CHINITAKITCHEN HONORS OWNER’S CHINESE LINEAGE WITH YUMMY COOKIES, MUFFINS, BROWNIES
The woman behind Chinita Kitchen is the granddaughter of a Chinese man who decided to move to the Philippines many years ago.
Shereen Chu said that putting up Chinitakitchen, a brand that Shereen started to more easily market the chewy cookies and delicious muffins she bakes, is a natural progression, given that every one in their family–including her grandfather–are wonderful cooks.
“I was raised in an environment where cooking is natural. But it is not until I was in college that I started experimenting,” Chu said. “It is only by accident that I discovered I have a knack for baking. I don’t typically follow a recipe and prefer to add a personal touch to my cooking.”
While their family has since called Binondo their home, Chu said that her family does make a lot of effort to pay homage to their Chinese lineage, in part to honor the many sacrifices that her grandfather went through to give them a good life here.
In fact, one look at the logo of Chinitakitchen will tell you that Chinese blood runs in her veins. The logo features a smiling female Chinese kid dressed in traditional red garment, holding freshly baked treats in her left hand and a whip on her right.
Big on food
Chu said that Chinese culture is big on food, with special occasions celebrated with lavish lauriat at Chinese restaurants.
“We don’t do the fireworks for Chinese New Year like we used to when my grandparents were alive but we have kept the tradition of going to the temple quite early, having our fortune told, and getting our clothes blessed. We eat our misua or have a cup of ginger tea, and end it with a good meal at one of our favorite Chinese restaurants,” said Chu, adding that she’s still fluent in Fookien, but not as much as Mandarin.
Chu said they always make it a point to drop by the Chinese Temple every Christmas (a day before the New Year) or New Year to light incense and pray for good health and fortune.
“Though I was born Catholic, I have always believed in charms. Charms fascinate me, and I would go as far as researching lucky charms and having them customized for my husband and I. We would have it blessed and would wear multiple ones for added protection,” she said.
In terms of celebration, Chinese are also similar to Filipinos in terms of wanting to celebrate every big occasion with the entire clan. That is why her family normally holds celebrations in a house with potluck of different dishes (which is not common for typical Chinese family) or reserve a couple of tables in a Chinese restaurant (which is a typical Chinese tradition).
Cookies, brownies and muffins
And while it’s mainly cookies, brownies and muffins for Chinitakitchen, she has started offering chili garlic oil, crunchy garlic, and Char Siu pork. Soon, she will be expanding her product line by offering more Chinese delicacies like Gyoza, Siomai, and buns.
“What sets my products apart is the personal care I put into baking. I never leave the preparation to a helper. I personally mix and marinate, and usually only would allow assistance with the packing. I want each item delivered to be of the highest quality and personally vouched by myself,” said Chu, who is an accountant by profession but has since focused on Risk Management as a day job.
Chitakitchen is also open to customization, such as if customers want an extra large cookie or perhaps bite-sized ones for give-aways.
“I also try to make my packaging as environment-friendly as possible, using boxes and recyclable or reusable plastics,” she said.
Her first customers were her officemates, who also serve as her guinea pig whenever she wants to test new products. But eventually, she posted her baked goods on Facebook and Instagram. Today, she gets tons of orders online.