Over the last few years, Orlando has evolved into one of the most food-centric cities in Florida, with several restaurants even earning a coveted MICHELIN Star.
Filipino restaurant, Kaya is the brainchild behind Chef Lordfer Lalicon and General Manager, Jamilyn Salonga-Bailey. Earlier this year, Kaya was recognized as a finalist for the 2024 James Beard Award and became Florida's first restaurant to earn a MICHELIN Green Star for sustainable gastronomy.
We recently had the chance to catch up with Chef Lordfer to talk to him about Kaya and what being Florida's first MICHELIN Green Star recipient means to him, his Filipino culture, and why we need to make “Central Florida Cuisine” a regular term.
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ODNG: What went through your head when you were awarded the MICHELIN Green Star?
CL: When you're going through a ceremony like that, you kind of try to go in with no expectations, because you don't want to get let down.
And we didn't know. We got the invitation a little late, so we didn't know if we were invited. And then we went, and it's funny, because they started talking about the Green Star, what it means, and they showed this farm, and we're like, ‘Oh, wow. We're definitely not getting that.'
We were the first ones called, and it was gratifying and verifying to show the effort that we put in through the whole process before we even we opened the restaurant, the relationships that we built, and that I've built for the past almost ten years, working for Central Florida.
ODNG: Why in particular is the Green Star so important to you guys as far as sustainability and commitment?
CL: Well, to be honest with you, Kaya is a Filipino restaurant, right? We're based off a tradition, and ancestral things that they have been being done for a long time. Like growing up, my parents would always say ‘sayang,' which is like, don't waste, that's a waste.
So, it's always been driven in my head, ‘do not waste anything,' whether it's your time or the food, obviously. And so, we just implement that here. And that's something that they do in the Philippines.
Your parents are always growing stuff in the back, and that's what you're feeding your families. So, it's just really part of our culture to be sustainably produced and focus on our backyard farms, like Claremont or mixed farms that we use in Alachua County. We really try to stick within our realm because that's our backyard.
ODNG: When did you know you wanted to be a chef?
CL: I didn't expect it. We always gathered. So, food is like the gathering of everybody, right? My dad has always cooked for us, so we've always sat down and had a great meal.
And then just going to Filipino parties, how fun is that? And all this delicious food everywhere. I just gravitated towards the hospitality. And then as high school came along, my parents worked a lot. And that's when the Food Network just really started coming up with Mario Batali, Emma Lagasse, Rachel Ray. They weren't even big then, they were nobodies. And I used to watch them. And then I used to write in a notebook and I would cook and I would cook for my friends so they'd do chores for me.
I liked cooking a lot. And I wasn't allowed to go to culinary school because I'm first generation, you know? So, I had to go to college. I did really well in school. But then after graduating college and while in college, I was working in restaurants. I realized ‘oh, I can do this as a job.'
And then moving to New York is when I think I really wanted to become a chef. And I think most notably what really kind of changed the trajectory for me was working for Blue Hill, Dan Barber up in Greenwich Village and Tarrytown. He was like one of my first mentors and just to see how he thought about food and how it affects the world really changed my way of thinking.
And that's when I was like, ‘okay, I think I really want to be a chef.' Not just in the restaurant industry, but I want to be a chef and I want to affect my community by sourcing locally.
ODNG: What are you most proud of with Kaya and with the events that you do?
CL: I think that not only Central Florida in general, but Orlando is such a growing community. And everybody's been looking for a gathering space with like same minds going on, like artists, cooks, chefs, just people who need to like to collaborate together. And I think that's what I'm really excited about and most proud of – also representing our Filipino culture.
This has also been a hub for Filipinos. Our event just recently involved a lot of people and had performances of Filipino artists. We had cultural dances, a bunch of different vendors. And not all the vendors were Filipino. Some were Mexican. And it wasn't just food, you know, it was also art.
So, I think we're in an up and coming part of Central Florida, I think we're a part of building it and it just spreads everywhere. And it's just bigger and bigger, you know? And that's such a great way to educate the community, not just about the Filipino food, but the culture too, and to get everybody kind of excited.
ODNG: What have you learned since being in Orlando and being part of the restaurant scene here?
CL: People think theme parks, but I mean, there's a whole other side to Orlando that's just so amazing. Like, I don't know if you know, I was like one of the founders of Kadence and Kappo at East End Market. hose were my first restaurants and introductions to Orlando. And that's like 10 years ago, right?
I think what's great about Orlando is the people. The people are really accepting. They want to come here, they want to see your creativity. They're really accepting and just excited to see good people. That's what I think people understand.
If you want to go somewhere and have a restaurant or do something really cool and fun, and where people may not judge you as much, bigger cities, Orlando is a great place to do it. And we have so much good food now, like Asian food, Vietnamese. Orlando is definitely an up and coming. We have everything.
ODNG: What's one thing that you would want to tell some locals and visitors that have never been to Kaya?
CL: I'd say just to come and experience a good time. You know, like we're not this pretentious or expensive or, you know, crazy packed restaurant. I want people to come in here and feel like they can walk in.
We're truly at heart, we're a neighborhood restaurant. We're a community restaurant. And I just think it's a fun, exciting place for people to come, have something new and experience genuine hospitality.
My favorite dish on the menu is our kinilaw. Kinilaw is like Filipino ceviche. And since I've worked at Japanese restaurants, we serve it with a coconut foam. Basically, we make a leche de tigre from like the trim of the fish and we marinate it with like onions, garlic, chilies. We add coconut milk and we make a sauce with that. And then serve really beautiful fish, like specifically Japanese sea bream with sea urchin. And it's just something like you wouldn't expect coming to a Filipino restaurant necessarily if you had been to other Filipino restaurants.
Kare kare is my wife's favorite dish. It's an oxtail stew with peanut butter sauce. We like actually sear and braise the oxtail and then pull it apart and then put it back together. So, you don't have to worry about the bones. And then we cover it and then we make a peanut sauce with it. And then we season our vegetables. So I think those are definitely like our never leave the menu type thing.
So I would say like that's what's exciting me about the menu right now. And then I change stuff, you know, because the season is changing and it's summer and we usually add a seasonal food. Right now, we're adding plums.
ODNG: What are some of your favorite places in Orlando?
CL: It ranges. There are a few different types. But I love the Strand. Linda's La Cantina is the best. I went there to eat and it was like $180 for like six people. And I was like, whoa, I'm going there to get steak.
I love Otto's High Dive. It's a great place, their cocktails are amazing. And you have places like EDOBOY, Zaru Noodles shop that just opened up. To me, it was a great place to see fun, exciting food that you're not going to see, and with a different perspective.
Details:
Address:
618 N. Thornton Ave.
Orlando, FL 32803
Hours:
Tuesday-Thursday: Opens at 6 pm, last seating at 9 pm
Friday-Sunday: Opens at 5 pm, last seating at 9:30 pm
Sunday Brunch: Opens at 10:30 am, last seating at 2 pm
Reservations can be made here.
All images courtesy of Visit Orlando