Mama’s Boy
Meet Rob Vasquez of Mama’s Boy!
Specialty: Filipino (Bicolano) cuisine
How’d you get started and what sparked the idea for your business?
After a career as an Army lawyer ("JAG"), I wanted to do something different. The idea of getting up early, putting on a uniform, and running around with kids half my age was getting old, so I decided to go to culinary school where ... I got up early, put on a uniform, and ran around with kids one-third my age!
In all seriousness, my military career had me assigned or deployed all over the world, and I loved experiencing the local and regional cuisines everywhere I went. I was fascinated with how different cultures treated similar ingredients. That said, I always missed Mom's home cooking. Mama's Boy was born with the vision of sharing my favorite dishes of our family's homeland, the Bicol region of the Philippines, and occasionally applying the cooking ideas and methods of other cultures to create something new and fun.
How has your business evolved since you first started?
Mama's Boy was initially envisioned as a catering company you'd see at farmer's markets and swap meets. but early on I made the difficult decision to go back to work full time. We still cater small scale events and do classes, especially The Lumpia Class at Hana Kitchens. I also serve from time to time as a guest chef instructor at the Culinary Institute of the Pacific - Kapiolani.
What do you wish you had known before you started your business?
I wish I knew more of Mom's recipes. She passed away over 20 years before I went to culinary school.
What are you most proud of about your business?
I'm grateful for how Mama's Boy brings my family together. My wife Lani and my brother-in-law Nixon enjoy what we do and we work well together.
What do you love most about being a food entrepreneur?
I love seeing people enjoy what we serve them. It's hard to describe the feeling of joy I get when I hear that "mmm" from our guests, but I can say it makes the time, effort, and expense all worthwhile.
What’s one piece of advice you have for other food entrepreneurs?
Define success in your own terms. Mama's Boy is a part-time pursuit because we all have full-time jobs. Some people have told us we need to expand, do more events, and hit the farmer's market circuit. It's flattering but not possible at this time. Mama's Boy may become a full-time enterprise someday, but for now this part-time passion project works for us. That said, we hope you'll consider us for your weekend gatherings or maybe catch a class or event at Hana Kitchens.
What makes your business unique/special?
Mama's Boy features Filipino food like many other establishments in Hawaii, but our focus is on food from the Bicol region of the Philippines. This region is known for its spicy food as well as its use of coconut and coconut milk.
What’s your best seller (or favorite item that you can’t miss) at the moment?
Our biggest hit is our take on Bicol Express, a dish from the region of the Philippines my family calls home. (Ask me how the dish got its name!) It's typically a simmered, one-pot dish made with pork belly, coconut milk, hot peppers, and a sauteed shrimp paste called "bagoong." We make ours with lechon, crispy pork belly.
What’s a dish or product you’ve created that holds special meaning for you?
We feature a dessert dish called ube bibingka, a play on butter mochi. We serve it with scratch made vanilla ice cream and a mango puree.
What’s your guilty pleasure food when you’re not working on your own products?
That's hard to say. I'm an equal opportunity eater! It's hard to say "no" to some good poke, pizza, and pasta (Italian, Chinese, Japanese, Thai, etc.), or a good burger and burrito. And I'll dig into good fish and seafood all day. Can't end without talking about some fresh breads and pastries. Ooh, fries! Love fries. Wait, how much time do you have?
You can find Mama’s Boy on Instagram!
