Trining’s is a way for Jayson to honor Lola Trining and, in the process, share their delicious recipes with more people.’
There’s a new restaurant in Marikina that’s becoming a favorite of celebrities for the Filipino cuisine, and the wonderful memories that it brings.
Advocacy communications specialist and self-taught chef Jayson Gaspar Maulit opened Trining’s Kitchen Stories restaurant in C. Buenviaje, Marikina City, last December 2023. The resto, a venture he made with friends, is named after his paternal grandmother Trining who taught him how to cook. Sadly, Lola Trining passed away in 2021 due to Covid.
Trining’s is a way for Jayson to honor Lola Trining and, in the process, share their delicious recipes with more people.
“We’re a Filipino restaurant heavily influenced by Ilocano cooking,” said Jayson who was born in the Ilocos Norte municipality of Banna.
The menu of Trining’s Kitchen Stories includes Ilocano dishes such as pakbet, dinengdeng, and miki; and Filipino favorites like tinola, kare-kare, bulalo, and crispy pata. And then there are also Pinoy food that Jayson has given a twist such as poqui poqui (roasted eggplant with tomatoes, etc flavored with munamum bagoong) served with molo chips, and his version of bopis cooked in ginataan that he first tasted in Cagayan de Oro while on a political campaign.
The idea of a Filipino restaurant serving heirloom recipes has caught the attention and support of celebrities. Jayson disclosed that Agot Isidro (who adheres to a plant-based diet) likes Trining’s tokwa’t dinakdakan, dinengdeng, and okoy, and that Nikki Valdez (a resident of Marikina) is partial to the crispy tintadong pusit, seafood laing, and grilled Aklan oysters.
The resto has not yet had a formal opening, yet its renown has reached beyond Marikina.
Mikee Cojuangco and husband Vice Mayor Dodot Jaworski, and Angelu de Leon are Pasiguenos (residents of Pasig City) but have become diners of Trining’s. In fact, Angelu posted, “Tatawid kami ng Marikina from Pasig para sa Trining’s.”
Andoy Ranay, director of the Netflix Philippines’ trending movie “Road Trip” and the ABS-CBN teleseryes “Pamilya Sagrado,” “Senior High,” among others, learned about Trining’s through social media posts and got curious. On his way to a taping in Antipolo, he decided to make a stop with fellow director Mark Sicat dela Cruz in tow.
“As a true Ilocano, lahat ng ampalaya dishes inorder!” Jayson said of Andoy.
The director gave his two thumbs up for the dinengdeng. Jayson said, “Sabi ni Andoy, ‘Ganitong-ganito ang dinengdeng ng tatay ko!'”
Jayson also served him the bopis cooked in ginataan. Andoy was delighted that he called up Angelica Panganiban to share his new find. Angelica, who is said to be fond of bopis, ended up ordering not just bopis but also other dishes for delivery to her home.
Former Film Development Council (FDCP) Chair Liza Diño and spouse Ice Seguerra wanted to throw a dinner birthday party at Trining’s for Liza’s mother Marissa. They made a reservation for April 1. Jayson learned about it from his staff and couldn’t believe it, as he and the couple are on opposite political sides. Jayson is an avowed “pink,” a supporter of former VP Leni Robredo, while Ice and Liza are identified with ex-President Rodrigo Duterte.
“When we received a call for table reservation under Ice Seguerra, akala ng team April Fools prank! Hindi pala! Bitbit pa ang buong pamilya!” said Jayson.
At that party, there was no politics, but only delicious, filling food and cheerful conversation. A pleased Ice posted on Instagram this review: “Napakasarap! Maraming salamat ulit. Nabusog kami nang sobra.”
Just goes to show that food is not just sustenance, but a way to bring people together.
