MANILA -- It may not have been strictly because of the pandemic, but the decision of couple Gladys Reyes and Christopher Roxas to start a catering business in the middle of it is proving to be a smart one.
It was around February when the celebrity pair began advertising their catering gig, Sommeroux, right before the first cases of COVID-19 were confirmed in the country, leading to a chain of events that have now made many reluctant to eat out.
Sommeroux was the idea of Roxas, who said that he simply wanted to serve his friends who could not go to his restaurant because it was too far away from them, or due to the usually tiring traffic.
"I was thinking, 'Kung 'di nila matikman 'yung food ko, dapat dalhin ko sa kanila 'yung food ko.' Doon nag-start [ang] Sommeroux," Roxas shared in an Instagram video, posted February 26.
Roxas, who studied at an international culinary school and has food industry-related work experiences in Monaco and Japan, handles most of the stuff in the kitchen, while his wife, Reyes, provides support by taking care of the other aspects of a business.
"We've come up with this idea of putting up a catering because 'yung passion talaga ni Christopher for food is there since nung bata pa talaga siya," Reyes said, in the same video above.
She added that their different backgrounds growing up, with her husband being half-French and her being Kapampangan, has allowed them to create a relatively diverse menu.
"'Yung Kapampangan is known for mga malinamnam na mga pagkain -- like every Sunday, nag-ga-gather kami sa house and then my dad will cook for us mga Filipino food. But when it comes to ibang food like Italian or French, si Christopher naman 'yung bahala dun."
Reyes mainly advertises their business on her Instagram page, where she has more than 800,000 followers. They offer sets, usually good for 4 to 5 people, billed as for birthdays and anniversaries.
The couple's decision to push out a catering business comes at an opportune time, given how the pandemic has made many reluctant to eat out, even as the quarantine restrictions are eased.
As of this Wednesday, the total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the country has breached the 47,000 mark.