There's no doubt that Abi has much to be proud of, but perhaps her true superpower is making everyone, even those who've never turned on a stove, believe that absolutely anyone can cook.

Armed with her remarkable wit, unrelenting creativity, and immeasurable passion for food, Abi is determined to bring Filipino cuisine to new heights. Here she answers our top five questions, gets candid about her dreams and shares her fun side.

You’re on top of your game! But how do you envision the future of content creation?

I think viewers are, viewers are very smart. And right now, the content creation industry is getting very saturated and with AI also entering the scene, the technology is just going to get more and more competent. I think the ones who will really survive as creators would be people who provide value, who can make unique content that can stand out from something AI can produce. So, something with a human touch.

What fuels you to do what you do, day in and day out?

Creativity is your best friend. It's what drives you. Creativity is the most important thing. And external factors, any negativity, lahat yan ay enemy ng creativity. So, you really have to learn to protect yourselves from any negativity and anyone that will affect your freedom, your flow to think creatively.

How do you deal with haters?

I think number one would be making sure that you're proud of the quality of your video because when you're confident about what you've done, kahit ano pang sabihin ng ibang tao, hindi ka maniniwala sa kanila. Kaya kahit sabihin nila, “ay cringe, ay boring, ay hindi maganda yung pagkakagawa.” But to yourself, alam mo na, “ganda naman ah, galing-galing ko nga eh,” hindi ka matitinag.

What do you love most about what you do?

I love hearing how my videos have helped my audience feel more confident in the kitchen, with many starting to cook after seeing how easy the recipes are.

I'm also proud of my recent international awards, including being the first Filipina –born and raised in the Philippines –to win a Webby as well as getting nominated for a James Beard Award. And I got there knowing it's because of Filipino food. Representing Filipino cuisine and breaking new ground internationally, that’s the purpose I love so much, that I get to represent Filipinos on a bigger scale.

What do you consider to be your “I made it” moment?

Someday, I'd love to scale, build a team with the same vision, and provide livelihoods to others.

I want to share my blessings by giving opportunities to others. One of my advocacies is helping other creators bring Filipino food to the global scene. For example, after winning TikTok Foodie Creator of the Year, I threw a party for every TikTok foodie in the Philippines to share best practices.

And I really love that feeling na nakakapag-share ako ng value sa ibang tao. 

Photos by Rico Cruz
Grooming by Jeremie Refran 
Cover Design by Paula Non