Kasama - Behind The Scenes
In 2018 while working on a project with Jade Catta Preta in Chicago, she introduced me to her friends Genie Kwon and Tim Flores. We all went out to Benihana after we filmed her show with Bobby Lee, and Genie brought this unbelievable white chocolate tart for Jade’s b day which made my toes curl.
At the time, they were both acclaimed chefs at famed Chicago restaurant Oriole. I could tell immediately when I met them they were artists, and masters of their craft. But more than that, they are sweet and warm people who ooze with passion for what they do. It was clear that at some point they were going to start their own project, but at that stage it was just a dream.
Fast forward to 2019, I reconnected with them while working in Chicago, and they were diving head first into opening their first concept. At the time, they still had not found a space or a name, but had a solid idea of what the concept was going to be. Tim and I had some deep discussions about it over a bottle of cognac one night and I could tell this was a huge step for them as artists.
We kept in touch over the coming months and we started having casual discussions about documenting the process of opening. Then the unthinkable happened.
A global pandemic crushed the restaurant industry in an unbelievable way. Living in LA, we lost over 70% of all restaurants within 6 months and they of course were in my thoughts everyday. Luckily, they are two resilient entrepreneurs, and pivoted with the grace of a prima ballerina. Seeing the pandemic unfold, seemed to help them adjust to be able to keep moving, but of course no one knows for sure in such an unsteady time.
I am of course heartbroken as to what happened to restaurants across this country because of the blatantly corrupt politicians and corporations shutting down an entire industry and not providing any relief in it’s place. I hope to partner with some sort of non for profit industry relief, in hopes of using this film as a portrait of what could be possible if we all rebuilt together towards something better in the coming years.
They opened the restaurant with takeout service only on July 29th 2020, with a bang. The internet exploded with articles about this place Kasama opening during the pandemic, especially with the level of food they are executing. After I saw they had their head above water, I of course asked if there was anything I could do to help. I pitched the idea of doing a short doc on them, to showcase the food and to use for press.
This quickly evolved in my mind to something a bit more large scale then just a character portrait on these two amazing chefs. I felt we could use their story as an allegory of the American dream, and the can do, bite down on your mouth piece and slug it out gritty attitude Americans are famous for across the globe. All set within the backdrop of covid and the dystopian landscape the lockdowns created in this industry.
It was really important to Tim and Genie, that we present this in a tasteful and respectful way to other restauranteurs, some of which didn’t get as lucky with their situation. I concurred, and I want to use this piece to help those struggling right now in some way.
Another interesting angle of the film is that Tim and Genie are both first generation born Americans. Genie’s family from Korea, and Tim’s from the Philippines. The sacrifices their parents made for them to come here is embedded in their story organically.
Tim is on a mission to make Filipino food more accessible to Americans. After all, the food is a fusion between Spanish and Chinese influence on the island over centuries, and those might be the two most popular “American” foods. So why do we not see any Filipino restaurants besides Jollibee? He is changing this by integrating classic Filipino ingredients like longonisa sausage into beloved American dishes. The breakfast sandwich is to die for, and the Chicago beef combo is everything you love about the windy city with a new angle. The show stopper being the American BBQ platter made with traditional preparation from the islands. Every dish I’ve had knocked my socks off.
Genie’s pastries are one of the best thing I’ve ever eaten. And I’m not exaggerating in anyway. Truely a life-changing experience. When we filmed on mother’s day weekend, the line was literally around the block. They both are true masters of their craft and nothing here is to be missed. As they shift to a dinner menu, they will bring more of their fine dining experience with these unbelievable duck dumplings, a squid ink vermicelli pasta inspired by Spain and of course halo halo for desert.
The thing that was important to me with this film is that we showcase the word “Kasama” visually which loosely translates to: “Togetherness/Companionship”. I plan to do this organically by demonstrating the work/marriage balance, and the natural intersection of their two skillets that manifests itself in several dishes like the savory danishes. Another beautiful part of this restaurant is mom. Tim’s mom is a powerhouse, always a part of each service filling in the tasks the crew can’t take on without hesitation. Tim’s mom after all, inspired the food here, and it was so beautiful to see mom taste testing the food as a seal of approval and to see Tim’s clear love and respect for his mom.
Overall this was a deep and meaningful experience for me. It was awesome to see two people who I call friends really dig into what they do. It was amazing to then push my own craft, while being inspired by others pursuing excellence in their own way.
I need to give a huge thanks to Dan Kwon, as he provide the unbelievably beautiful aesthetic for this film, reflecting the beauty of the dishes with his imagery. After all we eat with our eyes first. If you have not been to Kasama, go. It’s a life changing experience and be on the lookout for the film sometime in September.
