Cover Get to know Jeramie Go, the chef and owner behind Davao’s Pilgrim, Grateful Bread, and soon-to-open Bairrada Churrasqueira
Get to know Jeramie Go, the chef and owner behind Davao’s Pilgrim, Grateful Bread, and soon-to-open Bairrada Churrasqueira
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Find out what food, flavours and culinary experiences ignited this chef's love for dining, from his time in Toronto to his current home base at Pilgrim, a destination restaurant some 90 minutes from Davao’s city centre
High up in the chilly mountaintops of Marilog, Davao, one destination restaurant inspires even the weariest of travellers to make the 90-minute drive for a tasty meal. It’s a long journey—you might even say, a pilgrimage—but chef and owner Jeramie Go ensures that every trip is worthwhile for those who, like himself, remain steadfast in the pursuit of delicious food.
At Pilgrim, Go cooks up a fall and winter-focused menu designed to soothe the soul amidst the breezy highlands. Though he largely draws from his experience in the kitchens of Toronto, Go also remains inspired by his immediate surroundings, working with farmers in neighbouring areas to champion hyper-local produce. Open from 8am to 3pm Mondays to Fridays and 7am to 7pm on Saturdays and Sundays, the rustic, charming restaurant boasts a strong brunch offering including quality coffees and breakfast plates, as well as heartier dishes like its signature truffled mushroom gnocchi made with Bukidnon potatoes. It’s a family affair for the dedicated father, joined by his son Noah, who leads the kitchen as Pilgrim’s chef de cuisine.
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Since opening Pilgrim in December 2021, Go has become one of the region’s up-and-coming chefs, debuting at events such as the inaugural Davao Food and Wine Festival in 2023 and subsequent Tagaytay Food and Wine Festiival 2024. In addition, the Go family has recently expanded its F&B portfolio with their second concept, Grateful Bread: a bakery and sandwich bar offering Montreal bagels, cranberry scones, porchetta banh mi, and other treats sweet and savoury.
“After opening our bakery, Grateful Bread, last March, we are excited to announce the opening of our third concept, coming soon,” adds Go, “Bairrada Churrasqueira: a small neighbourhood grill serving one of our family’s favourite dishes, the Portuguese piri piri chicken. We will be showcasing frango piri piri, sardinha asada (grilled sardines), bacalhau (also known as bacalao), and pastel de nata (egg custard tarts).” In the meantime, Go will join forces with chef Andrew Malarky of Wild Siargao this October 6 for Davao Food and Wine Festival 2024’s opening weekend, presenting Pilgrim Goes Wild: a hearty showcase of rugged, open-fire cooking.
Get to know this chef on the rise bringing Toronto soul to the hilltops of Davao and the flavours of his youth, below:
Read more: Flavours of My Youth: chef Chele González on the dish that ignited his love for food
Chef Jeramie Go of Pilgrim in Davao (Photo: courtesy of Jeramie Go)
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What was your go-to comfort food growing up?
Adobo was and still is my comfort food to this day. My accidental discovery as a kid was forgetting about a pot of adobo that I was cooking and almost burning it, but then actually turning out really good!
What would you say is the one dish that ignited your love for food?
Whole chicken galantina. That was the first time I tried deboning a whole chicken and I really enjoyed it. I was drawn to how finicky it was and all the steps needed before roasting the stuffed chicken.
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What was the first dish you learned how to cook?
Sautéed corned beef that my sister taught me [how to make]. I remember her yelling at me for not sautéing the onions properly.
What is one dish or ingredient that you couldn’t stomach growing up? How do you feel about it now?
Ampalaya! Abhorred it then but I like it now. Besides acquiring the taste, I guess it also helps that I know enough now to play around with flavours to make it more palatable to me.
What is your favourite food memory from your childhood? Why is it so special?
Lechon manok—we only ever had it on special occasions, and since it was my favourite, we would have it on my birthdays.
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What is a childhood breakfast you loved?
Tapsilog was my childhood steak and eggs! I liked mine on the salty side, with slightly charred beef, and runny eggs.
What is a childhood after-school merienda you loved?
A big platter of warm bananacue gave me sugar hugs before I hit the streets to play.
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Is there a particular person, friend or family, that you associated with food and eating while growing up? Tell us about them and how they influenced you.
My angkong (grandpa) used to own and run a Filipino-Chinese restaurant. The kitchen was my playground as a kid. That was also where I got my first restaurant work experience.
What is the one dish you miss the most from your childhood—something you used to always eat while growing up but don’t have so much of nowadays?
Freshly caught seafood, which would then get grilled, while picnicking by the beach. If we got lucky we would buy them from local fishermen whose boats would have just docked. We used to have this on weekends here in Davao or on out-of-town trips. Super nostalgic!
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About
Lauren’s love for food came much later in life than one would expect— an obsession awakened in the streets of Melbourne’s multicultural dining scene. Armed with this newfound passion, she returned to the Philippines determined to discover the best eats in her home country, with a personal advocacy to champion local cuisines and homegrown talent. Nothing is off-limits; if it’s delicious, it’s worth celebrating.
Work
As Tatler Dining associate editor, Lauren covers all things food and drink, from listing the latest openings in our monthly Dining Radar to interviewing chefs and bartenders about the biggest obstacles crippling the industry today. Beyond the digital space, she also organises Tatler Dining’s tentpole events, including Off Menu and Tatler Dining Kitchen, as well as the annual Tatler Best Philippines awards night and guide launch, detailing the best restaurants in the country.
For leads and event invites, contact her via lauren@tatlerphilippines.com or follow her on Instagram at @laurengolangco.
Photo: Ralph Mendo
