QUICK QUESTIONS
WHAT REALLY MAKES YOU ANGRY? When there’s a lack of empathy between people.
WHAT MOTIVATES YOU TO WORK HARD?
The sense of purpose by being an ambassador to my Filipino culture in France and the passion in what I do to achieve it.
WHAT MAKES YOU LAUGH THE MOST?
Other people laughing, some laughs can be so contagious! And funny scare pranks.
WHAT DID YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU WERE SMALL?
An architect or any job that included space design.
WHAT WOULD YOU DO IF YOU WON THE LOTTO?
I would definitely spoil people I love and invest in talented people with amazing projects that could change society in a positive way!
IF YOU COULD SHARE A MEAL WITH ANY INDIVIDUAL, LIVING OR DEAD, WHO WOULD THEY BE?
My lolo (grandpa). He was an inspiration. He was the creative one in the house. He would always go after his passions. His life motivated me to go out of my comfort zone. I would have loved to share with him what I’m living right now. He would have been a great advisor.
WHAT’S THE MOST DARING THING YOU’VE EVER DONE?
Hesitating between a parachute jump and opening a business!
WHAT WAS THE LAST BOOK YOU READ?
As I continuously do research in Filipino food, the last book I’ve read was “Tikim” by Doreen Fernandez.
WHICH CELEBRITY WOULD YOU LIKE TO MEET FOR A CUP OF COFFEE?
Mark Cuban. My entrepreneur side would pick him as I appreciate his love of other entrepreneurs and how he could help them. The way that he’d rather capitalize on people’s talent/ideas than a selfish project is very inspiring.
WHAT IS ONE THING YOU WILL NEVER DO AGAIN?
I would say nothing. I’ve been taught that I will always make mistakes, so better try to learn from them than to dwell on them! They’re great lessons to help you grow positively.
WHERE DO YOU SEE YOURSELF IN 10 YEARS?
Hopefully, still growing Filipino projects in France to promote the culture!
The purple proposition: an ube latte served with pan de sal. The arresting familiarity to Pinoys extends to the puto and latik, adobo in a bun called the adobo dip and hot chocolate, menu items all precisely translated into French.
The chic addresses that are Bobi and Kapé are not just in Paris. They could very well lead to Mindanao, where the research picks up.
Gonzalez goes home with her parents to their native province of Batangas every year. Each trip back to the country means new concept cobbling, derived from the same identity search.
“I know there’s still more. We traveled to Mindanao and I saw new dishes I didn’t know before.
It took me 30 years to get to know those dishes. Pinoy food is so much more than adobo or kare-kare,” she said. For now, however, adobo remains the bestseller in Bobi, to little surprise, besting only Gonzalez’s personal favorite, her own version of sisig.