Fil-Am celebrity chef returns to Ilocos Norte, shares blessings

Filipino-American Hollywood celebrity chef Vallerie Castillo-Archer with Ilocos Norte Governor Matthew Manotoc.

By Leilanie G. Adriano

Staff Reporter

LAOAG CITY—Filipino-American Hollywood celebrity chef Vallerie Castillo-Archer is back in her homeland in the City of Batac City, Ilocos Norte after more than three decades in the US.

Ilocos Norte Governor Matthew Joseph M. Manotoc welcomed her at the airport, with a huge welcome tarpaulin waiting for her. The two earlier met at the posh Yamashiro restaurant in Los Angeles, California on July 15, 2022 where she works as the executive chef.

In a short interview at the airport, Castillo-Archer said she never expected to become the first Filipino executive chef at the iconic Hollywood restaurant but her passion for food and cooking brought her there.

Literally born inside a bakery owned by her grandfather in San Nicolas town also in Ilocos Norte, Castillo-Archer described her childhood as "the best,” referring to how she enjoyed playing outdoors and spending her early years in the bakery before she reunited with her family in the US at age 6.

"No matter where you go and where you end up, the most important thing is to be humble. Always know where you came from and when you do get big, don’t forget everyone who helped you along the way. That’s the key to success and the way for us to grow and succeed,” she said.

Now that she is home, the Fil-Am chef said a gift-giving program will be conducted at Brgy. Baay, also in Batac where she will be distributing around 500 shoes and backpacks to the less fortunate children in the community.

She said she was inspired to raise funds to buy shoes for the children in their barangay because of a fond memory she had as a child growing up in Ilocos Norte.

"I remember my grandparents gave me a new pair of shoes. My parents must have sent it because I remember my grandmother tracing my right foot and cutting it. This is how we used to send our shoe size to people who live abroad, so they get the right fit. The pair of shoes was so beautiful, I didn't want to wear them, I was used to wearing worn-out slippers or going barefoot when I went out to play. For us kids that lived in the province, that was normal. My grandparents would scold me whenever I came home, and my feet would be covered in mud,” she recalled.

Through her fundraising drive, Chef Val hopes to purchase more shoes in the Philippines instead of getting them from abroad.

"I want to see the smile and the look on each kid's face and hug every one of them. I wish I could do more on this trip, but this is a start,” she said.

For his part, the governor thanked the celebrity chef for bringing pride to Ilocos Norte and for giving back to the community.

 

Batac school children receive shoes, backpacks

Meanwhile, Chef Val made good her promise as more than a hundred pupils of the Baay Elementary School in the City of Batac City received an early Christmas gift from the famous celebrity chef.

The recipients, mostly from Grades 1 and 2 were all smiles as the Filipino-American chef handed them brand new, all-weather black shoes fit for school uniform, backpacks and school supplies at the Baay school covered court.

Through a raffle draw, some of the kids, teachers and parents present during the simple gift-giving program won smart phones, a bicycle, sports watch, athletic shoes and sports equipment among others.

Fondly called as “Chef Val” by many, Archer is on a mission to the Philippines to distribute more shoes for the less fortunate children particularly in her hometown, Batac, where her mother came from before they migrated to the United States when she was six years old.

The gift-giving program in Baay is just one among the charity events she attended while on vacation in the Philippines after more than three decades in the U.S.

Through her fundraising drive dubbed as "kickingitwithchefvallerie" which is available at www.gofundme.com, an American for-profit crowdfunding platform that allows people to raise money for events, Chef Val has so far raised $4,933 USD with at least 30 donors who supports her advocacy. Her goal is to raise about $10,000 to be able to purchase more shoes to make children happy in the Philippines.

In an interview, Edaline Reyes, principal of Baay Elementary School said they feel so lucky and blessed for being chosen as recipient of the one-of-a-kind gift-giving and feeding program.

She narrated that when she received a call from a stranger telling her that someone will be distributing shoes to her school, she thought at first that it could be a scam, so she did not take it seriously.

“I just believe it is really true when I saw them coming to our school today,” she said citing the kids were so happy having their new kicks and backpacks.

According to Reyes, the unexpected gifts for the children are so timely as they just resumed face-to-face classes.

“Life is so difficult these days and we are so thankful for these early Christmas gifts,” she ended.