Long before he became one of Philippine cinema’s most respected actors, Joel Torre was already immersed in another kind of stage — the bustling kitchen of his family home in Bacolod. It was there, among simmering pots and market runs with his mother, that the seeds of a food empire were quietly planted.
In a recent interview with Maricel Soriano on her YouTube vlog, the actor-turned-entrepreneur shared how his love for food and business took root early. “Ang pamilya namin sa Bacolod kasi 13 na magkakapatid kami,” (There were 13 of us in our family in Bacolod),” he recounted. “’Pag nagluto ’yung nanay namin, sabi niya bakit hindi ko na lang i-negosyo ’to kasi lagi magpapakain ka ng 13 na mga anak. Siyempre magastos, so pagkakitaan ko na lang (Whenever my mom cooked, she would say we should make it a business since she feeds 13 kids. Of course, it was costly so why not make money out of her cooking).”
What began as a practical response to feeding a large household evolved into a personal calling. “We had a food business sa bahay, so bata pa lang ako, nagte-train na ako sa nanay ko. Dinadala niya ako sa palengke, so naging parang second nature sa akin (We had a home-based food business so my mom trained me early on. She would take me to the market with her, until it became second nature to me),” he said.
That hands-on experience would later inspire him to open JT’s Manukan Grille, now a go-to destination for Bacolod-style chicken inasal.
Torre’s flagship venture has grown steadily since it opened, rooted in authenticity and hometown pride. “Taga-Bacolod kami eh, naisipan namin na restaurant. Awa ng Diyos, tinangkilik ng tao, talagang nagustuhan ng tao (We are from Bacolod, and the idea for a restaurant came from that. With God’s mercy, people patronized it, they liked it),” he said.
From a single branch, JT’s Manukan Grille has expanded not just across the Philippines, but internationally — with locations in Singapore and an upcoming branch in Dubai.
“Isang simpleng pagkain na inasal, pwede mo palang dalhin sa ibang bansa, ipatikim sa ibang lahi, hindi lang sa Pinoy (Just a simple grilled didh, you can bring it to other countries, let other cultures try it, not just Filipinos),” he beamed. “Number five chicken recipe siya in the world… so tamang-tama, nandito tayo sa negosyo na ito (It’s the fifth chicken recipe in the world, so fortunately, we are in the this kind of chicken business).”
Despite his success, Torre remains deeply connected to his first love: Acting. For him, the two worlds are not as different as they seem. “Ang acting is business din eh (Acting is also a business),” he explained. “By itself, art ’yan, pero may business side of it. Kaya nga kumukuha tayo ng manager (By itself, it is an art, but there is a business side to it. That’s why we hire managers).”
He recalled how his early theater days helped him realize the importance of pursuing business as a practical companion to his artistic pursuits. “Sa theater, ang talent fee hindi masyadong malaki. Sabi ko kailangan ko ng negosyo para mag-supplement ng art ko (In theater, the talent fee is not substantial. So I told myself I needed a business that would supplement my art).”