We’re talking with Francis Ang, the man behind a pop-up dinner series called Pinoy Heritage. Francis has worked in some of San Francisco's best restaurants, including the acclaimed Gary Danko and Fifth Floor. He's been named a west coast "People's Best Pastry Chef" by Food and Wine Magazine and nominated for Zagat's "30 Under 30" list in San Francisco. Pinoy Heritage is a culinary project Francis started with his wife, Dian, following a trip to the Philippines. For the full story of how that led to the most exciting pop-up dinner series I've ever heard of - one that's grounded in Filipino food traditions - you'll have to listen in. Show notes 03:20 Training at culinary school and in San Francisco's best kitchens 05:00 A life-changing visit to the Philippines 07:05 The seeds of Pinoy Heritage 10:25 Interpreting traditional Filipino dishes 11:30 Personal experience as a source of inspiration 12:50 The "soul" needs to be in it 14:25 Dishes with roots 17:35 On travel plans 22:20 Dishes come from what's local and abundant 26:55 Why you need to go to the Philippines 27:45 A nod to tradition 32:15 Advice for interested cooks 34:20 On Filipino hospitality FIND THE FULL EPISODE TRANSCRIPT HERE. SUBSCRIBE TO EXPLORING FILIPINO KITCHENS ON ITUNES AND SHARE YOUR COMMENTS BELOW!