Multi-award winning food content creator Abi Marquez.

She didn’t need a silver spoon—just a warm plate of chicken nuggets and a curious mind. Long before millions called her “Lumpia Queen,” Abi Marquez was a four-year-old flipping channels between Cartoon Network and the Food Network, insisting her food be served warm or else. Today, that same passion—and attention to detail—has made her one of the world’s most recognizable Filipino food creators. With millions of followers, an arsenal of viral recipes, and awards that include TikTok’s Food Creator of the Year, a Webby People’s Voice Award, and now the 2025 WIBA Award for Food Creator of the Year, Abi has done more than just make people crave lumpia. She has brought Filipino food to the global table. While culinary school was always a dream, financial constraints steered Abi toward Hotel, Restaurant, and Institution Management at UP Diliman. But it was TikTok, not textbooks, that would rewrite her destiny. “I started making TikTok videos for fun,” she told Expat Media in an exclusive interview. “Three or four videos in, I went viral. A month later, a brand paid me ₱10,000 (Dh631) and sent over a box of products—and I thought, wow, this could be real.” Real turned into global when she caught the attention of Gordon Ramsay—yes, that Gordon Ramsay, whose restaurants span the globe, including in Dubai. Collaborating with the Michelin-starred chef, as well as personalities Uncle Roger and Chef Andre Rush, confirmed what her followers already knew: Abi had earned her seat at the table. Yet behind the bright lights and perfect plating, Abi remains grounded. She credits her mother—“an excellent cook who never turned me away from the kitchen”—and her engineer father for passing on a love of experimentation. She also cites her pandemic-era hustle: binge-watching cooking shows, taking free online courses, and learning in her family’s kitchen. Abi remains committed to celebrating her Filipino roots. She dreams of putting the spotlight on dishes like suwan-suwan or tabon-tabon kinilaw to the same global pedestal as adobo and sinigang. “Filipino cuisine is so layered, so diverse. The world hasn’t even scratched the surface.” As for the “Lumpia Queen” title? She embraces it, but she's not stopping there. She’s currently working on a cookbook, and dreaming of hosting a food show or competition. “I want to keep doing what I love. I’ll take breaks, I’ll say no when I have to, but the mission remains: Filipino food deserves the spotlight,” Abi says. What is one dish outside of lumpia that she would love to be known for? “I’d love to be known for tortang talong too,” she laughed. “People from all over the world recreated that one!” She sees herself continuing to cook, tell stories, and share joy. “I may not open a restaurant yet, but I’m discovering who I am through food every day.” As for her dream dinner guests? The late Anthony Bourdain, and Chef Margarita Fores, over a full Filipino feast that includes adobong pusit, kare-kare, and leche flan. “I want them to feel what I feel every time I eat food made with love.”

Food talk with Abi

Do you remember the first dish you ever cooked? I don't recall the very first dish I ever cooked, but I have many fond childhood memories in the kitchen. These range from watching my mother prepare our daily meals to making pizzas with the entire family on weekends or even creating bizarre snacks for myself. I inherited my inquisitive nature and talent for experimentation from my father, an engineer. However, I didn't experiment much at the beginning. I focused on learning by following existing recipes and rules. Was there ever a time you considered a career outside of food? I was considering accountancy or filmmaking, but I always planned to establish a food business in the future. If I wasn't known as the "Lumpia Queen," I would be a hotel or restaurant manager, a common career path for graduates of my college program. I would also enjoy working in marketing or filmmaking. Apart from Gordon Ramsay, which other celebrity collab has been your most memorable? Collaborating with Uncle Roger and Chef Andre Rush. It was absolute delightful chaos! The energy was incredibly fun and genuine, and they made me feel truly welcome. Honestly, we spent as much time laughing and having heartfelt conversations as we did filming! ALSO READ: Expat Media Q&A with Abi Marquez

Rapid fire questions with Abi

Sweet or savory? Sweet. Your ultimate comfort food. Fried chicken! If you could only eat one Filipino dish for the rest of your life, what would it be? Sinigang with rice Your go-to midnight snack. Whatever leftover we have. The strangest food combination you actually love. I don’t think I have one. If you had a theme song for your kitchen, what would it be? Ratatouille soundtrack. What’s one hobby or talent you have that has nothing to do with food? Singing, dancing, playing piano and guitar! What’s one kitchen tool you can’t live without? Knife. If you could travel to any country just to eat, where would you go first? Italy. Describe your dream lumpia in three words. Moist inside, crispy outside, not greasy. A condensed version of this story also appears in the Expat Media Special Edition magazine
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