Meet Tristan Jose | Cofounder & CEO

We had the good fortune of connecting with Tristan Jose and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Tristan, let’s start by talking about what inspires you?
The Guamanian community in southern California inspires us to push the envelope by highlighting traditional recipes with fun takes. Since moving to San Diego in 2015, we quickly realized the strength and presence of the Guam community. From weekly bbq’s to random run ins at a cafe, everywhere we went, there was a chance to reminisce of our time spent back home. Our goal is to help bring these memories to life by curating an island-inspired menu that rotates items frequently. We aim to share the vibrant flavors and culinary traditions of Guam with the San Diego commmunity to create a unique fusion of food and heritage.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
Ingrain is a food collective that specializes in fusing Chamorro & Filipino food and lifestyle with modern street culture. We pop up at breweries and provide event catering with our island barbecue and rice centered dishes. When it comes to Guam style barbecue, we believe it is essential to use charcoal and/or wood to bring out the true essence of our diverse flavors. Our food goes beyond the use of grills and we plan on highlighting its beauty through the resources San Diego has to offer.

We learned that the Guamanian community deserves to be consistently recognized through food and history. Since starting last November, many local communities took an interest in learning more about our story and supported us along the way. This continued love and encouragement pushed us to break boundaries by poppin’ up at vintage markets and breweries that usually house popular food vendors.

Guam will always have a special place in our hearts and it is our goal to spread the beauty it has to offer through our experiences in San Diego.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
The first thing on the agenda would be to get them a california burrito at Rigoberto’s Taco Shop on Miramar. You could never go wrong with that, their self serve salsa bar, and a horchata. Next, we would hit up Mostra Coffee and pick up some of the best espresso that sources many of their beans from the Philippines. For lunch, we could hit up Hawaiian Fresh Seafood and get them the freshest Poke. On the days we feel like indulging the finest beers, theres two spots. Pure Project, literally any locations, and GOAL. Brewing. For dinner, it is only right to hit up Convoy Asian District and literally pick from any of the restaurants there! My favorites would be ZZAN or Song hak KBBQ. Amidst all the food recommendations, going to liberty public market and strolling through local vendors is always a must when I have my tour guide hat on.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
We wouldn’t be anywhere without our family and friends who continue to show endless love and unwavering support.

Instagram: eat.ingrain

Image Credits
@_wooozy on instagram
@lilianxkieu on instagram