Chef Nikko Cagalanan cooks with memory, heart, and deep cultural pride — a love letter to the Philippines and to the women who raised him. Born and raised in the Philippines, Nikko draws his earliest inspiration from his grandmother, Lola Mansueta, whose cooking, generosity, and quiet strength shaped his understanding of food as care, comfort, and connection.
Nikko began cooking in 2017 while still working as a nurse, discovering that the kitchen offered the same sense of purpose: to nurture others and create moments of healing. In 2019, he moved to Charleston to fully pursue cooking as a way to tell stories, preserve heritage, and build community through food.
In 2023, Nikko and his wife and partner, Paula Kramer, opened Kultura — a restaurant created to honor both Lola Mansueta and Paula’s grandmother, who instilled in her a deep love for hospitality and making people feel at home. Kultura quickly became a beloved gathering place, earning multiple Best New Restaurant accolades and national attention for its thoughtful, modern approach to Filipino cuisine. In October 2025, the couple expanded Kultura into a larger space in the same neighborhood, welcoming even more guests to their table.
Together, Nikko and Paula are also the creators behind Bareo, a dumpling and kakigori bar inspired by neighborhood “baryo” culture, blending Filipino and Japanese influences through playful, nostalgic food.
Nikko’s work has earned national recognition, including a James Beard Award Finalist nod for Emerging Chef (2024) and a win on Food Network’s Chopped. Whether through intimate kamayan feasts or casual neighborhood dining, his cooking invites people to feel seen, fed, and at home — because food, at its best, is family.
7:00 pm - 9:30 pm
