A Filipino chef showcased that she did not forget her roots after winning the “Outstanding Hospitality” award from the recent James Beard Foundation.

Marilou “Lulu” Ranta was a former housekeeper in the Philippines and a factory worker before becoming a chef in the United States.

Showing her love and compassion for cooking, Ranta built a restaurant with her husband in the middle of Monsoon, Maine, described by locals as one of the most far-flung cities in the country.

“She is really a great testament to the power of dedication to hard work,” the James Beard Foundation said.

In Ranta’s speech, she even stated that even though they have over 670 residents in the city, she is still happy to serve them their food.

Along with her talent in cooking, her hospitality was explained to be tremendous, as she often sat with her customers when dining at the restaurant.

Also, with a small population in the city of Maine, Ranta was well-known to the town considering her loving and caring traits in her neighborhood.

This has highlighted that even though Ranta transferred to the United States, she still carried the culture of Filipinos when it came to welcoming guests.

With all her obstacles and experiences before becoming a chef, Ranta advised people to “Don’t stop believing and keep on working.”

Along with Ranta, other Filipino chefs also paved their way to the Oscars of the food industry, such as Erwan Heausaff, Margarita Manzke, Tim Flores, and Genie Kwon.

Photo Credit:
https://www.jamesbeard.org/, https://www.facebook.com/thequarrymonson, https://www.youtube.com/@eater

Source:
https://www.youtube.com/@eater