by Elpidio R. Estioko
After FilAm Joseph Alvarico from Antioch, California, won the 2024 California Teacher of the Year late last year, another FilAm was awarded California’s Best Chef this year by the James Beard Foundation Awards last month.
Held in Chicago this year, the James Beard Foundation Awards awarded Kuya Lord Chef Lord Maynard Llera, a 45-year-old chef from Los Angeles, as the Best Chef: California, among seven other nominees.
The James Beard Foundation Awards highlight the culinary and beverage professionals across various cuisines, price points, and locals.
The award is often regarded as the most prestigious national restaurant award in America and is usually called “the Oscars of food.”
Maynard’s win was the only one for Los Angeles this year. In a phone interview in his home in Los Angeles, after he had just arrived from Chicago, where he accepted the award, Chef Maynard said:
“It’s just surreal. My efforts and creative work in my recipes were recognized, and I am happy about it. I came here 20 years ago from the Philippines with a dream of opening a restaurant.”
Chef Maynard was at the Chicago Airport waiting for his flight back home to Los Angeles when the Hawaii Filipino Chronicle got a hold of him for this feature article.
Chef Maynard’s restaurant called Kuya Lord is an elevated fast-casual restaurant concept that features regional Filipino dishes inspired by the dishes he grew up eating in Lucena City, Quezon Province Philippines.
The restaurant’s name “Kuya” is a Tagalog word for older brother with “Lord” referring to Chef Maynard’s first name.
Chef Maynard, born and raised in the Philippines, mentioned in the interview that he considered himself a “happy-go-lucky man” while pursuing Hotel and Restaurant Management and Business Administration without any direction at San Sebastian College, Manila, Philippines.
Since his true passion is cooking, he told his father that he wanted to go to the United States to study culinary arts. So, in 2004, at age 24, he migrated to the U.S. with the ultimate goal of opening his own restaurant.
In 2006, Chef Maynard graduated from the Culinary Institute of America in New York. He moved to Los Angeles in the same year, where he started as a line cook in some of the hottest kitchens on the West Coast for six years. He then became a sous chef and, finally, a culinary director for the h.wood Group in 2017.
As the culinary director of the h.wood Group, he developed his own culinary program and created restaurant concepts across the U.S. He also oversaw the development of the company’s portfolio, such as The Nice Guy, Mason Restaurant, Delilah, Petite Taqueria, Blind Dragon and Harriet’s.
In 2019, he left the company to finally open his very own restaurant, Kuya Lord.
But before Kuya Lord found its way into brick-and-mortar in Melrose Ave., Chef Maynard launched it as a pop-up at wine bars, breweries, food events, and private dining rooms highlighting fine dining, fast casual, and street food.
Before the pop-ups, Chef Maynard and his wife Gigi would cook Filipino food for friends, relatives, and long-time followers, which led to more people inquiring about his food.
“You don’t go to a restaurant just to eat good food. The most important thing is the memories created out of the dining experience,” Chef Maynard said when asked about what he thinks beyond food and the cuisine.
“A good dining experience is being together with the people close to your heart,” he added.
Kuya Lord is known for its Lucenachon and Pancit Chami. From regulars to food critics, Kuya Lord’s take on Filipino food is praised and highlighted.
“Maynard focuses on using high-quality ingredients and thoughtful cooking processes to make Filipino food shine,” wrote Patrick Manalo of Paper Plate Zine.
“His Lucenachon, a Filipino-style porchetta, is a 4-day process of infusing Filipino flavors of garlic and lemongrass into a juicy and tender pork belly roast with the crispiest, crackling skin. For his pancit chami, Maynard builds layers of sweet and spicy flavors with every timely integration of his 20+ ingredients.”
Brant Cox of The Infatuation described Kuya Lord’s pancit chami as “among the best we’ve ever had, period. It comes with either blue prawns or lechon kawali, but choosing one is a huge problem because both are equally fantastic.”
The Los Angeles Times’ Bill Addison sums il up: “Kuya Lord’s Filipino feast is food of power, finesse and delight. Every dish is masterful.”
In his acceptance speech at the James Beard Foundation Awards, Chef Maynard thanked his wife Gigi, for supporting him throughout their journey.
“I want to thank my wife, who came here to America to be with me and to support me since day one. She even quit her job and shared with me through this journey. Without her, Kuya Lord wouldn’t be here now. This recognition is not just a testament to my individual efforts and hard work but a reflection of the support and, encouragement, and collaboration from many wonderful people in my life. I am fortunate enough to have mentors, friends and family all throughout this journey.”
Chef Maynard is the youngest of four children. With his wife Gigi, they have two children: Juliana, 10, and Iliano, 7.
As a final word during the phone interview, he shared advice: “Follow your passion. Make a solid plan. Work hard no matter what, and never give up. Be patient. And, be humble.”
ELPIDIO R. ESTIOKO was a veteran journalist in the Philippines and an award-winning journalist in the US. He just published his book Unlocking the Chain of Poverty: In Pursuit of the American Dream, now available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Xlibris Publishing. For feedback and comments… please email the author at estiokoelpidio@gmail.com).
About Author
+ There are no comments
Add yours