Everybody’s Café: Meals shared from home kitchen

SAN FERNANDO LANDMARK Petronila “Pette” Jorolan (top right), daughter of Everybody’s Café founders Benito and Carmen Santos, bridges the knowledge and skills to her son Pocholo, the third-generation heir to the restaurant that serves Kapampangan dishes. Benito, a blacksmith, made the frames still displayed at the restaurant along the old MacArthur Highway in the City of San Fernando, Pampanga. —Tonette T. Orejas and Billy Ruellos Danan

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, PAMPANGA, Philippines — If parking scarcity is any measure of popularity, then Everybody’s Café—a charming old restaurant with an inclusive name—seems to be a perennial favorite.

Crowds gather, especially at lunch and dinner, drawn by its proud tagline: “The Home of Authentic Kapampangan Cuisine.”

Founded in 1946 as the country was rebuilding from World War II, the restaurant was established by Benito Santos and Carmen Nogoy.

Back then, Everybody’s Café began humbly, serving just two noodle dishes—“pancit luglog” and “mami”—with no formal menu to speak of.

“The kitchen, I was told, was efficient. The broth just varied in quantities for the soup and the sauce,” recalled Pocholo “Poch” Jorolan, 48, the third-generation heir who lived with his grandparents until he was 2 years old.

Benito and Carmen, who was more the entrepreneur, chose the name so “everybody can dine.” In postwar years, relations and social links were being restored.

The original location of the 78-year-old restaurant was beside the San Fernando town hall where the children of firemen played.

Benito, a skilled blacksmith who apprenticed at Arte de Español, crafted tables and chairs from wrought iron and salvaged materials from the then Clark Air Base of the United States Air Force.

He also created metal frames for mirrors and prayer paintings. Remarkably, these items, along with Benito’s 1939 Columbia bicycle, are still in use at the restaurant’s current location.

‘Turo-turo’ style

The native dishes that became staples of Everybody’s Café emerged from the couple’s habit of “sharing” their own meals with customers straight from the kitchen.

“That’s how the turo-turo (pointing) style began,” explained Jorolan. In this dining style, dishes are displayed behind glass panels, and customers simply point to the viand or “pagmayumu” (dessert) they want.

While Carmen managed finances and handled purchases, her sister Liling (Leonora Nogoy Bamba) focused on public relations, often inviting people to “try our home-cooked food.” Another sister, Toring (Victoria), oversaw the kitchen operations and cooking. Family members—nephews and nieces—served as food servers and assistants.

By 1967, Benito had built a combined home and restaurant along MacArthur Highway (then known as Manila North Road), the region’s main thoroughfare. Ahead of his time, Benito erected a fiberglass signboard for the restaurant and installed air-conditioners in the dining area—one of the first establishments in San Fernando to do so.

“When people were asked where they were going to eat, they’d say, ‘ketang aircon (in the air-conditioned place),’” Jorolan shared.

Pinatubo impact

The restaurant’s basement became a popular venue, hosting events for up to 400 guests, as remembered by Petronila “Pette” Santos, the Santos couple’s daughter and Jorolan’s mother. Unfortunately, the basement was buried under lahar after Mt. Pinatubo’s eruption in 1991, and it remains unreclaimed to this day.

Before their passing in 1991 and 1996, respectively, Benito and Carmen established core values for the business. “Treat employees well. Pay them fairly. Provide them with free meals. Pay suppliers on time. Source locally,” Pette, now 72, recalled in quick succession.

For instance, “kamaru” (mole crickets), a local delicacy, was once sourced from Magalang, Pampanga. Today, most of the supply comes from Concepcion, Tarlac, near the Magalang border. Pette remains hopeful that the supply will continue to thrive, noting that the pandemic has given the soil some respite.

Pette believes Everybody’s Cafe has a bright future because her eldest son, Jorolan, is deeply passionate about Pampanga’s culture.

STEWARD Pocholo “Poch” Jorolan, who now oversees Everybody’s Café, the restaurant founded by his grandparents, says he’s “more than a COO (child of the owner).” —Tonette T. Orejas

Jorolan, who studied entrepreneurial management at the University of Asia and the Pacific, has immersed himself in the business, learning both the culinary and operational aspects of the restaurant.

Caretaker

Joking about his role, Jorolan said: “I’m more than a COO (child of the owner).” Pette, as the second-generation steward, sees herself as a bridge to help Jorolan become a “good caretaker” of the legacy left by the founders.

Jorolan has embraced his responsibilities with enthusiasm, learning to cook and even launching food tours in 2008 at the request of friends. These tours, held three to five times a month, are inspired by Patis Tesoro’s “Viaje del Sol.”

As a modern torchbearer, Jorolan has introduced innovations like blast freezing to maintain the quality of dishes when reheated. Since 2008, he has been selling Everybody’s Cafe specialties every Saturday at Salcedo Market in Makati City.

Jorolan also values the role of social media in connecting with the younger generation. He finds joy in seeing elderly patrons bring their grandchildren to the restaurant, preserving the tradition of family meals and storytelling.

At home, Jorolan instills these values in his children, Alexa and Carlos, teaching them the concept of “mumuli” (coming home) to nurture a sense of belonging and an appreciation for the distinct flavors of home.