During a recent interview with CanadianSME Small Business Magazine, Diona Joyce, Owner of Kanto by Tita Flips,delved into the roots of her passion for Filipino cuisine and how it has fueled the success of her business.

Diona’s journey began with a deep love for the rich flavors and cultural significance of Filipino food, which she has meticulously brought to life at Tita Flips.

Her unwavering commitment to authenticity and quality has resonated with Toronto’s diverse culinary community, helping her carve out a unique space in the city’s food scene. With the recent support of a DoorDash grant, Diona is set to further expand her offerings, enhance operational efficiency, and continue sharing the vibrant culinary traditions of the Philippines with a broader audience.

Street food is synonymous with the Philippines and Diona Joyce put Filipino cuisine on Canada’s culinary map as the country’s first purveyor of the Filipino street food with Kanto by Tita Flips in 2013.

At a time when Filipino street food was unheard of, Diona broke culinary barriers and set up Kanto by Tita Flips in an upcycled shipping container at Market 707, the stretch of sidewalk near Dundas and Bathurst.

Diona’s signature dishes include Lechon Kawali – roasted pork belly, Tapsilog – beef ribeye slices and Sisig Fries, which is her version of poutine. She opened her second restaurant at The Junction. With a mission to make Filipino cuisine mainstream, Diona has appeared on the Fidel Gastro Show, Food Network’s Fire Masters, Canada AM and The Social on CTV, and The Morning Show on Global TV. She also hosts a Tagalog language cooking show, Lutong Pinoy Eh, on Filipino TV. Most recently, she appeared on Food Network’s Cheese: A Love Story with Afrim Pristine.

As a champion for Filipino cuisine, Diona is a mainstay at cultural events like Taste of Manila, TO Food Fest and the KULTURA Filipino Arts Festival. She was also one of the headlining chefs at the inaugural BBQ Eats Festival that saw over 30,000 attendees in Toronto. She also recently hosted a 10-week Kanto night festival with themes paying homage to various Philippine regions. Focussing on innovation, Diona developed the Kanto Kamayan Kit. This experience offers the traditional Filipino style of eating communally and without plates or utensils. All the ingredients are made in-house and can be ordered online. A firm believer in giving back to society, Diona collaborated with a non-profit organization and launched a Feed the Frontline campaign, which delivers meals to frontline workers throughout the GTA during the pandemic. Through the sale of her food, Diona is also raising funds for the victims of the recent Typhoon Vamco in the Philippines. Continue reading the full article : https://canadiansme.ca/how-diona-joyce-is-redefining-filipino-cuisine-in-toronto/

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