What are you planning to do on Father’s Day? How are you going to surprise your dad? While many have the luxury to ask themselves these questions, many dads, unfortunately, had to skip the celebrations due to work or other reasons.

The same is true in the hospitality industry, where holidays are also the peaks for customers and work. And such is the life of Eugene Jacobe, executive chef of Quezon City restaurant Pat & Pat.

Instead of taking the day off to celebrate with his family, on Fathers’ Day, Chef Eugene serves other fathers and their families in his 30 years in the industry.

“When it’s family time, it’s really family time. But if it’s work, then it’s really work, work, work for me,” the restaurant’s chef of three to five years told DAILY TRIBUNE in an exclusive interview. “But I’m happy that I’m able to balance. It’s fun!”

Chef Eugene, however, makes it up to his family by cooking for them and celebrating Fathers’ Day on another day.

“We celebrate before or after Father’s Day, and they understand,” he shared.

Fatherhood, according to him, taught him to value his time.

“Spending time with my family (is the best part of being a father),” he said.

Starting on 19 June, Chef Eugene is delighted to share his specially-curated Fathers’ Day menu at Pat & Pat.

“Actually, we’re more of shareable, elevated comfort food for families,” he said of the restaurant stands for. It specializes in local and international fare, most especially steaks.

According to Chef Eugene, for the Fathers’ Day menu, he made sure that all meats are represented — chicken, seafood and beef, which respectively come in the form of dishes such as Herb Crusted Roast Beef, Grilled Salmon Fillet, Spicy Martin’s Fried Chicken and Baby Back Ribs with different sauces. These, according to the chef, are best paired with any of their fine wine selections.

Complete the celebratory mood with desserts such as Pecan Cheesecake, Salted Caramel Banana Crumble and the unique ones — Tupig with Hot Choco Dip that includes the famous Pangasinense banana leaf rice cakes; and Dubai Cookie Skillet, a delightful marriage between the warm, freshly-baked cookie and kataifi-topped vanilla ice cream in every bite — the restaurant’s take on the Dubai chocolate trend.

Some of these dishes are Chef Eugene’s and his family’s personal favorites at home — most especially the salads, pastas and Martin’s Fried Chicken, one of the restaurant’s signature dishes named after the son of the owners. Pat & Pat is the sister venture of What About Coffee? (WACO) that is already set to open a third branch in Quezon City.

Pat & Pat, which was originally located in Capitol Hills, recently transferred into its bigger present location at the corners of University Valley and Tandang Sora in Quezon City. This first and so far only branch of the Filipino restaurant is approximately triple the size of its previous location and could accommodate events for up to 200 guests. It also has private rooms for smaller groups.

Dishes that will be received well from Father’s Day will be extended as part of the regular menu, just like the Paella Negra that was so much of a hit last Mothers’ Day that it is being revived for the Father’s Day menu as well.

“Love your children. Spend more time with your family and if you could something special for them like preparing food, then do it,” Chef Eugene, the father of three, said as Fathers’ Day message to his fellow dads.

“In our dishes’ taste profiles, you could see that we used unconventional ingredients. But the most important thing is we always cook with happiness.”