What began as a fallback for a film actor at a career crossroads has become a thriving Filipino food brand making waves internationally.

Award-winning actor Joel Torre, best known for his celebrated performances on stage and screen, is also the founder of JT’s Manukan, a Bacolod-style inasal chain now on its 22nd year.

In an interview on Daily Tribune’s online program Straight Talk, Torre traced the roots of his restaurant’s journey — from driveway lunch lines in Bacolod to a Singapore expansion, and now a soon-to-open branch in Dubai.

“Bacolod people are known for their good taste,” Torre said, reminiscing about his childhood surrounded by food, family, and a festive culture.

“Tables groaning with good food. Good food, good vibes, good energy. That’s part of the culture of Bacolod,” he narrated.

Mother knows best

His mother, Luz de Leon Torre, cooked meals not only for the family, which consisted of 13 children, but also for neighbors and even for the Riverside Hospital on “rasyon” (daily food ration).

Families would line up outside their home, toting lunch containers to pick up their meals or rasyon. Torre remembered seeing 50 to 60 families in their driveway at a time.

The meals came in a set: four viands — a meat dish, seafood, vegetables, soup — and rice. This emphasis on a balanced diet became ingrained in Torre’s food philosophy early on.

Glamorous but exhausting

While Torre built a career on stage and film, the physical and emotional demands of acting pushed him to consider a business alternative.

By 2003, he and his wife, Christy, began discussing the idea of opening a restaurant. The long shooting days — sometimes lasting over 20 hours — were taking their toll. Acting, he said, looked glamorous from the outside, but behind the scenes it was exhausting, both mentally and physically.

Torre believed food could be his fallback, and more importantly, a source of sustainable income that would allow him to continue supporting his artistic passions. The couple asked themselves what Bacolod was most known for. The answer: chicken inasal.

Historic location

In May 2003, they opened the first JT’s Manukan — a small, street-side eatery along Granada Street in New Manila, Quezon City. The location, suggested to them by fellow actor Jimmy Fabregas, had a history as it was once the literal gateway to Sampaguita Studios. Initially, the restaurant had just seven seats in an al fresco setup, but it quickly gained a following.

As demand grew, they had to expand the seating onto the street and secure a vendor permit from City Hall. Torre also introduced other Ilonggo favorites in the menu, including cansi — a regional soup made with batuan, a local souring agent, which he described as a cross between bulalo and sinigang.

Surviving in the food business, Torre said, follows its own timeline. If a restaurant lasts one year, it has a shot at three; make it to three and five is possible. If it hits the five-year mark, the chances of reaching 10 years improve significantly. JT’s Manukan has surpassed all those milestones.

4 Ms

Torre credits the rise of JT’s to its authenticity and simplicity.

“We serve simple food. Delicious, simple comfort food. That’s the magic,” he said. The restaurant lives by the “4Ms” philosophy: masarap, mura, malinis at masaya (delicious, cheap, clean and fun).

Now operating multiple branches nationwide, JT’s Manukan has begun planting its flag internationally. It opened its first Singapore branch last year, celebrating its first anniversary with the launch of a second outlet last month.

“We cater mostly to Filipinos based there (Singapore), but then the locals — the Chinese, Indians and Singaporeans — are starting to adapt. They like our Filipino food,” he said.

The next target is Dubai, where JT’s Manukan will open a branch at City Center Deira on 7 August.

Torre expressed pride in JT’s Manukan journey, noting that it may be the first Filipino chicken chain to expand internationally, having attempted a branch in Guam prior to the pandemic.

Looking ahead, he hopes the brand will continue to thrive and eventually be recognized as a Filipino heritage restaurant abroad.

“We wish to serve authentic Bacolod inasal on the international plate,” he said.