Born in San Fernando, Pampanga, the culinary capital of the Philippines, Chef Paolo Dungca moved to Los Angeles with his mother at 13, carrying with him the flavors and memories of his Filipino upbringing.
While studying nursing, Paolo took a job as a dishwasher at Disneyland and quickly fell in love with the energy of the kitchen. He traded nursing school for culinary school and began building a career rooted in discipline, storytelling, and culture.
Paolo’s culinary journey includes time at Kali in Hollywood, Vidalia, Bad Saint, Restaurant Eve, and Kaliwa, where he helped develop a menu inspired by Korean, Thai, and Filipino flavors. A 2019 trip back to the Philippines reignited his passion for his native cuisine and led him to help open concepts such as ABC Pony and Pogiboy.
In 2023, Paolo transformed Hiraya into a full restaurant in Northeast D.C., earning widespread acclaim and a 2025 James Beard Foundation Emerging Chef semifinalist nod. Today, through Kayu in Dupont Circle and Morena Cafe, his daytime cafe, Paolo continues to bring Filipino cuisine to the forefront of modern American dining with food that is personal, progressive, and deeply rooted in culture.