Chef Rica Dakudao Buenaflor, a Davao City native with a passion for showcasing Filipino flavors, is on a mission to elevate the humble pili nut to gourmet status.
Her artisanal pili nut brand, Querica, is a testament to her dedication to both her Bicolano heritage and her culinary expertise honed at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris.
Buenaflor’s journey began in Davao, where she first developed a love for the region’s renowned chocolate. After relocating to Bicol with her husband Carlo, she embraced the region’s iconic pili nut, a highly nutritious ingredient endemic to the Philippines.
Inspired by her culinary studies in Paris, Buenaflor envisioned the pili nut as a gourmet product. In 2017, she conceptualized Querica, launching the brand in 2018. Her first flavor, a fusion of Davao chocolate and Bicol pili, reflected her dual heritage.
Querica now offers a range of flavors, including plain, ube, locally sourced coffee, and truffle pecorino.
Buenaflor’s recent collaboration with fellow Dabawenya and coffee entrepreneur Monica Floreindo Ugarte resulted in the creation of the Pili Nut Latte, a unique blend of Pili milk and Gulf Coast coffee.
This innovative latte was featured at the recent Coffee and Cacao Experience culinary event in Davao City, showcasing the potential of the pili nut as a versatile ingredient in both sweet and savory dishes.
Buenaflor’s dedication to promoting the pili nut as a gourmet product is a testament to her commitment to showcasing the best of Filipino cuisine on a global stage.
Querica is not just a brand; it’s a celebration of Filipino heritage and culinary innovation.
Benefiting the farmers
She says Querica benefits the communities in Bicol, which harvests the pili nut, and most of these communities are in Sorsogon and Albay, where the pili tree is abundant.
“What is unique about the Pili tree is that it needs two conditions to thrive: one is a typhoon; yung mga pili tree kailangan siya ma-shake ng mga typhoon; kailangan niya ng maraming rainfall (the pili tree needs to be shaken by the typhoon; it needs sufficient rainfall). The more typhoons, the better the pili quality. And the pili needs active volcanoes; here in Bicol we have two very active volcanoes, Mt. Mayon and Mt. Bulusan,” Buenaflor said.
Pili bear fruits from May to October. Everything in the process is hand-made, from harvesting to crafting; it is done by hand. Each batch is made small to ensure premium quality products.
Currently, Querica is sold in selected specialty stores in Metro Manila, and after the Davao Food and Wine Festival, they will be available commercially in Davao.
She says they are embarking on exporting Querica to the Middle East and Europe. Buenaflor says they are taking things slowly but surely considering that these are specialized, hand-made products.
“The objective is to see the Pili nuts representing the Philippines,” she said.
The Coffee and Cacao Experience, which allowed Buenaflor to revisit her hometown, is one of the many highlight events of the Davao Food and Wine Festival.
Now in its second year, the Department of Tourism and City Government of Davao-supported culinary festival brings together local and international chefs to collaborate with local agricultural producers in presenting the depth of the regional cuisine.
It takes the audience on a culinary exploration inspired by Davao’s abundant resources, diversity, and innovation. (PIA/RGA)
