Reyes Barbecue was founded in 2002 by Mr Francisco “Frank” Reyes, whose family culinary roots span more than 140 years. Frank’s maternal great grandmother was Luisa Gracia Cruz, who was born in the 1870’s in Navotas, Rizal. Luisa was an unschooled but highly skilled cook who provided for her family by running a carinderia in front of their house. Her specialty, Kare-Kare (a meat and vegetable stew with a delicious peanut-based sauce), was so delicious, it earned her the nickname “Luisang Kari” in her community. Her story, in fact, was featured in Liwayway Magazine in July 1992.
Luisa passed on her talents, skills and taste buds to her daughter, Engracia Cruz Reyes, who eventually became the pioneer restaurateur of the Phillipines, and the founder (in 1936) of what is generally acknoweldged as the longest surviving restaurant in the counrty, The Aristocrat. Engracia Reyes’ restaurant, located in Roxas Boulevard in Manila, still operates today and is in fact, celebrating its 75th anniversary this year. Engracia Cruz Reyes was Frank Reyes’ maternal grandmother (lola).
Frank’s Lola Engracia had ten children and 71 grandchildren. Frank and all his 70 first cousins were required to work in their Lola’s restaurant every summer to earn their allowances. As a teenager in the early 1970s, Frank Reyes’ first summer job was in the Accounting Department of his Lola’s restaurant, where he was tasked to check the cash register tape readings. It was during this time that he noticed and wondered why, despite the numerous dishes on the restaurant’s menu, the runaway bestseller in his Lola’s restaurant was the Chicken Barbecue with Java Rice, Peanut Sauce and Atchara (pickled young papaya). This thought was planted in his mind early on in his life … Frank grew up tasting his Lola’s personally-cooked dishes and was amazed by how all types of people, from the distinguished to the