Chef Ivory doesn’t just walk into a room—she lights it up with a laugh you can hear across the kitchen. Her warmth is effortless, her flavors certain. Whether it’s a humble bowl of arroz caldo or an elaborate buffet centerpiece, one thing never changes: every dish is deliciously comforting.
Once, she sent arroz caldo to a grieving friend, no questions asked. Another time, she fed 500 guests with only faith, borrowed gear, and the certainty no one would leave hungry. Her food carries her presence—warm, reassuring, unforgettable.
For her, cooking isn’t about the spotlight. It’s about showing up. Kare-kare when someone’s tired. Lumpia when they need cheering. Roast beef so tender it feels like a promise kept. Every dish says the same thing: I’m here for you.
Chef Ivory throwing dough and breaking expectations—showcasing her pizza skills at an international competition in Las Vegas.
Upstairs at Yat Tea House
Ivory was raised on the second floor of their family-owned canteen, Yat Tea House. Her earliest memories weren’t of toys, but of steam and soy sauce, the clatter of utensils, and her father—a med student who cooked to get by.
Cooking ran in the family. Her mother’s side had the “isang tikim lang, alam na” instinct. But both parents warned her about the kitchen life.
“My mom told me she never even earned enough to buy underwear.” Still, she wanted to be a cook.
By high school, she was already selling pasta at school fairs that sold out by 11 a.m. While other kids had jail booths, she risked her allowance and made people happy. She discovered a new kind of power: food as agency.
What MasterChef Didn’t Teach Her
Chef Ivory Yat Vaksman joined MasterChef Philippines in 2013, 26 years old and working then as a nurse. She finished third—but not without struggle.
“I thought I would cook fancy food. Instead, we were given sardines and noodles as ingredients to prepare a dish. It was humbling.”
Still, the experience changed her outlook. “I realized—I’m not cooking for chefs. I’m cooking for working-class Filipinos. They’re my clients. They’re who I feed.”
At first, placing third felt like a letdown. Over time, though, she saw it differently. “I grew, failed, and learned with no pressure. No eyes. Just the people who mattered.”
The Restaurant That Broke Her—and What Came After
Her first restaurant—The Beef Barn—closed abruptly. The space was padlocked. Her appliances were auctioned off to pay rent.
“I signed checks with money from my wedding. I paid off supplier debt for four years.”
It could’ve ended there. But instead, a friend handed her ₱80,000 for a 3-day catering event. She bought 50 plates, cooked, and delivered.
“No permits? I borrowed what I could. No commissary? My mom stepped in. There was no backup plan—I simply had to make it work.”
Always Say Yes, Then Figure It Out
From that first event, bookings kept coming. A friend sold her discounted kitchen equipment after a flood. Then, a stranger asked her to cater for 500. She said yes, then figured it out.
Today, she runs a full-scale operation of Chef Ivory Catering. She handles weddings, corporate events, last-minute birthdays, and even emergency comfort meals.
“I’m not a fine dining chef. I want to be your go-to—for your lola’s birthday, for your heartbreak, for those nights you’re just too tired to cook.”
She insists on real food. No extenders. No MSG. Nothing she wouldn’t feed her own kids.
“My clients appreciate that hindi ko sila kinuripot,” she says “If I wouldn’t serve it to my daughters, I won’t serve it to yours.”
Dishes That Tell the Whole Story
Chef Ivory Yat Vaksman’s most requested dish is roast beef. Slow-roasted in herb gravy—tender enough to fall apart under a spoon, with sauce that soaks into garlic rice like memory into bone.
Her kare-kare is unapologetically rich, thick with crushed peanuts and oxtail that melts apart. The lumpia? Still crisp hours after setup, filled with flavor—not fillers.
“Every tray tells a story,” she says. “Sometimes it’s grief. Sometimes it’s joy. Either way—it has to taste like someone cared.”
One client once cried over her arroz caldo. “She said it tasted like her mom’s. That’s when I knew—this isn’t about food. It’s about memory.”
“Your food is your fingerprint. Don’t fake it.”
What Her Peers Say About Her
For Chef Kalel Chan, Executive Chef at Raintree Hospitality Group, Chef Ivory is more than a collaborator—she’s a constant.
“She’s one of the sweetest people I know. She sends me chocolates, beauty products—even care kits labeled with which medicine is for what,” he laughs. “She’s the best person to talk to. She listens. Like a sponge.”
They met at a pizza competition in Las Vegas. “We clicked instantly—like peas and carrots,” he says. “All my weaknesses were her strengths. I’m messy. She organizes everything. That’s just who she is.”
They later catered together for a high-pressure event at the U.S. Ambassador’s residence. “She handled the chaos. We divided the food. And we’ve been close ever since.”
“She’s a star when she’s on stage. Loud, funny, full of energy. But she’s also incredibly humble. She absorbs everything, even from my team. And she keeps learning. That’s rare.”
Leading, Letting Go, and Being a Mom
As her business grew, so did her family. With two daughters at home, she had to learn to lead differently.
Her husband told her, “If you can’t delegate, you’re not leading.” She trained her cooks to think like her and stepped out of the kitchen—but not out of control.
“I stepped out of the kitchen. But I still taste test everything. It’s still mine.”
When the Chef Becomes the Teacher
Beyond catering, Chef Ivory also shares her knowledge through teaching. She has conducted cooking demos at Far Eastern University, showcasing playful dishes like Salt and Pepper Tater Tots and Japanese Egg Salad Tater Tots. She has also served as an instructor at De La Salle–College of Saint Benilde.
At Benilde, she wasn’t just a mentor—she was named Outstanding Faculty. Her students describe her as the kind of teacher who saw potential before they saw it in themselves. She brought real-world experience into the classroom, balancing technique with empathy, and always made time to check in—not just on grades, but on growth.
This phase of her Filipina chef catering journey includes mentoring future cooks—not just in recipes, but in resilience.
“When you learn something, teach it. Tell people not just your wins—tell them how you got the callouses, too.”
Rewriting the Business Playbook
For years, she didn’t raise her prices. This year, she finally did.
“I used to be too nice. Now I charge fair—and keep the lights on.”
She’s learned to say no to clients who can’t respect her time, and yes to systems that help her scale. Delegation, documentation, and consistency are now part of her kitchen language.
When Food Becomes Family
Chef Ivory doesn’t advertise herself because she doesn’t need to.
“If people really like my food and want me for their catering needs, they’ll ask the party host who will be proud to recommend me.”
One family has booked her for five family events—birth, baptism, birthday, wake, and wedding.
“You get woven into their lives. And when they need you, you show up. That’s what I do.”
“I didn’t want a restaurant. I wanted to show up for people.”
A Seat at the Table, and in the Industry
Chef Ivory isn’t just a presence in family celebrations—she’s also earned her place among culinary professionals. “I’ve been working with the USDA and U.S. brands for years now,” she shares. “It feels natural to me because I really use their products in my catering. It’s not just for show—it’s how I cook.”
Her long-standing ties to the U.S. agricultural network have also shaped how she thinks about food sourcing and systems. Events like WOFEX feel familiar, even familial.
For Chef Ivory, it’s a space where her work is taken seriously—where peers understand the discipline behind her dishes, and where her years of experience feel seen and respected. “WOFEX attendees are either colleagues or people who are genuinely interested in culinary,” she says. “It makes me feel respected, because they understand what you’re doing.”
Whether she’s onstage or behind the buffet line, Chef Ivory shows up the same way: prepared, present, and proud of the work she puts into every tray.
Her Advice to Women with a Dream
Ivory tells aspiring entrepreneurs to build their circle, picture their goals, talk to their partners, and most importantly—show their hearts.
“Cut pictures. Make a vision board. Know your price. Know your client. Test it with friends. But be brave enough to bet on yourself.”
The Belief That Drives It All
At the heart of it all is one quiet belief Ivory lives by: “Help as many people as you can. To succeed, you need many people praying for you.”
It’s this philosophy that keeps her generous—with her clients, her crew, and her friends. It’s why she delivers comfort food on hard days and never forgets to send care packages. For Chef Ivory, doing good isn’t just nice—it’s necessary.
What She Hopes You Taste
“I want my clients to feel full—and proud they booked me. I want their guests to ask, ‘Who made this?’ And I want the answer to be, ‘Ivory.’”
This is the heart of her Filipina chef catering journey. Not just food, but faith. Not just clients, but community. And not just work, but purpose.
“Anyone can cook. But not everyone shows up when it matters.”
Chef Ivory Catering
@chefivorycatering on Instagram.
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