A Taste of Home with Chef John Rivera of Melbourne's Kariton Sorbetes

“After fruitful years in the fine dining side of food, COVID-19 became a somewhat necessary roadblock in my life,” reflects Rivera. “It forced me to stop, analyse, and reflect on what I really enjoyed: food that is relatable, fun and absolutely, downright delicious!” Since departing Lûmé in 2020, Rivera has joined a slew of Filipino-themed collaborations with chef Ross Magnaye and Chibog’s Janine Barican-Le, including a plant-based banquet and a Jollibee-inspired meal. However, it is his gelateria, Kariton Sorbetes, that's really gotten people talking.

See also: A Taste of Home: What Are Melbourne-Based Chef Ross Magnaye's Favourite Filipino Eats?

Launched with pastry chef Minh Duong, Kariton Sorbetes is an artisanal gelato brand proudly featuring Filipino flavours. From the simple but timeless ube halaya and keso to out-of-the-box creations like champorado with patis salted caramel and turon garnished with sweet langka and candied sesame seeds, the scoops are a true celebration of Rivera’s rich heritage and love of delicious food. Formerly an online-only concept, the sorbetes store has recently opened its very first outlet in Footscray.

“Kariton Sorbetes has been my baby for the past year and a half,” beams Rivera. “We are beyond proud to be able to turn our COVID-19 hustle into a fully-fledged business and brand with a brick and mortar location, with dreams of having multiple outlets in multiple cities.”

While he'll be busy “slinging dirty ice cream” in the streets of Melbourne for the time being, Rivera continues to long for the delectable street food, pasalubong-friendly bites, and other Philippine eats he enjoys from Metro Manila to Nueva Ecija. Find out where chef John Rivera is headed on his next trip back home, here:

See also: A Taste Of Home With Sydney Cebu Lechon's Will Mahusay

What do you miss most on the food/drink front when you are away from the Philippines or haven’t been back for a while? 

The one thing (or many things, technically) I miss the most are the fruits and the quality of fruits in the Philippines. I love walking through the palengke of whichever city or town I’m in and just buying different fruits, especially ones that I have never come across before (I fell in love with marang on my most recent trip to Boracay). Fruits in the Philippines are so fragrant and sweet—qualities that you only get when the fruit has been ripened on the tree as opposed to being picked when it’s under-ripe, which, sadly, is often the case here in Australia.

What is the first dish you want to eat when you return, and where do you go for it?

The very first thing I eat when I arrive in the Philippines, no matter what time my flight lands, is a two-piece Chickenjoy (needs to be a thigh and leg piece) with Jolly Spaghetti, a large Sarsi, a Jolly Hotdog Cheesy Classic, and a Peach Mango Pie [from Jollibee].

See also: Jollibee, Mary Grace, And More: 9 Filipino-Owned Restaurant Chains

Do you have a favourite restaurant in the Philippines? For fine dining and for more casual experiences?

That’s a tough question, there are so many great places to eat now!

In Manila, I really love Helm for special dinners. Josh [Boutwood] is a really amazing chef, and I love how creative each of his menus is along with how intimate the dining experience is.

When it comes to casual, or more traditional dining experiences, I can’t forget about a little restaurant in my hometown of Cabanatuan City, Nueva Ecija called Hapag Vicenticos. They do such delicious, flavourful homestyle cooking with the best, freshest ingredients available.

If you have visitors/guests with you, where do you go to give them a real taste of the Philippines?

If I’m with visitors/guests, especially if they are non-Filipino, we are hitting the streets to get the real taste of the Philippines! Quiapo is usually the first place on the list for some great street food. And when we’re out, we’re eating everything—isaw, kwek kwek, day-old chick, balut, puwet ng manok, goto, fish balls, sorbetes—literally everything that is being cooked and/or sold on the street, we are devouring. Expect a Red Horse or two in hand.

See also: Craving Vegan Street Food? Where to Buy Around Metro Manila

Where do you like to meet up with old friends for food/drinks?

One of the best places to catch up with mates is Alamat in Poblacion. I love this place! They do such cool and fun takes on Filipino food that’s an absolute explosion of flavour in your mouth which go perfectly with the local craft beers they have on tap. It’s always a great time here, especially with friends.

Do you have a favourite bar and/or café in the Philippines?

Picking a favourite is hard because there are so many great places to drink now in the Philippines. One place I always seem to end up in, though, is The Curator (I’m not complaining!). Such a cool little modern-day speakeasy. The cocktails here are really, really great and it’s perfect to just chill out and waste the night away.

See also: 14 Philippine Craft Beers And Where To Buy Them

Any other must-visit food/drink spots when you are back?

Hapag MNL has to be on your list, it’s 100 per cent worth the trek to Katipunan to check out what the guys are whipping up in their little restaurant. It’s modern Filipino food through the eyes (and palettes) of three of the most talented young chefs in the country.

Do you take any food or treats back home with you from the Philippines?

I usually travel to the Philippines pretty light, for the sole reason of being able to fill up my hand carry with treats along the way. If I’m coming from Cabanatuan, we always stop by Edna’s Cakeland—it’s an institution and all Novo Ecijanos know it’s legit. I’ll load up with brownies, chocolate crinkles, lengua de gato, ensaymada, yema rolls. . . pretty much anything that will make it through Australian customs! On the way to Manila, a stop at Aying’s in Gapan, Nueva Ecija for a couple boxes of pastillas, which is also a must. It’s the best pastillas, period. A box doesn’t make it longer than a couple of days at my house.

See also: Cunanan Bakery, of the Legendary Cunanan Ensaymada, Refuses To Go Digital—How Are They Successful?

Where do you go to find authentic flavours of home where you live?

The western suburbs of Melbourne are a great place [to go] if you want to get your fix of the flavours of home, and now even more so with more and more Filipino businesses popping up in the neighbourhoods. A really great place is Cebu Charcoal Belly in Sunshine North, they do really great Cebu-style lechon as well as super tasty dinuguan and even chicharron bulaklak (my weakness). Growing up, my dad used to always get barbecue chicken from Chadz Chickenhaus, which was always beautifully cooked with this sweet and savoury glaze—add a plate of freshly cooked rice and a side of pinakurat and you’re in heaven! Chibog in West Footscray is a great place to go for a drink and a feed, they have awesome cocktails and make a killer kansi!

After all that savoury food, there’s only one place to go afterwards and that’s to Kariton Sorbetes!

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