Pinoy Heritage

“Often times people are exposed to Filipino food through a Filipino friend, enjoying a meal made by their family. I want to hit that nerve and invoke that memory of how good it was.”
— Francis Ang

Francis Ang was born in the States, but his roots run deep in the Philippines. Memories from Ang’s childhood are filled with the rich flavors and alluring aromas that were ever present in his family’s kitchen. From Manila to San Francisco, Ang enrolled in City College’s culinary program, and, after graduation, began honing his skills at Gary Danko. Then, joining Fifth Floor (now Dirty Habit) under the guidance of David Bazirgan, Ang was a named a “People’s Best New Pastry Chef” in Food & Wine and earned a slot on Zagat's “30 under 30.”

In 2013, when Ang and his wife Dian were stranded in the Philippines in the wake of a massively destructive typhoon, they helped feed devastated communities. Back stateside, Ang was determined to provide more support overseas. At Fifth Floor, he hosted a fundraiser showcasing Filipino cuisine that was a wild success and planted the seed for his future pop-up, Pinoy Heritage. Ang continued to add Filipino dishes to the Fifth Floor and then Dirty Habits’ menus until he left in December 2015.

In 2016, the couple returned to the Philippines for six months, studying the regional cuisine from origin to evolution. Soon, Pinoy Heritage was born, manned by Ang, his wife, and Chef Danica Aviles. Ang also works with Taj Campton Place Hotel on their dessert program and consultants for its Michelin-starred restaurant. His main focus is bringing San Francisco together for eight courses every other Saturday plus one kamayan feast a month.

Milestones

In 2018, Pinoy Heritage won Eater SF’s “Pop-up of the Year,” and Ang was named a San Francisco Chronicle “Rising Star Chef.”

In 2019, Ang was named 2019 Star Chef Rising Star and Pinoy Heritage named TOP 100 Restaurant of the Year.