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Monique Santua

@gastro.monique

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Feeling my Eatings 🇵🇭
DGTE>HTX>ATX>NYC
Exec Sous Chef @oriana.nyc

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2026 seems to be be the year of fire and dust. Snapshots of the fever dream that was Burning Man. So grateful to have crushed it with the best crew a girl could have asked for. ❤️ by @gastro.monique

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a month ago

We never stick to the pot, only eachother! taken in Chinatown, New York, New York by @gastro.monique

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7 months ago

Physically, I’m back in NYC. Mentally, I’m roaming the streets of Lyon, eating until I’m sick, speaking French like a 5 year old, and keeping an eye out for space invaders. taken in Lyon, France by @gastro.monique

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a year ago

Restaurant Paul Bocuse

Surreal, deeply moving, and, frankly, magical. That’s how I would describe my dinner at Paul Bocuse. I owe it all to the generosity of some lovely guests at Atera who, after chatting with me about my Lyon trip a few weeks ago, reached out to the Paul Bocuse team on my behalf, without me knowing, and orchestrated one of the most special moments of my life.

I was met with champagne, enjoyed the best seat in the house, toured the kitchen, met Chef Gilles, enjoyed the delicious bottle of burgundy with my fantastic meal, and was almost brought to tears when they presented me with a Bocuse book signed by Chef Gilles and inscribed, “Le Bonheur est dans la cuisine.” Happiness is in the kitchen.

✨Blue lobster, with ginger, coconut and lemongrass
✨Frog Jambonettes, carpe from Dombes, cressonnière sauce
✨Grilled Carrot Tortellini, carrot kombucha sauce
✨Wild Turbot, shelfish jus, mushroom and celeriac tart
✨Volaille Bresse Demi-Dueil en Vessie
✨Basil sorbet, green chartreuse from 1605 (!!)
✨Cheese
✨Rhubarb, strawberry, raspberries and elderflower taken in Paul Bocuse Auberge Du Pont De Collonges, Lyon, France by @gastro.monique

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a year ago

All things go, all things grow.

My calamansi tree is popping off + backyard garden seed starting!

First year in NYC officially in the books and wow what a ride. by @gastro.monique

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2 years ago

Zombie Pickle by @al_mutaghatris

the undead
submerged in vinegar
shriveled ghouls
sour spectres
crunchy cadavers
pickle zombies sickgreen faces
pressed against the glass
moaning
“eat me, eat me”
the cucumbers below holed up in the crisper
with sawed off celery
saying their last goodbyes by @gastro.monique

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3 years ago

Prep is already under way for the Kamayan Boodle Fight later this month. I’ve been spending all my free time on fun new projects like brined duck eggs as well as old favorites Lumpiang Shanghai that showcase the centuries old influences on Filipino Cuisine. I can’t wait to share it with y’all in person so make sure to grab them tickets!
Link in bio. by @gastro.monique

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3 years ago

Our peach tree is poppin off!! And somehow the birds and bugs haven’t gotten to all of them! I see a peach crisp in my future 🍑🍑🍑 by @gastro.monique

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3 years ago

📣We are super excited to have our good friend @gastro.monique joining us this Saturday (3/25) to do a special chef demo in celebration of our 13th anniversary! Monique is a familiar face at our markets as she is a former member of our team, a frequent market shopper, and now an extremely talented chef! Read more about her below and join us on Saturday during the middle two hours of market to get a taste of what she is cooking up using fresh farmers' market ingredients.

Monique Santua was born in the Philippines and raised in Houston, TX. She has spent several years deepening her knowledge and passion for the Austin food system with her work as Market Chef / Marketing & Events Coordinator at Texas Farmers Markets and founding Gastromonique, a personal chef and catering service focused on locally sourced, seasonal and sustainable experiences. Monique then moved to the restaurant world, working as the Sous Chef at Lenoir. Afterwards, she spent 4 months at Hiša Franko, a 2 Michelin Star farm to table restaurant in Slovenia and traveling all around Europe in search of inspiring new flavors. She is now back in Austin, dishing up meats and pastas at Birdie’s.

#chefdemo #lakelineanniversary #veggies #eattherainbow #shoplocal #farmers #farmersmarket #sustainable #organic #salad #april #springproduce #austinchef #texasfarmersmarket taken in Texas Farmers' Market at Bell by @gastro.monique

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4 years ago

Sunday was the last day of my Stage at @hisafranko and I can’t believe that I’ve lived in the middle of Slovenia for the last 3 months. The ride had its ups and it’s downs but I’m so grateful to have learned from these incredible people and to have made some lifelong friends along the way.

Before this trip I felt a lot of imposter syndrome, having been self taught with not a ton of restaurant experience on my resume. It’s something I struggled with having leadership position at Lenoir and as a woman who had a late start in this industry. For me this journey was a way to prove to myself that I could work at the highest levels and be successful. Working at one of the worlds best restaurants for the last 3 months, I no longer feel like an imposter when I tell people I’m a chef and I’m not afraid to hold myself and my team to this standard of excellence. That kind of knowing is priceless. Thanks a million to the @hisafranko team for being this integral part of my journey. I’m excited for our paths to cross again soon. taken in Hiša Franko by @gastro.monique

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4 years ago

Spent the morning visiting Jeanne Matteo and their kids at the @hisafranko farm in Ročinj. Getting my hands in the dirt and hanging out with farmers made me feel like home again.

We chatted biodynamics, farming techniques, and we got to help them harvest some veggies and flowers. It’s incredible how kids like Loulou who are filled to the brim with sunshine can really brighten your day plus the schnapps in the morning is also 🤌🏾.

All in all, an A+ morning that made me miss all my farmer friends at @texasfarmersmarket . I can’t believe I only have 2 more weeks here 🤯 taken in Slovenia by @gastro.monique

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4 years ago

Yesterday was so so so fun but also completely exhausting. After waking up at 4:30 to take Brian to the train stations I met up with Miha, the Hiša Franko Forager to scale up the forested mountainside before sunrise to forage for porcini mushrooms. Miha is super tall and athletic and was so fast at climbing up the mountain, I could barely keep up. To say I wasn’t completely prepared for the physicality of this kind of foraging is an understatement but man oh man, we got so many Porcinis and I learned a lot about the mushrooms in the area. Plus, I only ate shit like 3 times coming down the mountain in the rain carrying these huge baskets (porcinis are fucking heavy).

Miha is one of many foragers in the area and the knowledge of local edible plants and mushrooms was passed down from generation to generation. It’s amazing to me that this kind of knowledge isn’t documented more but I’m glad it still survives today with Miha and his competition.

Anyways I’m so happy I brought my theragun bc my body is aching but it was worth it for the porcinis and to hear Miha say, “You’re a strong woman! Half of Hisa Franko can’t go foraging with me because they aren’t athletic enough and I have to bring them back down and I don’t get to forage for mushrooms” 🏆 taken in Matajur by @gastro.monique

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4 years ago