What began as a small lutong bahay venture during the pandemic has become one of Kitchener’s favorite Filipino food spots, Lutong Ilocano Lechon.
Back then, the couple behind the kitchen both worked full-time at Toyota, cooking Ilocano dishes only as a side hustle. But when orders kept pouring in, they made a big decision — one of them would quit to cook full-time. “Nahihirapan na kaming pagsabayin ang trabaho at pagluluto,” they said. “So nag-decide kami, isa na lang magluluto.”
Their menu reads like a feast from home — dinakdakan, dinuguan, igado, kaldereta, papaitan, laing, pinakbet, and of course, their pride: lechon and bagnet. Each dish carries the flavor of Ilocos — malasa, matapang, and cooked with care. “Sa pamilya pa lang namin, mahilig na talaga sa pagluluto,” the wife shares. “May magic siguro ‘yung kamay ko sa timpla.”
Every week, they roast 15 to 20 pigs using a commercial oven built for business. Each lechon is prepared the traditional way — brushed only with oil, rotated every few minutes for even crisping. “Ang importante kasi balat,” she says with a smile. “’Yun ang tinitingnan ng customer.”
What started in their home kitchen has grown into a full store, complete with freezers, coolers, and loyal customers who drive from neighboring cities just to get a taste of their Ilocano cooking.
For the couple, it’s not just a business — it’s a dream come true. After years of working abroad, from Singapore to Hong Kong, she finally made it to Canada to build a better life for her family. “Dati pangarap ko lang makapunta dito,” she says. “Ngayon, may sarili na kaming negosyo. Magkasama kami, nakikita namin araw-araw ang mga anak namin. Masaya kami.”
At Lutong Ilocano Lechon, every dish tells a story — of courage, family, and the taste of home that refuses to fade.
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