<![CDATA[CHY'S FOOD DIARY]]>https://chopcheeks.substack.comhttps://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!9YEJ!,w_256,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F0672ffaf-c90c-4ef9-bced-7953119ff772_1280x1280.pngCHY'S FOOD DIARYhttps://chopcheeks.substack.comSubstackTue, 01 Sep 2026 17:24:47 GMT<![CDATA[CALAMANSI PEPPER WINGS]]>https://chopcheeks.substack.com/p/calamansi-pepper-wingshttps://chopcheeks.substack.com/p/calamansi-pepper-wingsSat, 29 Aug 2026 17:51:56 GMTI met Milly Pepper on Instagram. They’re a small, young pepper brand doing fresh peppercorns right, and this recipe uses their black pepper, toasted and freshly ground. If you haven’t heard of them, …

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]]><![CDATA[TOMATO KOJI GRILLED RIBEYE]]>https://chopcheeks.substack.com/p/tomato-koji-grilled-ribeyehttps://chopcheeks.substack.com/p/tomato-koji-grilled-ribeyeThu, 27 Aug 2026 08:26:17 GMTI had a bunch of rib eyes in the fridge and I was craving a nice summery grilled steak, so that’s really how this one started. If you don’t already know this about me, I love tomatoes, especially in …

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]]><![CDATA[BUILDING YOUR TEAM]]>https://chopcheeks.substack.com/p/building-your-teamhttps://chopcheeks.substack.com/p/building-your-teamFri, 21 Aug 2026 00:58:37 GMTA lot of people think briefing a team is about reciting the ingredients in a dish or knowing the pick ups. It’s not, not really. It starts with who you’re actually working with, and for most cooks st…

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]]><![CDATA[BUILDING A WINE LIST AS A CHEF]]>https://chopcheeks.substack.com/p/building-a-wine-list-as-a-chefhttps://chopcheeks.substack.com/p/building-a-wine-list-as-a-chefThu, 20 Aug 2026 12:39:37 GMTI don’t know the technical rules of wine. I never studied it formally, and I won’t pretend otherwise on a menu people pay real money for. What I have is a wine partner I trust completely, someone I w…

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]]><![CDATA[BUILD WHAT YOU WANT TO OWN]]>https://chopcheeks.substack.com/p/build-what-you-want-to-ownhttps://chopcheeks.substack.com/p/build-what-you-want-to-ownThu, 20 Aug 2026 00:37:55 GMTA lot of cooks get into pop-ups for the food, the chance to cook their own vision and put it in front of people. That matters. But if you’re putting your name and your story behind an event, it shoul…

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]]><![CDATA[COSTING A POP-UP DINNER]]>https://chopcheeks.substack.com/p/costing-a-pop-up-dinnerhttps://chopcheeks.substack.com/p/costing-a-pop-up-dinnerThu, 20 Aug 2026 00:36:14 GMTMost cooks underprice themselves out of fear, or price by instinct and hope the number holds. I do the opposite: I build the whole event backwards, and the menu comes last, not first.

It starts with t…

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]]><![CDATA[HIBISCUS HARISSA LAMB CHOPS]]>https://chopcheeks.substack.com/p/hibiscus-harissa-lamb-chopshttps://chopcheeks.substack.com/p/hibiscus-harissa-lamb-chopsWed, 05 Aug 2026 14:43:00 GMTHibiscus Harissa Spice Rub

  • 1 tbsp fennel seed

  • 1 tbsp pink peppercorns

  • 1 tbsp hibiscus powder

  • 1 tbsp juniper berries

  • 3 tbsp harissa

  • 1 tbsp salt

  • 1 tbsp oil

Lamb

  • 2 lamb racks, frenched with the membrane removed

G…

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]]><![CDATA[BUILD THE POP-UP YOU ACTUALLY WANT TO OWN ONE DAY]]>https://chopcheeks.substack.com/p/build-the-pop-up-you-actually-wanthttps://chopcheeks.substack.com/p/build-the-pop-up-you-actually-wantSat, 01 Aug 2026 12:31:08 GMTA lot of cooks get into pop-ups for the food, the chance to cook their own vision and put it in front of people. That matters. But if you’re putting your name and your story behind an event, it shoul…

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]]><![CDATA[GOCHUJANG CHICKEN SANDO]]>https://chopcheeks.substack.com/p/gochujang-chicken-sandohttps://chopcheeks.substack.com/p/gochujang-chicken-sandoSat, 01 Aug 2026 01:15:27 GMTINGREDIENTS

Gochujang Vinaigrette

  • 3 tbsp gochujang

  • 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil

  • 2 tbsp sugar

  • 1 tbsp salt

  • pinch of MSG

  • 1 tbsp gochugaru

  • 2 tbsp rice vinegar

  • 1 tbsp fish sauce

  • 3 tbsp neutral oil

Chicken

  • 4 boneless ski…

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]]><![CDATA[HOW I ACTUALLY COST OUT A POP-UP]]>https://chopcheeks.substack.com/p/how-i-actually-cost-out-a-pop-uphttps://chopcheeks.substack.com/p/how-i-actually-cost-out-a-pop-upFri, 31 Jul 2026 05:13:12 GMTMost cooks underprice themselves out of fear, or price by instinct and hope the number holds. I do the opposite: I build the whole event backwards, and the menu comes last, not first.

It starts with t…

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]]><![CDATA[SHRIMP TOMATILLO SALAD]]>https://chopcheeks.substack.com/p/shrimp-tomatillo-saladhttps://chopcheeks.substack.com/p/shrimp-tomatillo-saladTue, 28 Jul 2026 15:01:45 GMTThis one is one of my favorites of the summer. It’s got that ceviche vibe, but the crema underneath is built on bagoong, the fermented shrimp paste that’s all over Filipino cooking. Cook it down with…

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]]><![CDATA[10 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE BECOMING A COOK]]>https://chopcheeks.substack.com/p/10-things-to-know-before-becominghttps://chopcheeks.substack.com/p/10-things-to-know-before-becomingTue, 21 Jul 2026 18:41:10 GMTIf you’re thinking about becoming a cook, or you’re already in it and need to hear that you’re not the only one feeling this stuff, this one’s for you.

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]]><![CDATA[CHICKEN LIVER MOUSSE W PICKLED CHERRIES]]>https://chopcheeks.substack.com/p/chicken-liver-mousse-w-pickled-cherrieshttps://chopcheeks.substack.com/p/chicken-liver-mousse-w-pickled-cherriesMon, 20 Jul 2026 15:03:11 GMTI served this at my last pop up and it was a huge standout. Silky chicken liver mousse, a sharp pickled cherry, bay leaf oil, and a stack of Sky Flakes on the side. Some elevated technique next to th…

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]]><![CDATA[LET ME COOK]]>https://chopcheeks.substack.com/p/let-me-cookhttps://chopcheeks.substack.com/p/let-me-cookTue, 14 Jul 2026 19:29:02 GMTThis is not a curriculum. It is just what I actually believe. I am still figuring it out too.

Ask me again in a decade.

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]]><![CDATA[POMEGRANATE ADOBO BABY BACK RIBS]]>https://chopcheeks.substack.com/p/pomegranate-adobo-baby-back-ribshttps://chopcheeks.substack.com/p/pomegranate-adobo-baby-back-ribsSat, 11 Jul 2026 15:30:14 GMTThis is the kind of cooking I've been really enjoying getting back into. Not pop up food where every ingredient has to pencil out, not stressing over margins or plating for a crowd, just food that's …

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]]><![CDATA[CRAB FAT PASTA]]>https://chopcheeks.substack.com/p/crab-fat-pastahttps://chopcheeks.substack.com/p/crab-fat-pastaWed, 08 Jul 2026 23:12:23 GMTThere is a rice dish in the Philippines where you cook rice in coconut milk and crab fat. My old sous chef made it for staff meal once and it blew my mind. It is a side dish technically but it has so…

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]]><![CDATA[SPICY LAO SAUSAGE AND PEACH PIZZA]]>https://chopcheeks.substack.com/p/spicy-lao-sausage-and-peach-pizzahttps://chopcheeks.substack.com/p/spicy-lao-sausage-and-peach-pizzaSat, 04 Jul 2026 15:30:38 GMTThis flavor combination is not mine. Last summer I was deep in a pizza obsession, making any excuse to fire up the Gozney (which I maxed out my credit card for) and cook for people. A fellow cook thr…

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]]><![CDATA[SOUTHEAST ASIAN "CHORIPANS"]]>https://chopcheeks.substack.com/p/southeast-asian-choripanshttps://chopcheeks.substack.com/p/southeast-asian-choripansThu, 02 Jul 2026 15:30:15 GMTChoripan is an Argentinian street food. Chorizo in a baguette with chimichurri. It is one of the best things you can eat and it is also one of the easiest things to make for a crowd. This version swa…

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]]><![CDATA[STEAK W ADOBO PAN SAUCE]]>https://chopcheeks.substack.com/p/steak-w-adobo-pan-saucehttps://chopcheeks.substack.com/p/steak-w-adobo-pan-sauceSat, 27 Jun 2026 15:24:10 GMTThis is a steak and potatoes dish. Simple on purpose.

There are a lot of ways to cook a steak. Reverse sear, sous vide, low temp, all of it works and all of it will give you something great. But those…

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]]><![CDATA[GRILLED PORK AND WATERMELON SALAD]]>https://chopcheeks.substack.com/p/grilled-pork-and-watermelon-saladhttps://chopcheeks.substack.com/p/grilled-pork-and-watermelon-saladThu, 25 Jun 2026 01:05:59 GMTThis salad has been on almost every TOMBOY pop up menu I’ve done in the summertime. It’s one of those dishes that found its way into my rotation early and never left because it doesn’t need to change…

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