In the Gomez household, mealtimes are always planned with everyone’s personal cravings in mind. For Ormoc City Mayor Lucy Torres Gomez, husband Richard, and daughter Juliana, the family table is built on kindness and consideration, making sure that no one’s favorite dish is ever left off the table.
“We like pretty much the same things, and no matter who decides on the menu, we are all thoughtful about each other’s favorites so we always build around that. As such, we always have a combination that pleases all. No one is left out or not thought of, because meal time is always a warm and wonderful time for us. Everyone must be nourished, literally and figuratively,” she says.
When it comes to dining, each member of her family has a designated responsibility. Richard is the household’s enthusiastic, near-daily grocery shopper. Juliana acts as the family’s culinary scout, always equipped with an insider’s knowledge of where to eat and source hard-to-find ingredients. Lucy serves as the creative director—curating requests, forwarding late-night food reels, and finding joy in the art of organizing the pantry once the haul arrives.
When they’re home in Ormoc, the home menus are dictated by what’s fresh off the farm and who is stopping by.
“Meat and fish and fruits and vegetables are bought weekly. Other items are bought in bulk. In Ormoc though, we harvest from the farm and the menu can revolve around what is available, or who will be joining us. We are a little family of 3 but we rarely eat as just three around a table. There’s always family or friends any given day.”
They may be a tiny core unit but their dining table is big enough to welcome extra family, friends, and surprise guests.
Q: Favorite supermarket shortcut?
LT: Wraps, Ezekiel bread from Healthy Options. Brownie Bites and Madeline’s from Sugar Bowl available at S&R. Sukang Pinoy like the pinakurat and Datung Puti. Century Tuna!
Q: Biggest supermarket splurge?
LTG: I can’t qualify any as a splurge, in the true sense of the word. Maybe because we always try to eat with the seasons and so nothing is ever too expensive for the simple reason that it had to be flown in from somewhere. Good quality, whatever the kind of food, should be the standard. So if choosing good quality food is considered a splurge then I guess it would be that.
Q: Favorite checkout line treat?
Hmm, I can’t think of any. We really go aisle by aisle such that by the time we check out we’ve really covered most of it.
Q: Most surprising thing in your cart?
LTG: Chicharon bulaklak and chicharon bituka from the Lapid’s kiosk as we exit S&R.
Q: Favorite junk food?
LTG: Chippy and Royal Tru Orange—forever. We can add hotdogs and bacon, too, if these are considered ‘junk’ aside from being ‘processed.’
Q: Items that are always on your list?
LTG: Fresh fruits. Nutmilk.
Q: Ingredient you’d drive the farthest for?
LTG: Something Richard and Juliana would be craving for. I would not mind the distance if it means I get to bring it home for them.
Q: What you’d stock up on in the event of an apocalypse?
LTG: I would like to be like the Amish. That way I can stock up on more than just the essentials.
Frequently Asked Questions
Lucy Marie Martinez Torres-Gomez is a Filipino actress who is currently serving as the mayor of Ormoc City since 2022. She is the wife of athlete, actor, and politician Richard Gomez as well as the mother of national fencing athlete Juliana Gomez.
Her supermarket shortcuts include wraps, Ezekiel bread from Healthy Options, Sukang Pinoy, Datung Puti, and Century Tuna.
The most surprising things you’ll find in Major Lucy’s shopping cart are chicharon bulaklak and chicharon bituka.
When home in Ormoc, the family’s menus are dictated by what is fresh off the farm and who is stopping by. Lucy says they harvest from the farm, while meat, fish, fruits, and vegetables are bought weekly and other items in bulk.
Lucy Torres-Gomez doesn’t consider any item a splurge because the family eats with the seasons, so nothing is expensive in terms of cost. For her, good quality should be the standard, and if choosing good-quality food counts as a splurge, then that is her biggest one.
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