The women Behind SoulPhil: How Lola Dory and Mom Mary shaped chef Tiana Gee's recipes
Soul food to me is anything that fills your soul—not just Southern food,” says chef Tiana Gee, sitting inside Japonesa in Poblacion. “It’s food that nurtures you, that gives you comfort and joy. That’s why SoulPhil is more than just a fusion—it’s a feeling. It’s about fulfillment.”
Last May 8, the 28-year-old chef from Los Angeles hosted her first international pop-up dinner. Not just abroad, but in the Philippines, where her mother Mary hadn’t returned since she was 14 and Gee’s last visit was back in 2017. “I had to start with the Philippines,” she says. “My mom’s from here, my lola’s here. This whole thing is for them, really.”
Every chef has their origin story. Gee’s starts in two kitchens. One in LA where her grandmother made cornbread and her father’s family passed down Alabama soul food. Another here, where her Lola Dory taught her mom to cook pinakbet years before either imagined their granddaughter would grow up to create her own takes on Filipino-soul food fusion.
And here’s where the circle comes full: During her visit, Lola Dory took chef Gee to the local market, where three generations of women wandered the stalls together. Gee discovered vegetables that would later appear in her SoulPhil menu. It’s one thing to cook from memory; it’s another to source directly with your grandmother.
Playing with food (and getting away with it)
“Honestly? Since I was five,” Gee answers, when I ask when food became her dream. “My mom put me in a kids’ cooking class and I just knew —I told her, ‘I want to be on TV, I want a cooking show.’ I didn’t just want to cook, I wanted to share it with people.”
She’s been doing that sharing thing pretty well. From volunteering at C-CAP (Careers Through Culinary Arts Program) events at 18 to working under Marcus Samuelsson at Red Rooster in Harlem. You might recognize her from her viral Bon Appétit sticky patis chicken wings video. But growing up, she often felt like she didn’t fully fit in. “Not ‘black enough,’ not ‘Filipino enough,’” she explains. “SoulPhil became a way for me to embrace all of me. It’s a celebration of both sides. Like, I’m not going to pick. I’m going to show up as all of me—and that includes my food.”
That duality shows up deliciously in her dinner. Macapuno cornbread because she remembers eating cornbread at her grandma’s, and bibingka at her lola’s. Kinilaw na tuna with pickled okra: Southern pickles meet Filipino vinegar cures. Mustard greens salad topped with crispy chicken skin, because throwing away good chicken skin should be illegal.
The star of the night: Adobo Short Rib with Creamy Corn Grits. So good it makes rice seem optional. In Manila, that’s an achievement.
“Out of all the Asian cuisines, I think Filipino food is the most soulful,” she says. “It’s hearty, rich, and comforting—like a warm hug.”
What SoulPhil really means
“It’s about having fun,” Gee says about the vibe she wants at her dinners. “I’m not trying to do some stuffy, 10-course tasting menu. I want people to laugh, dance, and eat good food. It’s a party vibe—new school. SoulPhil is about joy, identity, and flavor.”
And it was a party. Music playing, guests sharing plates, chef Gee’s whole family watching, including Lola Dory. “It’s emotional—especially with my lola downstairs, watching from afar,” she admits.
When I leave and stop to ask Lola Dory her name, she smiles and asks, “Can you remember all that?” Yes, we can. Just like her granddaughter remembers every kitchen that raised her, every flavor that shaped who she is.
Gee is so close to her family. “My mom is my best friend,” she tells me. It’s her lola who gave her the tools she needed when the young Gee wanted to become a chef. “She bought me everything I needed—mixers, tools, measuring cups. But at one point, she did want me to be a nurse.”
The food is full of life. Every dish feels like a conversation between two cultures, and the combination of soul food and Filipino touches is just plain fun. Coco Nana Pudding: leche flan meets banana pudding with sago and crushed Nilla wafers. Ube Matcha-tini and Ube Colada at the bar. It’s comfort food with swagger.
Next stops: traveling to Palawan and Siargao, where she’ll document her journey through the Philippines for her vlogs and content creation. Then back to Los Angeles. “I love doing pop-ups—they allow me to meet people, grow my brand globally,” she says. Eventually, she wants her own restaurant. “When the time—and money—is right.”
For now, she’s sharing everything on her YouTube channel “Cookin’ with Tee.” At 28, she’s building something that honors her roots without repeating them exactly. “I’ve been eating so much since I got here,” she says about her Manila visit. “From upscale restos to hole-in-the-wall carinderias. I’m really inspired—I’m definitely going to tweak my menus a bit when I get back.”
That’s the real magic of SoulPhil. It’s not just fusion for fusion’s sake. It’s about the moms and grandmothers who supported dreams, the kitchens that raised you, and making those memories speak to who you are now.
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Follow chef Gee’s journey at @cheftianagee and catch her next creation on Cookin’ with Tee.
