My first assignment for Grid was a story set in Baler. As it happened, I had been there just a week before and enjoyed the food at the Hungry Surfer at Bay’s Inn. This was almost a year ago, and their kitchen would get overwhelmed with many diners, but the crispy pata and kilawin was worth the wait.

Grid was working on an issue about cities and urban life. We got sent to different cities, and I drew Cebu. It’s easy to miss Tatang’s because their branch on A.S Fortuna is basically a shed on an empty lot where tricycles park. But getting a taste of the boneless lechon at Tatang’s made me question how I’ve been eating lechon all my life. They’ve opened a branch in Cebu’s IT Park and I know they’re opening a branch in Manila, too.

I do a lot of food assignments for commercial and editorial clients. I like taking behind-the-scene snapshots and posting them on Instagram.

As a photographer, I’m curious about others’ processes and I don’t mind sharing my own.

I enjoy my work and even on my days off, I do like eating and I do like taking random snapshots. I can own up to being that annoying person who tells everyone at the table to stand by, while I whip out my smartphone to take pictures of the food.

Paul Syjuco prepared a bowl of warm rice with shiso leaves, toasted sesame seeds, and sea salt. I never thought something so simple could taste so good. It tasted even better when we added crispy pork to the mix.

Bangaw, my cowboy roommate at the rodeo tearing through a lechon with his hands. Do I have to describe how lechon and San Miguel beer taste like? It was simple, and very tasty.

Mona Lisa Neuboeck is a raw food chef. Here, she prepares a red vegetable curry for us with jicama rice. I am a carnivore, but asked for a second plate of this dish. Well balanced and very delicious.

Spider Conch caught off Daku Island in Siargao. They tasted rubbery and smokey. Not a favorite.

Butcher sharpening his knives before cutting through pork at the Siargao island pier. I did not buy from him.