By Bryle B. Suralta
Happy Concept Group founder Happy Ongpauco-Tiu, together with Pottery Barn, partnered with GLAD Philippines to celebrate Happy’s 20 years in the food service industry and to unveil the Spring/Summer 2019 collections of Pottery Barn, Pottery Barn Kids and West Elm.
Held recently at Rustan’s Makati, the event was dedicated to “celebrating milestones.” For Chef Happy, it marked the two decades she spent building a culinary empire, which consists of dining concepts like Pamana, Hawaiian BBQ, World Topps, Tsokolateria and Bento Box.
She also owns “Private Dining,” a bespoke private dining service, which caters to a very discerning clientele. But having her own ventures doesn’t mean she’s turning her back on her family’s legacy. Born into a family that owns and operates Barrio Fiesta, she helps with the Filipino establishment’s international expansion.
“Whenever I start a new venture, it has to be a staple concept with a staple dish. I want my restaurants to be timeless and serve quality food that people will crave for,” Happy shared. “No need for big advertisements or expensive marketing strategies, just good staple food that people come back for. That’s how I do my businesses.”
She adds, “I’m just really passionate about serving good food and making people happy.”
It’s that same passion that led to her partnership with Pottery Barn, GLAD Philippines and Rustan’s. According to Happy, these brands share the same values when it comes to dining and entertaining—infusing quality and comfort to any celebration with lovingly and meticulously crafted products.
GLAD Philippines, meanwhile, took part in Happy’s milestone by assisting with the event’s food preparation and presentation. “For me, Glad is part of every celebration, from cooking down to bringing it [food] home,” she said.
Pieces of furniture and décor from Rustan’s Home and Pottery Barn’s Spring/Summer 2019 collection, as well as Pottery Barn’s sister companies, Pottery Barn Kids and West Elm, were displayed and sold during the event. Shopping proceeds of the day’s sale went to Happy’s chosen charity, MOVE.Org Foundation, Inc.
