in trays like roasted pork belly, palabok, kare-kare, crispy pata and menudo among others, for special occasions.

“Hindi na ako gumagawa ng adobo, kasi alam naman na ng marami kung paano linuluto 'yun. Saka hindi ko rin siya ma-perfect. Ginagawa ko 'yung mga matagal, matrabaho at maselan gawin,” Britania said.

(I don’t do adobo because many people know how to prepare it. Besides, I have never perfected adobo. I instead cook food that takes time and skills to prepare.)

Serendipity

Britania’s virtual restaurant has a bit of serendipity to it.

She came to Dubai in 2012 on an employment visa as an assistant manager for a company running a chain of Chinese restaurants. She had hoped to find a friend, who has scammed her of P100,000 (approximately AED6,200) for work in the city.

“Hindi ko na siya nakita,” she said (I wasn’t able find her and gave up searching)," Britania said.

She then worked at an Arabic restaurant as manager.

It runs in the family

Britania, who has a degree in hotel and restaurant management from La Consolacion College – Caloocan, where she graduated in 2008, said cooking runs in the family.

“'Yung mother ko kusinera. May puwesto siya sa Port Area (Manila), nagluluto sa pitong kawa, siya lang mag-isa. 'Yung tiyuhin ko nagluluto sa barko,” she said.

(My mother is a cook. She has a stall at Port Area. She cooks in seven big cauldrons by herself. My uncle works as a chef at a ship.)

Busy days ahead

Britania said she is expecting busier days around December where she, as in the past years, would be swamped with orders for the Christmas and New Year holidays.

She does not have a kitchen helper, and doesn’t want one, she said.

“May iba-ibang kaartehan kasi tayo sa pagluluto. Maselan akong magluto. Hindi ko pinapahawakan ang sandok ko,” the mother of a 15-year-old girl said.

(We have different idiosyncrasies. I take cooking as something very delicate. I don’t even allow anybody to touch my ladle.) —KG, GMA News

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