Houston – When the pandemic forced chef Nina out of her restaurant job, she could have viewed it as the end of a chapter. Instead, it became the beginning of something new. Alongside her husband and a strong support system of family and friends, Nina transformed her passion for Filipino cooking into a growing Houston pop-up business that is introducing more people across the city to the flavors of home.
Nina moved to Houston from the Philippines in 2015 with her family and quickly found herself building a career in the culinary world, working as a sous chef at a hotel. But when the pandemic hit and jobs disappeared across the industry, she decided to take a leap of faith and focus on sharing Filipino culture through food.
With encouragement from her husband, Ralph, who still works full-time as a nurse while helping run the business behind the scenes, Nina began selling desserts and homemade dishes through Instagram. Friends and family stepped in to help with deliveries around Houston, and soon Aleng Nina’s was born.
What started as small online orders has since grown into a busy schedule of pop-ups, catering events, farmers markets and collaborations around the city. Nina says many customers, especially members of Houston’s large Filipino community, connect deeply with the flavors because they remind them of home.
Her menu changes often, giving her room to stay creative while introducing customers to both traditional Filipino dishes and her own modern twists. One crowd favorite is her cheesy lumpia, a crispy Filipino-style spring roll filled with pork, vegetables, and Monterey Jack cheese for an extra melty bite. Nina says the inspiration came from Filipino street food and her desire to blend comfort and creativity together.
Running a pop-up food business is far from easy. From transporting heavy equipment to cooking outdoors in Houston’s heat, Nina says every event requires teamwork and long hours. Still, she embraces the challenge because it allows her to express herself through food and connect with people in meaningful ways.
Nina also credits local commercial kitchen spaces like Third Place and JŪN and for helping cooks like her get started. Access to shared kitchens and supportive communities has helped make the dream more attainable for many food creators across Houston.
The name of her business carries special meaning as well. “Aleng,” meaning old lady, is a term of endearment in the Philippines, and Nina says it reflects the feeling she wants every dish to create: warm, comforting food that brings people back to memories of home and family.
There are a few opportunities to taste her cooking. Tomorrow at Third Place, she’s serving lunch from 11 a.m. - 3 p.m. and on May 23rd, she’s collaborating with one of the East End’s most popular bakery and Cafe, Koffeteria. The partnership is timely as May is Asian American Pacific Islander Month.