The advent of modern technology has rendered traditional methods obsolete, and old practices are easily swept away by innovation.
But for Kapampangan delicacy store Susie’s Cuisine, technology is a way to strengthen culinary heritage – striking a balance between adopting technology and preserving Pampanga’s cultural culinary identity.
“Susie’s Cuisine started in 1972. Apung Aning or Ms. Anicia Ayson, a dentist by profession, was encouraged by her family and friends to open up a food business because of her expertise in cooking. She set up a carinderia at Nepo Mart, serving merienda like pancit palabok, tibok-tibok, and botche,” shared Rowell Cabayao, Operations and Marketing Lead I of Susie’s Cuisine.
Taking pride in its delicacies as the country’s culinary capital, the restaurant drew in both local patrons and tourists as it offers the reminiscent taste of authentic Kapampangan cuisine.
“Although our stores may appear modern, our pancit and pasta dishes are still prepared the way Apung Aning used to cook them. For our rice cakes, we don’t use machines to mix ingredients; we still do it manually,” Cabayao added.
While the business remains committed to old cooking methods, evolving some operational processes became imperative due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As such, Susie’s Cuisine gradually evolved to adapt to the changing needs of customers.
They established their presence in social media and online delivery platforms, which expanded their visibility, leading to an increase in the volume of orders they receive daily.
To their advantage, the enterprise found an ally in the form of Converge that has been their reliable support in keeping the harmonious interplay of technology and heritage in their restaurants.
With Converge providing high-speed fiber connection, their store crews are equipped to engage with customers either online or face-to-face, ensuring goods are available for sale as they keep track of their inventory in real-time. At the same time, advanced orders are catered to, satiating the kakanin cravings of customers even if they are away from Susie’s Cuisine.
Uplifting small-scale businesses, Converge flexiBIZ extends a value-for-money internet service that powers enterprises to boost productivity and efficiency, allowing them to optimize their operations as they aspire for growth.
Depending on their chosen plan between flexiBIZ Daytime or flexiBIZ Peak, SME subscribers may opt to double their bandwidth to operate during the day or obtain a premium service that delivers consistent high-speed connections regardless of time.
“How Converge treats and accepts Susie’s Cuisine is like a family. Because we’ve been together for a long time, whenever we run to them, we’re sure to feel the care and nurturing of a true Filipino,” Cabayao said.
In the near future, Susie’s Cuisine intends to continue adjusting to current trends and maximize technology to strengthen their delivery of Pampanga’s culinary offerings. Soon, the business eyes to transform their restaurant into a place where people can enjoy reliable internet as they indulge in savory Kapampangan dishes on their table.
“One thing we prioritize in Susie’s Cuisine is providing the Kapampangan service. As they say, customers are our family. They are not just customers but for us, they are family,” Cabayao noted.
