Ian Carandang never set out to be one of the country’s most fearless ice cream makers. He just wanted better dessert.
“All you had was Magnolia and Selecta, or really expensive Haagen Dazs,” he says. “There was no mid-level, high-quality ice cream.” This gap in the market led to the creation of Sebastian’s ice cream, offering a delicious and affordable alternative.
So, he made his own.
“I had one of those ice-and-rock-salt machines and a Ben & Jerry’s recipe book. My first flavor was a version of Chunky Monkey.”
He started serving it at his family’s BBQ restaurant. “The resto eventually closed—but the ice cream endured.”
From Rock Salt to The Podium
Sebastian’s Ice Cream began as a side hustle and slowly became something more.
“It only truly clicked in the last four years,” Ian says. “When we reopened our shop in The Podium after a year of renovations, that’s when it all came together. The market, the location, the skill level I had—it finally matched up.”
“After almost 30 years making it professionally, I dare say I’m one of the best sorbeteros in the country.”
3 Ian Originals You Have to Try
1. Once in A Blue Moon
Blue cheese ice cream with honey and walnuts. “It sold out instantly. It gave me the confidence to keep pushing.”
2. Sapin-Sapin
A layered tribute to kakanin, made with glutinous rice and coconut, ube, langka, pandan—and topped with crunchy latik.
3. Patis Caramel
A salty-sweet revelation. “The patis interacted with the dairy and gave it a cheese-like flavor. I didn’t expect that.”
Flavors That Slapped (and Flopped)
Some ideas hit. Others didn’t.
“I tried making bagoong ice cream. It made me retch. Never again.”
Even weirder combos have worked. “Avocado and sweet peanut butter. On paper, it’s fat on fat. But the individual flavor notes sing.”
The Process Isn’t Wild—It’s Methodical
Despite the flavors, Ian’s process is the opposite of chaotic.
“Flavor testing is controlled. I churn, freeze overnight, taste, adjust. One tweak every 24 hours.”
New ideas come from instinct, memory, or madness. “The initial concept might be pastillas de leche and lemon curd. Or something weirder, like figuring out what goes into a Ginger Bears ice cream.”
A Childhood Scoop, A Lifelong Goal
“A scoop of New York, New York from Coney Island—that was the one,” he recalls. “It tasted like vanilla, but it wasn’t. It had a crunchy nut and this rich mouthfeel. I didn’t know what it was until years later. Turns out it was their version of butter pecan. My all-time favorite.”
One thing he would love to perfect is “a proper Ginataang Mais. It’s one of my childhood comfort foods.”
Another tribute? The Chilly Burger, inspired by Coney Island’s Eskimo Roll. “It’s been my honor to bring that spirit to a new generation.”
Filipino First, Always
“Being from UP had a lot to do with it,” Ian says. “My tuition was paid for by Filipino taxpayers. I was lifted up by this country. I wanted to give back by championing Filipino flavors and ingredients.”
He doesn’t see it as documentation. “The word I’d use is witnessing. I make what the market is ready to pay premium prices for. That changes.”
“When I was a kid, it was just ube and macapuno. That was it.”
Since then, big brand have made their versions of mango sansrival and sapin-sapin, “these are flavors we pioneered at Sebastian’s ice cream. That’s pushed me to dig deeper. I’ve started working with kalim-aw kamote from Bukidnon, caimito, chico, and lanzones.”
Simple Is the Hardest
If aliens landed tomorrow, Ian knows exactly what scoop they’d get.
“Vanilla,” he says. “It’s the benchmark. Simplicity is the hardest thing to do well.”
“Ice cream is one of the first foods we fall in love with as kids. And that love sticks.”
Final Scoop
“Be fearless. Be experimental. But in the end, all that matters is what’s on the plate,” Ian says. “It has to taste good.”
And what keeps him going?
“Seeing someone’s eyes light up when they try something that hits their sweet spot. That never gets old.”
Where to Get Sebastian’s Ice Cream:
The Podium, Ortigas Center
Instagram: @sebastiansicecream
Facebook: Sebastian’s Ice Cream
Taste the stories. Savor the weird. Celebrate Filipino flavor—one pint at a time.
