Flavors of AAPI: Chef Barb Batiste of Big Boi

Chef Barb and her classic plate of Pancit Noodles, Garlic Rice, and Chicken Adobo, featuring Lee Kum Kee Sauces. Photos courtesy of Foodbeast/Marc Kharrat.

During 2024’s Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month (AAPI Month), Lee Kum Kee began creating a series of videos with the hashtag #FlavorsofAAPI to feature AAPI chef community leaders with inspiring stories that support their local AAPI communities.

Many of these AAPI chefs turn to Lee Kum Kee sauces, like our Panda Brand Oyster Flavored Sauce, as they are essential when making iconic Chinese, Filipino, Korean, and other Asian dishes.

We’ll be continuing to share stories of these AAPI chef inspirations, a core part of who we are at Lee Kum Kee. We encourage you to go visit and support these restaurants, try their food, and share stories of similar chefs that you know that we may feature in the future!

 

 

 

 

 

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Thanks to our friends at Foodbeast, we were able to feature the inspirational story of Chef Barb Batiste, who’s become a key part of the Filipino-American community in Los Angeles with her restaurant Big Boi. Named after her late father, Big Boi has become renowned for its loaded platters of Filipino comfort food.

Folks in the know pile up on Big Boi classics like garlic fried rice and chicken adobo, which uses Lee Kum Kee Premium Soy Sauce. Chef Barb’s extensive offering of Filipino favorites also includes Pancit Noodles, or Filipino stir-fried noodles, that are made with Lee Kum Kee Panda Brand Oyster Flavored Sauce.

All of the “recipes” come from Chef Barb’s mom, which means that anyone who visits Big Boi is getting an authentic taste of a Filipino mom’s home cooking. The recipes are a bit loose in interpretation, as according to Chef Barb, there weren’t any strictly measured out recipes for her mom’s dishes.

“There was always the one big spoon of this, and more onions, and more garlic,” she told Foodbeast. “I use Lee Kum Kee because that’s what I used to see as a child,” which helps build the flavor base to many of her delicious dishes.

A loaded tray of dishes like Pancit Noodles, Lumpia, Garlic Rice, and Chicken Adobo from Big Boi in Los Angeles. Photo courtesy of Foodbeast/Marc Kharrat.

AAPI chefs like Chef Barb have been nourishing their communities for years, and in Chef Barb’s case, her reputation of warming Filipino comfort food has extended beyond the restaurant. Big Boi, and its sister dessert shop, B Sweet, also caters to local major league stadiums, helping fuel many of the country’s top athletes.

If you’re looking for a meal that makes you feel like you got a warm hug, Big Boi and Chefs Barb’s hearty plates of Filipino fare will fulfill your cravings. Lee Kum Kee is the base possible to making those dishes come to life and can help make your own comforting meals as well!

Chef Barb’s story as an AAPI chef is just one of many inspirational ones, and Lee Kum Kee would love to learn about and support as many as we can. Please share the stories you know using #FlavorsofAAPI on social media, and we may feature it in the future!

In the meantime, check out Big Boi’s location in Los Angeles to try these soothing suppers for yourself.