We had the good fortune of connecting with Kusina ni JingJing and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Kusina ni JingJing, let’s start by talking about what inspires you?
Our inspiration is more of a “who” than a “what.” We are inspired by our family, the Filipino community, and our customers.  We didn’t take the risk of starting our small business without the knowledge we gained from the family we grew up with. We were born and raised in the Philippines, where we learned firsthand of the recipes that have been passed down for generations from our grandparents. They say that Filipino recipes may seem similar but there’s always one ingredient or measurement (or lack thereof) that makes a family recipe special or different. It really depends on which city you come from or how your lola/lolo made it. Our grandparents set the foundation of our family recipes but there’s rarely a record of them as they cook by taste or by memory. It is through the foundation they set where we have been inspired to make it our own and pass it down to our children.

The Filipino community, on the other hand, is an inspiration in and of itself as they remind us that our representation matters in the San Diego foodie scene. It’s been awesome to see the rise of small food businesses in 2020 that revolve around Filipino-infused flavors. What’s equally as awesome is that people outside our community are willing to explore their palates beyond pancit and lumpia, and support our businesses. This is great for us, Filipinos because we enjoy expressing our love language that is food. We like to think that our food brings families and friends together around the table, regardless of any drama — I mean why do you think we would have such big parties every weekend? Anyone and everyone is welcome to a Filipino party. There is always so much food to go around that to-go boxes are available!
Lastly, we are inspired by our customers. They keep us motivated throughout our business journey. We learn from them – their wants, needs, comments, requests, and concerns. We’ve learned to adapt based on their feedback, which is really important to us. It’s cliche to say but we absolutely wouldn’t be where we are without our customers. They may not realize how much we appreciate them but they truly fuel our purpose for running our business. They are part of our family now. We’ve met so many individuals through this venture of ours and it’s simply been heartwarming, especially through a pandemic.
As you can see, we are overwhelmed with inspiration around us every day. We are extremely thankful.


Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
Kusina ni JingJing is a Filipino family-owned business located in Paradise Hills. From our kusina to yours, we cater to your personal cravings and party needs. The foods you find on our menu are curated from our favorite Filipino flavors. Our menu is a mix of traditional and modern Filipino dishes. We are most proud of our Cebuchon Belly. It is a Cebuano-style pork belly that really represents the flavors that we grew up with, in Cebu City, Philippines. As our lola would say, our Cebuchon Belly takes her back to our homeland. THIS! This is the kind of reaction that makes our hearts full. Ultimately, we are driven by our Filipino roots and culture to represent in the San Diego foodie scene and hope to reach more people with our food.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Our shoutout goes to our family of all generations, the Filipino community, and our customers.

Instagram: @kusina.ni.jingjing

Facebook: @kusina.ni.jingjing

Other: https://linktr.ee/kusinanijingjing

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