CHANGING THE LANDSCAPE OF FOOD

Food entrepreneur ERIC THOMAS DEE credits his parents for giving him a valuable gift: a priceless education that led to the success and expansion of FOODEE Global Concepts, the food group with the reputation of being “the one to beat”

“I grew up in the kitchen,” began Eric Thomas Dee, FOODEE Global Concept’s President and Chief Operating Officer. “My parents were 19 when they had me, so my earliest memories were in the kitchen.” Eric’s mother and father are no other than respected food entrepreneurs Rikki and Beng Dee, who started their careers with a small Pasay restaurant before exploding on the culinary scene with hundreds of food court branches for concepts like Inihaw Express and Chin’s Express. A second generation restaurateur, Eric is eager to bring FOODEE Global Concepts (originally Food Link) to a whole new level.

MAKING A MARK

When you look at Eric, you know he isn’t your typical COO (Child of Owner). There is a certain confidence in his aura that suggests that he isn’t just riding off the wave of his parent’s success, but here to improve it. It all began in 2014 when Eric was looking for ways to make a mark in FOODEE’s already impressive legacy. After some thought, he decided that it was the right time to finally introduce Manila to celebrity chefs and international food concepts. He reached out to Chef Todd English, who worked with him to open the Todd English Food Hall in SM Aura. Eventually, the restaurant became one of the most popular food destinations in the city.

“It was the first food hall in Manila,” he reminisces. “It was also the first time somebody brought in a celebrity chef. We were all really nervous because [at the point] it was one of our biggest concepts. The space was 900 square feet big!” The success of the food hall overwhelmed Eric, but it also encouraged him. He set a new goal: to bring in affordable but high-quality international restaurants into the Philippines. He found his next big concept while visiting his sister in Hong Kong—a little known restaurant called Tim Ho Wan. The rest is history.

THE ONE TO BEAT

Under Eric’s leadership, FOODEE Global Concepts has become a massive player in the food industry. Today the company boasts dozens of reputable restaurants, some of which are franchises, while others are original concepts. The impressive list includes famous Hong Kong restaurant Kam’s Roast, inexpensive Michelin-starred eatery Hawker Chan, burger joint Pound, the Filipino-themed Mesa, the chic Bench Café, seafood place Hook, the Instagram-friendly Sunnies Café, and affordable Italian fine-dining restaurant FOO’D by Davide Oldani, amongst others.

All of the FOODEE brands have one common thread: the theme of “affordable luxury”. Each restaurant they open must have a good value for money while serving high-quality dishes. It is a brand positioning that has helped the company grow immensely. By catering to people from all walks of life, FOODEE has become “the company to beat”. Eric explains it best: “We're allergic to expensive stuff, but we love making things look pretty. We want you to eat good [inexpensive] food, but we want you to feel as if you're having something expensive.”

Eric admits that he is very happy to have played an integral role in creating the Manila food scene we know today. He mentions how different it was five years ago before Todd English and Tim Ho Wan opened doors for other food entrepreneurs looking for the confidence to bring in overseas concepts. Despite his success, Eric remains humble. In fact, he credits his parents for all his success. “They taught us to be prudent, to save for a rainy day, and not to put all our eggs into one basket. My parents also told us never to be magastos

[to spend a lot of money]. They said that there was a difference between need and want, and that’s why we’re all allergic to expensive things!” he jokes.

A DELICIOUS LEGACY

The 30-something is also proud to say that he was never forced into joining the family business. However, working at the restaurants while growing up eventually inspired him to follow his parent’s path. “All my summer jobs were at the restaurants. I had all these random jobs. I had been a waiter, I had been a manager, and it made me realize that I really loved food.”

Eric looks back at this time with great joy. However, there is nothing like the present, because FOODEE Global Concepts is thriving like never before. This year, the company is focusing on expanding all their restaurants. By the end of 2019, they expect to open 3 more Pound branches, 3 Bench Café’s, 11 Mesas, and 3 more Hawker Chans. Eric also shared that he’s looking into opening three original food concepts, which are all currently in the conceptualization stage.

“I was just telling my dad that I learned more from him than I did in a four-year college course,” he said with a smile. He then continued to cite the three most crucial things that his father taught him. “At the end of the day you need to be: 1) a good person, 2) a fair businessman, and 3) a family man.” These three rules of life are so embedded into Eric’s head that he’s certain that if he follows them, it will lead towards success.

“Another thing that my parents taught us is the Chinese belief that the first generation creates the business, the second makes it big, and the third spends [all the money]. We want to go beyond the third. I'm part of the second generation, so hopefully, I can teach my children the same things my parents taught me.” As he continues to forge a path towards a brighter food future, Eric hopes that his two young children will eventually follow in his footsteps. In the meantime, while his sons are still young, he will continue working hard so that one day he can leave them a delicious legacy.