Had things gone a different way, Bonifacio Global City (BGC) denizens and visitors may not even have had the chance to sample Maker and Made.
The former overseas Filipino worker (OFW) owners of the delightful new brunch place faced some pretty frustrating discrimination when they were in the process of building and getting the necessary approvals for Maker and Made.
“We never thought we’d get discriminated against in our own country, compared to Singapore,” says CEO and executive chef Rue Ribon, referring to the different environment in the Lion City where she, alongside partners Elaine Figuroa (director of operations and administration) and Freddie Aguirre (director of beverage) worked for more than a decade.
“We never thought we’d get discriminated against in our own country, compared to Singapore,” says CEO and executive chef Rue Ribon, referring to the different environment in the Lion City where she, alongside partners Elaine Figuroa (director of operations and administration) and Freddie Aguirre (director of beverage) worked for more than a decade.
They had dressed casually—as one does in equally warm Singapore—as they were applying for the necessary permits and they got judging looks and tones for not looking like the typical savvy BGC entrepreneur.
“You’ll be surprised that the people you deal with [here] will look at you head-to-toe and they will talk to you rudely if you’re wearing [those kinds of clothes] versus if we were with somebody [really dressed up],” continues Ribon.
“In front of me was a guy wearing a suit and tie. The way they talked to that guy and then to me was different. They wouldn’t look me in the eye. Then the minute they find out that [I was the business owner], that’s when they’ll say sorry and be apologetic.”
It’s a good thing that they were able to quickly and easily turn things around because Maker and Made is proving to be among the most promising additions to the bustling district, having only opened last May yet already literally making a name for themselves.
A self-described brunch restaurant, the trio are so committed to this theme that the place even closes at 5 p.m. to begin preparing for the next day. This can be disappointing for the corporate crowd who aren’t free until after sundown but it only adds to its hype alongside the locally sourced, sustainable food and vegan/vegetarian options.
Straight out of Australia and Singapore
Maker and Made’s fare is proudly inspired by the culinary and coffee culture of Australia—specifically, the impressive and gargantuan Higher Ground in Melbourne, which Ribon says is their full peg.
“I had a vision. I always drew and wrote what I really wanted. I believe in the law of attraction,” she says. “When I went with my mom to Australia for a vacation, I saw Higher Ground in Melbourne, and that became my inspiration for everything that we have.”
Then a bout of COVID-19 in Singapore, which necessitated a quarantine stay in a hotel, made her realize that she needed to come back home to the Philippines and spend more of her time. While quarantining, she called her head baker (who had coincidentally also considered going home) and tried to recruit him for this project.
After further realizing that they would be better off pooling their money and taking a risk on their project—despite not having any real experience running a restaurant—they decided to pull the trigger on Maker and Made.
“It’s just the three of us, and we had saved enough,” says Figueroa. “As an OFW, you will really earn a lot of money, and it’s up to you to learn how to save it and utilize what you have. Over there, you can live extravagantly, or you can live a simple life and have more savings here in the Philippines. Basically, we did the latter—this is all we have, and we took a risk with everything we had worked for.”
“This is our all,” says Rue Ribon.”If we succeed, if we fail, whatever happens, it’s the experience we’ll value more. But what I always say to [my co-founders] is that I only have one goal, and that is to succeed.”
“This is our all,” says Ribon.”If we succeed, if we fail, whatever happens, it’s the experience we’ll value more. But what I always say to [my co-founders] is that I only have one goal, and that is to succeed.”
And from the looks of things, despite not being three months old yet, they are not doing bad at all. Because they’re situated strategically in a valuable spot in the heart of BGC, a steady stream of people regularly flock to Maker and Made.
Form and function across Maker and Made
Firstly, the entire space is deliciously designed for the social media generation today. It is a sort of ode to the cafés the trio have been to and worked at overseas, playing off polished industrial aesthetics and striking elements that pull you in from every direction, literally.
From a lustrous wood slat wall column that harbors Aguirre’s slick specialty coffee bar and beans sourced from Mt. Apo and Bukidnon to the plastered brick walls (one of which is drawn with an oversized calligraphy art of the brand), the interiors designed by Likha Studio leave plenty of opportunities for the customer to explore what Maker and Made is all about.
That said, the small thoughtful details reveal the actual design experience Ribon, Figuroa, and Aguirre had envisioned for Filipino customers. The pedal faucets, the automatic sensor doors for the restroom and the kitchen, and even simple bag hooks—all these matter. “Many customers really appreciate that,” says Aguirre.
Tasty down under
But it’s on the menu where you’ll find all the creativity and experience of the group. Local and sustainable serve as the starting points for Ribon’s dishes, interlacing the ingredients she could get her hands on with an amalgamation of Australian and Filipino influences.
“A lot of people ask us why [we are] Australian-inspired,” says Ribon. “When I went to Australia, it had the same resources of what we have here but the difference is how people support the local produce, the effort they give to sustainability. We are the same but we are not utilizing those things. [Farmers] can grow heirloom rice or heirloom tomatoes but the demand isn’t there.”
This idea also reflects the purpose behind the name, which, as Ribon explains, is an homage to the artisans and cogs in the successful machine. “Most of the restaurants focus on the chefs only. For us, we want to make sure that both the maker and the artisan and the product are connected. It’s the relationship between the two… It’s not only just the product or the chef. We wanted it to be a collaboration between everyone,” says Ribon.
Throughout the menu, there’s an exuberance for the local and the sustainable that Ribon draws upon. “I had the base menu and a list of dishes I wanted to put on my menu… but I went to the farms first and then saw what is the more stable [supply] that I can put on the menu as the base and then worked on it along the way.”
There’s nothing too fancy here that would alienate anyone but it also isn’t run-of-the-mill fare that would bore those with more discerning tastes. What executive chef Rue Ribon does exceptionally well is committing to her vision.
There’s nothing too fancy here that would alienate anyone but it also isn’t run-of-the-mill fare that would bore those with more discerning tastes. What Ribon does exceptionally well is committing to her vision. The mushroom scotch egg with eggplant and mung bean hummus is straightforward enough but hits you with an earthy crunchiness that complements the jammy yolk and bed of hummus sprinkled with puffed black rice. This is an insanely good all-day breakfast star.
Elsewhere, the tapa Benedict is a decadent version of the American breakfast dish, thanks to the tender braised brisket tapa and poached eggs on pandesal, for those keen on a heartier start to their day. Following this rich momentum is a beef and marrow burger with a bacon-shallot marmalade, sauerkraut, mayo mustard, and sweet potato fries that elevates the burger experience.
In contrast, the salmon stracciatella toast (beet-cured salmon, turmeric onion, red radish, pickled tomatoes and seasonal herbs) attempts to place various textures and sensations on bread—and it does so quite successfully and beautifully using produce from Good Food Community, Caliraya Farms, and Pedro Farms among others.
“The menu will be revolving around specials every weekend to inject seasonal harvests,” says Ribon, adding that they also do upcycling in the kitchen such as making caramel out of the whey from the ricotta they produce.
Aguirre’s beverage menu also seems to follow suit. Powered by his passion for coffee, Aguirre says “it’s more about elevating the natural taste of coffee.” The beans they use are in collaboration with friend and award-winning barista from Davao, Joefel Manlod. This partnership works well across the beverage menu, but especially on the nitro white cold brew, mocha (double espresso and local dark chocolate tablea with steamed milk), and Red Dragon, a super drink made with avocado, dragon fruit, honey, peat, milk, and chia seeds.
Bringing back what they learned
Even though the founders didn’t exactly have experience running their own restaurant before Maker and Made, what ended up fueling their success were the lessons they learned in a completely different working environment abroad.
For example, Filipinos may generally not be known for their efficiency, which is why they push their team to step up their game so that customers enjoy unmatched service.
“We have to tell our people that we need to have a sense of urgency in everything that we do, starting from when a customer walks in the door,” says Ribon. “You should be there immediately in front. But they’re not used to that, and we had to push them quite a bit. So there are things, when it comes to service, that we want to reach a higher standard.”
“It’s really bringing back what you’ve learned, and trying to make the Philippines a better place,” says Elaine Figueroa. “I think that’s what everyone wants. That’s what we all want.”
This standard of quality is a little easier to attain when it comes to the food they source, as it isn’t hard to find good products in the Philippines.
“With the food, we work with high-quality people and sources. But of course, we also give chances to people with lesser experience so that we can groom them.”
The founders hope that by instilling the culture they grew accustomed to in a highly efficient country like Singapore, they could help elevate the quality of service Filipinos can get to experience—not just at Maker and Made, but hopefully in other places once their staff inevitably passes through their doors.
“It’s really bringing back what you’ve learned, and trying to make the Philippines a better place,” says Figueroa. “I think that’s what everyone wants. That’s what we all want.”
With additional reporting by Eric Nicole Salta