Roland “Lau” Laudico is one of the best-known figures in modern Filipino cooking – a chef, restaurateur and television personality who has spent his career championing Philippine cuisine at home and abroad. Trained in the United States, France and Australia before returning home, he built his reputation on taking traditional Filipino flavours seriously and presenting them with the technique and ambition of fine dining. Together with his wife, Chef Jacqueline “Jac” Laudico, he has run some of Manila’s most talked-about restaurants and become one of the most recognisable ambassadors for Filipino food.
Warm, energetic and often called “the rocker chef” for his showmanship, Laudico has reached audiences well beyond the dining room as a judge on the Philippine editions of MasterChef and Junior MasterChef. His work has helped shift how Filipino cuisine is seen – from everyday comfort food to a cuisine worthy of the world stage.
TL;DR
- Filipino chef, born 27 May 1965 in San Fernando, Pampanga
- Trained at the Culinary Institute of America and apprenticed in France, with kitchen experience in France and Australia
- Opened Bistro Filipino in Quezon City in 1995 with his wife, Chef Jacqueline Laudico
- Opened Guevarra’s by Chef Laudico, a Filipino buffet in a 1920s heritage house in San Juan, in 2013
- Judge on MasterChef Pinoy Edition and Junior MasterChef Pinoy Edition, and a leading promoter of Filipino cuisine abroad
Roland Laudico key facts
| Born | 27 May 1965, San Fernando, Pampanga, Philippines |
| Nationality | Filipino |
| Trained at | Culinary Institute of America; apprenticeship at L’Essentiel, France |
| Restaurants | Bistro Filipino (1995); Guevarra’s by Chef Laudico (2013) |
| Known for | Modern Filipino cuisine; MasterChef Pinoy judge |
From Pampanga to the world’s kitchens
Rolando Laudico was born on 27 May 1965 in San Fernando, Pampanga – a province long regarded as the culinary heartland of the Philippines. He grew up in a family that loved to cook and eat, and his passion for the kitchen was strong enough that he chose to pursue culinary training rather than a conventional degree. He learned the trade from the ground up, doing dishwashing and prep work before formalising his education at the Culinary Institute of America in New York.
From there Laudico gained the international grounding that would define his cooking. He completed an apprenticeship at L’Essentiel in France and worked in a series of restaurants in both France and Australia, absorbing classical European technique and the discipline of professional fine-dining kitchens. When he returned to the Philippines, it was with the conviction that Filipino food deserved the same care and creativity he had seen applied to French cuisine.
Bistro Filipino and a new take on Filipino food
In 1995 Laudico and his wife, Chef Jacqueline “Jac” Laudico – herself a trained chef and his equal partner in the kitchen – opened Bistro Filipino in Quezon City, Metro Manila. The restaurant became known for a progressive, refined approach to Filipino cuisine, reinterpreting familiar dishes with modern technique and elegant presentation at a time when few chefs were treating Filipino food as fine dining. Bistro Filipino established the Laudicos as pioneers of the movement to elevate Philippine cuisine and made Chef Lau one of the country’s most visible culinary voices.
Guevarra’s by Chef Laudico
In 2013 the couple opened what would become their signature venue: Guevarra’s by Chef Laudico, a Filipino buffet restaurant set inside a two-storey heritage house built in the 1920s at 387 P. Guevarra Street in San Juan City. The restaurant takes its name from the street and pays homage to the era of the house, pairing old-world charm with an abundant spread of classic and modern Filipino dishes. Bestsellers such as Angus Beef Tapa, Bellychon, Grilled Pancit Bam-I and the crowd-pleasing Party Spaghetti have made it a destination for both everyday celebrations and visitors seeking a broad introduction to Filipino cooking. In 2023 Guevarra’s marked its tenth anniversary, a rare milestone for an independent restaurant in a competitive market.
Television and promoting Filipino cuisine
Laudico’s charisma made him a natural fit for television. He served as a judge on MasterChef Pinoy Edition and its spin-off Junior MasterChef Pinoy Edition, as well as on the Asian Food Channel’s The Amazing Food Challenge, bringing his enthusiasm for Filipino ingredients to a national audience. Beyond the screen, he and Jac have been tireless advocates for Philippine cuisine internationally, cooking at events abroad – including Philippine culinary showcases in Europe – and using every platform to argue that Filipino food belongs in the global conversation.
Signature style
Laudico’s cooking is rooted in Filipino tradition but shaped by his classical training. He is known for taking humble, deeply familiar dishes – tapa, lechon, pancit, adobo – and refining them without stripping away the flavours that make them recognisably Filipino. Whether in the fine-dining format of Bistro Filipino or the generous buffet at Guevarra’s, his food celebrates the produce, techniques and comfort of Philippine home cooking while presenting it with professional polish and pride.
Awards and recognition
- Pioneer of modern, fine-dining Filipino cuisine through Bistro Filipino
- Judge on MasterChef Pinoy Edition and Junior MasterChef Pinoy Edition
- Guevarra’s by Chef Laudico celebrated its 10th anniversary in 2023
- Widely recognised ambassador for Philippine cuisine at home and abroad
Roland Laudico in context
Having cooked in Australia early in his career, Laudico shares that country’s fine-dining tradition with chefs featured on Pickup Table 4 such as Tetsuya Wakuda and Neil Perry – chefs who, like him, built their reputations by championing a distinctive national and regional cuisine.
Follow Roland Laudico
Guevarra’s by Chef Laudico – official site
Roland Laudico FAQ
Where is Roland Laudico from?
He was born on 27 May 1965 in San Fernando, Pampanga, in the Philippines.
What restaurants is he known for?
Bistro Filipino in Quezon City, opened in 1995, and Guevarra’s by Chef Laudico in San Juan, opened in 2013.
Did he train abroad?
Yes – at the Culinary Institute of America, with an apprenticeship at L’Essentiel in France and kitchen experience in France and Australia.
Who is Jacqueline Laudico?
His wife and culinary partner, Chef Jac Laudico, with whom he runs their restaurants.
What television shows has he appeared on?
He was a judge on MasterChef Pinoy Edition, Junior MasterChef Pinoy Edition and The Amazing Food Challenge.
