AMBOY
Recipes from the Filipino-American Dream
Alvin Cailan has risen to become arguably the most high-profile chef in America's Filipino food movement. He took the food scene by storm when he opened the now-legendary Eggslut in Los Angeles, a foodie cult favorite specializing in affordable but sophisticated egg sandwiches. Alvin also hosts the popular The Burger Show on First We Feast's YouTube channel, with many episodes exceeding 1 million views and guests such as Seth Rogen and Padma Lakshmi. Alvin's story of success, however, is an unlikely one. He emerged from his youth spent as part of an immigrant family in East LA feeling like he wasn't Filipino enough to be Filipino and not American enough to be an American, thus amboy, the term for a Filipino raised in America. He had to first overcome cultural traditions and family expectations to find his own path to success, and this unique cookbook tells that story through his recipes.
“I think Alvin has an uncanny ability to manifest what is just so perfectly of-the-moment, but always just a bit before all of us know that yes, that’s EXACTLY what we all want and need right now. His delicious food is the stuff that you crave and think about for days and weeks after. This book is an amazing window into his life and process.”
—Chef Daniel Humm
“Any book that starts out with a method for cooking rice is right on as far as I am concerned! Alvin begins there and sets out on a journey that tells the story of his personal and culinary life, stopping along the way to share the recipes of his family, his influences from the restaurant world and the side trips he has taken on his way to becoming the well-rounded chef and pied piper for the Filipino food movement that he is today. From beef & cabbage soup to Filipino/Japanese curry, this book will draw you along from story to story, recipe to recipe, and give you a glimpse into the mind of a fiercely creative and driven man told in a voice that is true and real.”
-Andy Ricker
“Ever since I first tasted the Eggslut truck, I knew the food was special, and when I met Alvin, I understood why. He’s a wonderful person whose love of food shines through in every bite.”
-Seth Rogen
“Be it in the sheen of a custardy egg on brioche or across millions of YouTube players each week, Alvin has been a passionate and inspirational fixture in the modern culinary pantheon. Now, in his debut cookbook, he shares his knowledge, his creativity, and his Filipino-American experience through every insightful story and mouthwatering recipe."