It was my mother who officially started my career in food. One night in June 1984, a very excited Mamang presented an opportunity she insisted I should not pass up. A prime commercial space was available for a caf, and she wanted me to grab that 27-sq m hole-in-the-wall.
Buoyed by my loving parents’ all-out support, this dutiful and obedient only daughter opened A La Diane Cake House and Coffee Shop at the National Book Store Arcade in Quezon City in October 1984. Almost straight out of college and with no previous job experience, I kept my plans simple. I buckled down to work and gave my own spin to my family’s favorites from the restaurants we patronized every weekend.
Given …
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