A DIFFERENT PATH

The future was bright for Kevin Uy—and then the pandemic hit. He found his Plan B in a homegrown business, VIAJÉ BY KEV

- SARA SIGUION-REYNA

Growing up, Kevin Uy had always loved food and the dining experience. However, the plan was to become a lawyer. Cooking was merely a hobby he started when he was 13. Things changed when he began traveling with his family. “Food has always been something that bonds us, so I wanted to bring those memories and share them with other people,” he says.

Graduating from Enderun Colleges as an Alain Ducasse-certified cook, Uy trained at the two-Michelin starred restaurant Enoteca. He then moved to San Sebastian, Spain, to pursue his master's degree in Gastronomic Sciences. After this, he flew to Peru. “I spent a few months in the Andean mountains in Mil, studying and understanding the Andean culture and food,” he says. He was then offered a position at Central, a Peruvian eatery declared as one of the finest in South America by the World’s 50 Best Restaurants.

In any other year, Uy would have been back in Peru. Due to the instability brought about by COVID-19, he decided to return to the Philippines. Rather than taking a break, he decided to open Viajé by Kev. The venture, he explains, was a means to create opportunities and share what he has learned in Peru to the local food scene.

Uy adds that the project is a manifestation of his experiences traveling, eating, and learning from all over the world. “This is a way for me to do what I love, in a way that will help me make financial contributions to the family. Though I would much rather be at a restaurant and engaging with chefs alike, this is the best I can do for now,” he says.