About The PHat Chef
At The PHat Chef, our mission is twofold: to help busy families enjoy nourishing meals without the stress of planning and cooking, and to empower chefs with meaningful work, fair pay, and a healthier work-life balance.
Our Story
We’ve been living in the US for the past 10 years, raising our two kids, Bella and Noah. Over the past few years, during our extended stays in Metro Manila, we noticed something surprising: having house help wasn’t as easy to find as before. Despite having a kitchen, we often found ourselves eating out or relying on constant food delivery—which led to an unhealthy lifestyle.
As we started talking to other families, we realized this was a common challenge—busy households wanted home-cooked meals but didn’t always have the time or help to make it happen. At the same time, we spoke with chefs and learned about their struggles: long hours, low pay, and unhealthy work environments.
That’s when the idea for The PHat Chef was born. We envisioned a service that could help families enjoy nourishing meals in their homes while creating better opportunities for chefs—fair pay, meaningful work, and a healthier work-life balance.
Our hope is to make a difference for hundreds, if not thousands, of families in the Philippines, all while building a community where chefs can thrive and clients can feel truly cared for.
– Gabby Firmacion, Founder of The PHat Chef
Meet the family behind the PHat Chef
Hi, I’m Julia Firmacion, the better half of The PHat Chef. My husband Gabby is the founder, and together we built this business out of both our struggles and our love for family.
Like many young parents, we’ve faced the challenge of juggling work, raising kids, and still wanting to put healthy, home-cooked meals on the table. During our stays in Manila, we often found ourselves relying on takeout or food delivery, which led to an unhealthy lifestyle and less quality time together. Those experiences became the spark for The PHat Chef.
Gabby spent nearly a decade working as a software engineer in Silicon Valley before deciding to follow his passion and build this business full time. He brings the structure, vision, and dedication that shape The PHat Chef today.
As for me, I’ve spent the past 10 years in sales and account management in the travel and hospitality industry. I currently work as an account manager at Airbnb, and now I bring that experience to The PHat Chef—helping with sales and client care to make sure every family feels supported from the very beginning.
Together, we’re raising our two toddlers, Bella and Noah who inspire everything we do. They remind us daily why family and food matter so much—and why we built The PHat Chef—to create more family time for ours, and hopefully for yours too.
– Julia Firmacion, Boss of the Founder of The PHat Chef
