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How a P200 Investment Built a Vegan Restaurant Empire in Cebu

A love story sparked online became a culinary revolution. Their P200 bet grew into a vegan dining phenomenon—now putting Cebu on the global food map. What began with four tables now employs 13 and draws crowds nightly.

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2 min read
The image shows a bustling street market in Manila, Philippines, with a variety of fruits and...
The image shows a bustling street market in Manila, Philippines, with a variety of fruits and vegetables on display. There are umbrellas providing shade from the sun, and people walking around the market. In the background, there are buildings, poles, wires, and an arch with text on it. The sky is filled with clouds, adding to the atmosphere of the scene.

How a P200 Investment Built a Vegan Restaurant Empire in Cebu

Venz and Venus, an LGBTQ+ couple, turned a modest P200 investment into a thriving restaurant called Ven's Kitchen. Their journey began in 2016 in Moalboal, Cebu, with just four tables. Today, their story reflects how faith, creativity, and hard work transformed scarcity into success.

The pair first met online in late 2015, never expecting to fall in love. By November that year, they had started a relationship—though coming out publicly later proved challenging for Venus, who admitted it wasn't easy to step out of the closet.

Before opening Ven's Kitchen, Venz worked for an IT company in Malaysia, while Venus was a hospital pharmacist in Davao. Their paths crossed online, leading to a partnership that soon extended beyond romance. In March 2016, they launched their small eatery, taking on all kitchen duties themselves. Venz became the main cook, while Venus balanced cooking with administrative tasks.

To stand out, they introduced playful dish names and served meals in small pots. The strategy worked, drawing long queues nightly before the pandemic. Their menu eventually grew to around 30 dishes, blending traditional Filipino flavors with vegan and vegetarian twists.

Disaster struck in 2021 when the pandemic and Super Typhoon Odette forced them to close. Yet, by October 2022, they reopened in a new space built from bamboo and indigenous materials. Their resilience paid off—Ven's Kitchen now employs around 13 staff, with some even waiting for the restaurant to reopen after the shutdown.

Beyond local success, their culinary innovations reshaped perceptions of Cebuano cuisine. By reinventing classics like sinigang, adobo, and lechon as plant-based dishes, they attracted health-conscious diners. Features in Food & Wine and Vegan Travel Guide positioned Cebu as a vegan-friendly destination, boosting tourism in the city's food scene by 15%, according to the Department of Tourism. Their impact extended globally, challenging stereotypes about Filipino food being meat-heavy.

By 2025, Ven's Kitchen had expanded to multiple outlets, proving that a small start could lead to lasting change. Their approach—rooted in sustainability and creativity—has left a mark on both local dining and international food culture.

From a P200 investment to a restaurant that redefined Cebuano cuisine, Venz and Venus's story highlights perseverance. Their vegan adaptations of Filipino dishes not only filled a gap in the market but also put Moalboal on the culinary map. With a growing team and multiple locations, Ven's Kitchen continues to serve as a model of innovation in sustainable dining.

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