Highlights
- Joff went through "severe mental health issues" during lockdown last year.
- Going vegetarian not only helped with his mental health, it gave him a new purpose and business idea.
- Joff owns Lutong Lupa, a private dining experience focused on vegetarian and vegan Filipino dishes.
The pandemic and multiple lockdowns challenged the mental health of many.
Joff Hernandez was one of them.
Body and mind
"I battled severe mental health issues in isolation so far away from home," he admits.
Manila-born Joff moved to Melbourne in late 2019 to pursue a postgraduate degree in hotel management, arriving just a few months before the pandemic exploded.
"I was a chef in the Philippines. I was working in fine dining and catering. I also had my own business; but I wanted to gain overseas experience. I was studying and working part-time here in Melbourne when the pandemic happened.
Joff Hernandez Source: Zairene Yeoh
"So when we went through lockdowns - it was hard. All of a sudden there wasn't much to do. I was living alone. It took a toll."
To cope, Joff turned to the thing he loved doing most - cooking.
"Instead of spiralling, I challenged myself to become a vegetarian. It was something I could do to help myself."
Ginisang monggo hummus (mung bean stew hummus) Source: Joff Hernandez
Joff discovered that not only did a diet shift help him physically, it lightened his mental load and gave him a new advocacy.
"I started having more energy. I didn't get food comas like I used to when I would eat heavy meats like burgers that made me want to take a nap afterwards," he laughs.
"The health benefits are obvious but the big thing for me was mental. It helped me get through uncertain times."
Plate philosophy
Initially, Joff thought that focusing on vegetable dishes would be limiting; but the more he did research, the freer he felt.
"I changed my mindset. Think about it - how many recipes can you do with chicken? Lamb? Fish? Fry, roast, grill? You're constrained by what you can do and you only have a few meats you can choose from.
"With veggies, there's a lot more to choose from and a lot more combinations. You can manipulate veggies in any way you want - for example, mushrooms can be made to taste like meat."
"With veggies, there's a lot more to choose from and a lot more combinations." Source: Joff Hernandez
Initially, Joff made a lot of Indian and pasta dishes, but admits that he missed Filipino food.
"That's when I thought of shifting my focus to creating plant-based Filipino food.
"I also realised that vegan and vegetarian Filipino food was hard to find, much less Filipino food in general. I was surprised because Melbourne has a very diverse food culture."
Private dining
The lack of availability made Joff feel like he could position himself easily in the particular niche.
"I freelance under my private dining endeavour, Lutong Lupa (literally "cooked food/cooking that was from the soil").
"I like the vibe of private dining. It's like I'm just cooking for friends. It's reminiscent of Sunday lunches with our family." Source: Joff Hernandez
"I like the vibe of private dining. It's like I'm just cooking for friends. It's reminiscent of Sunday lunches with our family. It's a boodle fight setup - banana leaves line the table and food is communal; hands are used to eat instead of utensils."
Of the Filipino fusion dishes offered, Joff shares that the Jollibee (a popular fast food chain in the Philippines) burger steak-inspired portobello mushrooms and; eggplant, mushroom and tofu sisig lettuce cups (sisig is originally made from pork, pig snout and ears) are his favourites.
"It's so common in Filipino gatherings that vegetable dishes are disregarded. This time, they're the main attraction.
Sisig lettuce cups Source: Joff Hernandez
"I set up a private dinner recently and everyone was shocked that they were only going to eat vegetarian food. I just told them they could just eat again after," he laughs.
"But seriously, it's really just about changing the philosophy of what a plate should look like. Good vegetarian food isn't about simply removing the meat from a dish. It's utilising other ingredients to make the vegetables the star."
ALSO READ / LISTEN TO
"Good vegetarian food isn't about simply removing the meat from a dish. It's utilising other ingredients to make the vegetables the star." Source: Joff Hernandez
READ MORE
What you can eat on a Keto diet
