Besides genetics, passion is also something that daughters can take after their mothers. But for Tina Legarda, chef and owner of Kumba and Bamba Bistro, building a career around food is more than just an heirloom of sorts from her mom, Betina—it is a path that she took out of her own will, despite their shared love for preparing food.
“I didn’t go through the catering business with her because I wanted to learn and start from the bottom up,” Chef Tina explained. “My mother could’ve easily told me, ‘I need you to help me with the catering,’ but she didn’t force me. She understood what I wanted, and now I get to work with her.”
In a separate interview, chef Betina seconded her daughter’s decision. “You cannot force cooking on your children. If they don’t like the kitchen, they don’t like the kitchen. So, we’ve always asked our kids what they wanted to do. But of course, we’re foodies,” she said with a laugh.
The Childhood Kitchen Memories That Shaped Tina Legarda as a Chef
As her daughter was growing up, the pastry chef could only hope that her passion would rub off on her child. One of Tina’s fondest childhood memories was watching her mother and lola cook. Like any other parent, Betina introduced Tina to different things, one of which was cooking. “When she was around seven or eight years old, I put her into Maya Cooking School. Right away, she’d pick the recipes up. I cannot forget the time that we had chicken tetrazzini for three months! Tina kept doing and doing it because she wanted to get better at making it.”
It’s only natural that children will pick up the ways and mannerisms of their mothers; think Lorelai and Rory Gilmore. For the Legarda mother and child, it’s their joyous laughters, curious minds when it comes to researching and trying out recipes, and wanting the people around them—from Betina’s students to Tina’s staff—to share the love that they’ve felt in the kitchen.
“Her teachers in school would tell me that Tina laughed a lot, but I’d rather have a happy, laughing child,” Betina recalled fondly. “And when my friends see and hear her laugh, they tell me, ‘Oh my god, Betina, you built another you!’”
The mother and daughter also coincidentally mentioned their same belief that our moods affect our cooking. Tina mentioned, “Our disposition really affects also how we cook, the way we prepare our food. So, if we’re kind of uninspired or we’re sad, sometimes our recipes can also turn out that way. You cannot serve something that brings joy if you’re not giving it to yourself also.” For Betina, she would make sure that her students were feeling well before she started their classes because their moods could change the flavors of the food.
The Heart Behind Betina and Tina Legarda’s Mother-Daughter Collaboration
At the end of the day, the mother and daughter chefs are still two different people. Apart from the different paths that they took in the food industry, they still move around the kitchen differently. “My Filipino food always has a Spanish touch to it. But Tina, she has a gift of blending ingredients that ‘kala mo they don’t go well together. Her cooking has its own character,” Betina said.
Making space for their distinct kitchen personalities in her restaurants, Tina’s pastry chef is actually her mother. She shared, “It only takes a mom to make you rethink your opinions and kind of humble yourself down. So I think that’s a very important rule. That’s why I’m grateful that I get to work with her. It’s a never ending collaboration with her. I don’t want to lose any minute, my time with her. Our mothers aren’t getting any younger, and it’s a bonding talaga when we’re cooking. It’s something that fills not only our tummies, but also our hearts.”
The younger chef compares her mother to cocido, a dish that she usually enjoys when life gets complicated and she needs some reminding of the simple joys that matter. “Hearing her voice gives me strength to overcome anything. Sometimes we need to find that familiar voice to feel that everything will be okay. Plus it’s a delicious excuse to eat rice!”
How Betina Legarda Went From Teaching Tina to Watching Her Flourish
It is said that as time passes, the roles of a parent and child would reverse eventually. While Tina continues to heed her mother’s advice in a savory dish or sweet dessert, it is now her Betina’s turn to watch her cook and achieve wins in life, including the Michelin Bib Gourmand for Kumba.
Recalling the time when they found out about Tina’s accolade, Betina proudly shared. “I looked at her dad and I said that this girl has worked so hard; I’ve seen it. Sometimes she comes home at one or two in the morning just experimenting in the kitchen. So, with that one, I’m really so glad, very proud. Deserving talaga, not because I’m the mom, but because I’ve seen the work.”
Frequently Asked Questions
Betina Legarda is a Filipino chef, pastry chef, educator, and entrepreneur known for her work in food and culinary education.
Tina Legarda is a Filipino chef and the owner of Kumba and Bamba Bistro, known for her distinct culinary style and recognition in the food industry.
Yes. Betina and Tina Legarda are both chefs, though they have developed different culinary identities and approaches to cooking.
Tina wanted to build her own experience in the food industry from the ground up instead of directly joining her mother’s catering business.
They collaborate by embracing their differences—Betina contributes her experience and pastry expertise while Tina brings her own culinary style and restaurant vision.
Tina Legarda is the chef-owner behind Kumba and Bamba Bistro.
Yes. Tina Legarda’s restaurant Kumba received a Michelin Bib Gourmand distinction.
