Angela Dimayuga
“Cooking is something I was born to do,” says chef Angela Dimayuga, “and the narrative of how and why I cook today continues to unfold.” Shortly after moving from San Jose to New York in 2012, she became executive chef at Mission Chinese Food NYC, which led The New York Times to celebrate the “Sichuan-laced” eatery as Restaurant of the Year. Since then, Dimayuga has garnered numerous awards, nominations and accolades, including being named New York Magazine’s Best New Chef in 2015 and a Zagat 30 Under 30 winner in 2016. An acute sense of design informs her work, and she views her culinary achievements as a form of “interdisciplinary, intercultural expression.” A first generation Filipino-American, Dimayuga is deeply influenced by her heritage cuisine and says that her cooking is community-minded, “where the context of serving food is just as important as the flavors themselves.” She believes it’s now more important than ever to give emphasis to community through food. “Post-election, it’s been vital to vocalize my personal values and the inspiration behind my work,” she says. “I feel lucky to participate in feeding people via an expression that is all sensory and brings people together in a space and place that represents modern American intercultural cooking.” —SLO
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