We Live in Two Worlds Now

One moves at the speed of light. The other, at the pace of life.

One is fast, reactive, always updating. The other requires waiting, tending, trusting.

This issue is a tribute to the world that takes time.

We begin in the farm fields, where chefs and farmers are planting a new future together.

Long before dishes hit the table or hashtags trend, there’s the slow work of building trust. In Benguet and Bukidnon, under sun and rain, in quiet conversations and shared hopes, a food system is being rewired. Not through shortcuts—but through solidarity.

That same patient energy fuels the story of Joel Pascual. WOFEX didn’t start in a ballroom—it began in a freezer, where Joel quietly built the logistics backbone of what would become the country’s biggest food and hospitality trade show.

This year, WOFEX turns 25. A quarter century of showing up, scaling up, and proving that legacy isn’t launched—it’s built.

Then there’s Chef Ivory Yat Vaksman—a woman who said yes to every challenge, even when she wasn’t ready. Who built a business out of borrowed permits, family favors, and sheer grit.

Her catering journey isn’t about perfection. It’s about presence. She shows up with food that heals and feeds—because for her, comfort isn’t a trend. It’s a mission.

Together, these stories remind us: the most meaningful work in food doesn’t begin in spotlights. It begins in silence—in a freezer, a field, or a family kitchen. It grows not from hype but from habit. From showing up, day after day.

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Chef Ivory doesn’t introduce herself with flair. She lets the arroz caldo do the talking. She once sent arroz caldo to a grieving friend, no questions asked. At another event, she fed 500 guests on nothing but faith and borrowed gear. From quiet comfort to grand celebration, Chef Ivory cooks not to impress—but to care.

She doesn’t hand out calling cards. She sends comfort food when it’s needed most. She’ll say yes to a 500-head event with no capital, then show up on time—buffet tables brimming with kare-kare, crisp lumpia, and roast beef so tender you barely need a knife.

From MasterChef Philippines to becoming one of the most sought-after names in private catering today, Chef Ivory Yat Vaksman’s story is equal parts survival and soul.

Before the booths, the banners, and the buzz, there was just cold air—and a man who refused to quit. WOFEX at 25 didn’t rise from a trend. It rose from sheer will. Twenty-five years later, it remains the Philippines’ most influential food and hospitality trade event—not just for what it showcases, but for the quiet strength and values that built it.

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