Cover Ana Lorenzana de Ocampo, the CEO, president, and co-founder of the Wildflour Group
Ana Lorenzana de Ocampo, the CEO, president, and co-founder of the Wildflour Group
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The brazen restaurateur at the helm of the Wildflour group guides us through her list of must-eat dishes in her family’s home province, Zambales
There is simply no Wildflour without Ana Lorenzana de Ocampo. As the CEO and co-founder of the booming Wildflour group, the trailblazing restaurateur propelled Metro Manila’s sophisticated brunch scene through their eponymous café back in 2012. Now, just ten years later, the restaurant group has solidified itself as an industry mammoth, boasting both impressive scale and diversity.
Their premier brand, Wildflour Café + Bakery, now has eight outlets throughout the metro (and more on the way), while its Filipino-focused sister concept Little Flour Café has three. Similarly, both ice cream parlour Farmacy and famed Hollywood hot dog specialist Pink’s (which the Wildflour group brought to the Philippines) have also been integrated at select branches, with additional stand-alone restaurants for the latter.
Meanwhile, Wild Flour Italian has been a mainstay for pizza and pasta in BGC, and the group has even introduced cloud concepts like Wildflour Pizza and Wildflour Burger. Demonstrating such continuous innovation and unfading courage to push the boundaries of our F&B scene, it is no wonder de Ocampo was named Tatler Dining’s Restaurateur of the Year for 2022.
While she utilises a global outlook when it comes to her restaurants, de Ocampo’s roots remain rooted in Zambales. Learn more about the Tastemaker and what she loves to eat when travelling through her family’s home province here:
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Where in Zambales is your family from, and which cities do you normally visit when you’re back?
My family is from Subic. Growing up, our mom would whisk us around the region, across farmlands in Castillejos to islands in San Antonio, and around the Olongapo that our grandfather was once mayor of. These days, there is still so much to discover about our province because of its vastness, especially with various Manila folk relocating and bringing new energy to Zambales. Therefore, I have no fixed itinerary when I visit.
What do you consider to be the must-try dish from your region?
Grilled altai, which are swamp-dwelling crayfish. Add bamboo shoots cooked in coconut milk topped with bagnet and it is absolute comfort.
What do you consider to be the most underrated dish from your region?
Tuna kilawin—as bright and bracing as a summer’s day in Pundaquit.
What is the one pasalubong you always bring back with you when you visit?
Zambales mangoes, of course—which I will always champion as the sweetest and most satisfying among carabao mangoes. And fresh cashews.
What is one ingredient you long for from your region that you cannot (or cannot easily) find here, if any?
Frog legs—if you’ve tried them, you know.
What are your favourite eateries in that region?
My mother built a quaint hilltop resort called Mountain Woods inside SBMA’s (Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority’s) Kalayaan village. It sits atop a hill and has a picturesque view of Subic’s virgin forest with a peek at the ocean. This is what can be seen from the open-air dining area, so you can imagine how serene a sip of iced tea can be from this vantage point.
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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
