WHEN Fran Yu is done cooking his foes on the court, he can be found doing some real cooking in the kitchen.
The PBA rookie from NorthPort has invested part of his earnings to open a restaurant last month. It's not the high-end thing or fine dining resto type doing complicated ala carte dishes. It is what is known as a 'tapsilogan,' which most of us know as a combination of one small dish, an egg, plus rice and soup.
READ Fran Yu is selling desserts and making the deliveries himself
His small venture is called Manlalamang Sizzling and Tapsilogan, located at the corner of Quiricada and Milagros Streets in Sta. Cruz, Manila. Yu's partner is his best friend Dave Tan.
Yu intends to make it a long-term investment and plans to nurture it. “Syempre, 'di naman pangmatagalan yung basketball,” he said.
Though he is busy with his basketball career, Yu said he spends valuable time watching over the business which is open from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. daily except Mondays.
Part of his chore includes cooking the food himself.
“Passion ko rin magluto so yun yung nakita naming way para mag-improve yung cooking skills ko. Siguro pag makaipon ako, mag-culinary school ako para matupad yung pangarap ko,” he said.
He first ventured into the foot business in the middle of the pandemic when he was still playing for Letran in the NCAA, selling tubs of dessert which he and his friends prepared and doing the deliveries himself.
Why Manlalamang?
The former NCAA Finals MVP is happy with how the public has received Manlalamang Sizzling and Tapsilogan, which has steadily grown its client base since opening in February.
But more than anything, it’s a realization of a dream that both Yu and Tan share: the passion for cooking.
“Sa basketball, doon kami naging close, pero after noon syempre kumakain kami. Mahilig din naman kaming magluto magbabarkada,” he said. “Kaya din ‘Manlalamang’ yung pangalan kasi di kami nagpapatalo sa mga pustahan. So ito, ganoon din, di magpapahuli sa mga kasabayan.”
As for others who may want to invest in the same business, Yu has one advice: “Subok lang ng subok.”
“Wala namang mawawala, mag-gain ka pa rin ng knowledge. Tiwala ka lang kay Lord na tangkilikin yung business mo.”
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