When Two Filipino Food Lovers Come Together: RoniB's Kitchen x Spoon & Rice

Some of the best things happen when you least expect them.

It was at an event held at the Philippine Embassy in London — the kind of gathering that brings the Filipino community together in the most meaningful way — that I first crossed paths with Glyn Belmonte. We exchanged pleasantries, talked about food, talked about Filipino heritage, and went our separate ways. One of those lovely encounters you tuck away and smile about later.

But something stayed with me.

Months passed, and when I found myself thinking about who I'd genuinely love to collaborate with — someone who gets it, who shares the same fire for putting Filipino food on the map — Glyn's name came straight to mind. So I reached out.

What followed was one of those conversations that just flows. It quickly became clear that Glyn and her husband John, the founders of Spoon & Rice, weren't just running restaurants — they were on a mission. Since 2020, John and Glyndell Belmonte have been united by a shared vision: bringing authentic Filipino street food to London. We had the same thinking. The same objectives. The same belief that Filipino cuisine deserves to be celebrated not just within our own community, but by everyone.

And so, a collaboration was born.

Tamarind: The Heart of It All

Every great collaboration needs a hero ingredient — and for this one, it was never in doubt. Tamarind.

Known in the Philippines as sampalok, tamarind is a tropical fruit with a distinct sweet-and-sour profile that adds balance, brightness, and depth to dishes. It is most famously used in sinigang, a traditional Filipino sour soup that showcases the signature taste of asim — the refreshing tang that defines much of Filipino cuisine.

Filipino food is built on harmony. Every dish balances sweet, sour, salty, and savoury elements, and tamarind plays a key role in achieving that depth of flavour without overpowering the dish. For RoniB's Kitchen, tamarind has always been one of those ingredients that speaks directly to the soul of Filipino cooking. It was the perfect bridge — grounding this new menu in tradition while leaving room for something fresh and exciting.

The Tamarind Series

 

The result of our partnership is the Tamarind Series — a curated menu launching exclusively at Spoon & Rice's Willesden Green restaurant, with delivery across London platforms coming very soon.

The Tamarind Chicken Bao Bun features soft, fluffy bao filled with crispy chicken coated in a rich tamarind glaze — a perfect balance of sweet, tangy, and savoury in every bite, at £8.50.

The Tamarind Braised Kawali is a slow-braised Filipino-inspired dish infused with deep tamarind flavour, delivering richness, acidity, and depth in perfect harmony, at £12.

And there's a third dish I'm especially excited about: the Tamarind Juander Wings — a bold addition to Spoon & Rice's Juander Wings range, coated in a sticky tamarind glaze that brings sweetness, tang, and heat together in one addictive bite.

Three dishes. One ingredient. So much Filipino heart.

More Than a Menu

What this partnership means to me goes beyond the food itself. Spoon & Rice has grown from a single Boxpark Wembley location into multiple sites across London, with a Sari-sari retail store concept in Willesden — built on hard work, authenticity, and a deep love for Filipino culture. Their mission has always been to put Filipino cuisine on the world culinary map. Seeing what John and Glyn have built is genuinely inspiring — and being invited to be part of that story is something I don't take lightly.

This collaboration is about community coming together. It's about two Filipino food businesses — one a growing restaurant group, one an award-winning artisan condiment brand — choosing to support each other rather than exist in silos. It's about showing that when we share the same table, everyone benefits.

This launch at Willesden Green is just the beginning. As the collaboration grows, expect more limited-edition drops, new flavour ideas, and continued exploration of Filipino-inspired street food. We're hoping that with your support, this becomes something permanent.

So — head to Spoon & Rice in Willesden Green, order from the Tamarind Series, and taste what happens when a community comes together over really, really good food.

Read their blog here.

Bold. Tangy. Rooted in flavour. Filipino culture in every bite. Always.

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