They burnt the butter during the pandemic

Burnt Butter Baker is one of the home-based businesses that began during the pandemic.

“We couldn’t have chosen a better time,” says chef and part owner Natalia Moran.  “We are three siblings who thought of setting up shop from our house.”

Natalia, the eldest, is a chef by profession. She handles the kitchens of Sunny Side Group in Boracay and Pizza Express, Granivore in Rockwell and Your Local for the Tasteless Group of Restos.

Her brother, Enrique Moran, works with Phinma Properties as the head of operations for several of its business units. He also heads their family corporation, which is into design and construction-project management. He is in charge of managing the newfound home business.

Their youngest sister, Bella, is an architect by profession, and is in charge of social media and coordination for the venture. 

“I, am the boss — their boss,” jokes chef Natalia. "I take charge of the kitchen, my happy place, and cook all the food."

Burnt Butter Baker sells what chef Natalia likes to call “sweet endings and coffee pairings.”  They’re baked products, which they grew up eating, and are familiar comfort foods for others as well.  

"Our peanut butter cookie is a classic and has always been a staple at the dessert table of our family gatherings," she shares. "It has been super-sized. We have added Risa Chocolate’s 70-percent dark South Cotabato chocolate, alongside the classic Hershey’s Kisses."

They have a new product: pan de coco milk buns, which are fast becoming a favorite, made with fresh gata and quality California Sunshine milk.  

"They’re soft, slightly sweet, milky and simply delicious," chef Natalia shares with pride. "Definitely brings back childhood memories.  I made them a little extra, because, why not?  They’re topped off with a sweet glaze and more coconut flakes."

Aside from Burnt Butter Baker, their other online concept shop, Manila Inasal, which was a year in the making, is just about to be launched, and is accepting pre-orders. 

"I had given up on the idea," Natalia says. "But the opportunity to launch it showed itself and, well, here we are."

Ever since her first inasal experience in Bacolod, she has always enjoyed having it and looked forward to eating and ordering chicken inasal from the restaurants in Manila.  

"At Manila Inasal, we grill not just 'ma-namit' chicken inasal but pork belly, bangus and tuna belly as well.  We serve them in salu-salo boxes, good for a family or gathering of four to five persons and as individual meals."

The siblings share the same passion for food — a passion based on how food has been the focal point of memories and milestones in their family. 

"The pandemic has brought us closer together as a family," she says. "And mealtime has been a time when we are able to share about our lives with good food.

“Our hope is that our humble food offerings will fill your homes — and your tummies — with much joy, satisfaction and yumminess."

(For information, call Burnt Butter Baker and Manila Inasal at 0998-998-1987 or visit @BurntButterBaker and @SarapManilaInasal on Facebook and Instagram.)