The COVID-19 pandemic changed many people’s lives. Some have become resourceful, creative, and grateful for having a family to be with.
When Jhun M. Kaindoy came home in February 2020, he thought that it was just for a vacation. But then lockdown was imposed due to the devastating COVID-19 pandemic. Commercial airlines and cruise ships came to a halt for a while. This became the turning point for Jhun and his wife, Maria Asuncion Paler.
Before the pandemic Jhun’s journey was a discovery of what he was passionate about. He was a cook doing Chinese Cuisine in Maan Hann Manila, and then became a Japanese Cuisine chef in Saudi Arabia. After being employed for two years as a Japanese Cuisine chef in Le Meridien in Saudi, he moved on as a Japanese chef in the third largest cruise line in the world, the Norwegian Cruise Line “Norwegian.”
“I chose to open my own business during pandemic because going abroad is just the same as having a business here in our province. It’s even better here because I have my family,” says Chef Jhun Kaindoy.
Jhun and Mayet started with cooking at home and delivering the ordered food to their friends and online customers. Jhun said that they opened MAJHUN, a Japanese inspired food house to feed his own family. It is located at Tomas Oppus street, Barangay Mantahan, Maasin City.
A native of Barangay Hinapu Daku, Maasin City, Southern Leyte, Jhun said that poverty is the main reason why he started to work at a young age. At 18-years old ,he left his hometown and looked for work in Manila. He began as a steward there and was able to help his parents and siblings.
“My father is a tuba wine maker, that’s why as the second eldest child, I, together with my brother sought for a job to help augment the family income,” said Jhun.
Due to his perseverance to achieve his dreams for his family and himself, he worked hard and got promoted to help the cook. Then he actually began to cook Chinese Cuisine in Maan Hann Manila, and then became a Japanese Cuisine chef in Saudi Arabia, and in a large Norwegian cruise ship.
When Jhun finally opened his own food house, he got the support of his wife Maria Asuncion, a teacher with very good public relations skills. They have an eight-year-old daughter and nine-year-old son to inspire them.
The trade name Majhun Food House is a combination of their names “Mayet” and “Jhun” Their business started to operate last 2020 with his popular Japanese dishes that customers seek for their delightful subtle flavors and artistic presentation.
“It was hard at first but time passes by and we managed to surpass the challenges.”
“After the Typhoon Odette, our store got slightly damaged and some of our delivery riders were back in school; however, we managed to cope up with the orders. We also didn’t lose hope,” Jhun further said.
Majhun Food House “Pajag lang ang pwesto pero lasang resto” opens Monday to Sunday. You can try their delectable savory popular dishes like the Maki rolls: Shrimp Dragon Roll, California Maki, Sunny Mango Maki, Dynamite Maki. You can also try their scrumptious Sushi Platters and Filipino Food Bilao and short orders with Lumpia Shanghai, Yang Chow, Shrimp Tempura, Sweet and Sour Pork, Chicken Cordon Bleu, Sweet and Sour Fish, Steamed Fish, Soups and Noodles. Bon apetìt! (RCabodbod, GMR)
