Filipino food is having a moment. One that has been long overdue—a sentiment shared by food enthusiasts and insiders alike. Pushing this movement forward are the myriad of content creators churning out short form videos heralding the merits of Filipino food on social media. Of that list, girl-next-door Abi Marquez has carved a niche for herself by elevating the most ubiquitous of Filipino dishes—lumpia—to cult status. Three years and a James Beard nomination later, Marquez is a household name, with over 1.3 million followers on Instagram, and triple that on TikTok. Her moniker “The Lumpia Queen” is the result of her kitchen experiments in answer to the question, “Will it lumpia?” Finding that sweet spot between easy-to-make recipes, and entertainment, it looks like this content creator has the world hungry for more. 

It's time to unwrap Abi Marquez (a.k.a The Lumpia Queen) one crispy layer at a time.

Abi Marquez, the Lumpia Queen | Photo: Abi Marquez

From leftovers to lumpia

Marquez calls her leap into the culinary spotlight by way of lumpia more accidental than intentional. “I didn’t set out thinking lumpia would be my thing. It all started with leftover lumpia wrapper, marshmallow, and chocolate,” says the content creator. “I asked myself, ‘what would happen if you put these two ingredients into lumpia wrapper?’ That video went viral, and that series took off.” Soon enough, suggestions from followers were pouring in, with Marquez willingly taking on the challenge.

This turned into a eureka moment for the 24-year old. She suddenly saw the lowly lumpia wrapper in a whole new light, beyond the family favorites lumpiang shanghai. “Lumpia wrappers are such a versatile ingredient, and a great vehicle for any flavor,” states Marquez. What did catch her by surprise was how her followers took to her experiment, and her attempts at innovation. “From a culinary standpoint, I make sure it’s accessible by using local ingredients, while still keeping to the essence of lumpia. People get very excited about that,” she notes. What she does believe in keeping traditional is the kind of wrapper she uses—the round ones made fresh in the market everyday. Who’s down for a crab cake lumpia? 

It’s all been one big lumpia experiment

Her lumpia experiments have run the gamut of ingredients – from spinach and artichoke dip and ube-cheese (much like the childhood favorite), to guisadong monggo and sardines. In the spirit of true experimentation, Marquez always films the first attempt, explaining that “I don’t In my head, na-plancha ko na the theoretical side. It has to make sense, on paper at least.”  

As these things go, she admits to her fair share of hits and misses. “Yung pinaka inedible was the popcorn lumpia. It was done purely for entertainment purposes. Not at all something you would enjoy.” She did have a holy-moly moment when she gave sinigang lumpia a go, declaring it as “…one of the best lumpia recipes I’ve made. It captured the essence of sinigang. I knew it was going to wow people. And it did.”

But if there is one iteration that is closest to this foodie’s heart, it would still be her peach-mango lumpia. This was the recipe where she first saw her impact as a content creator, and from it grew one of her first brand collaborations. “This video got a lot of views, over 30 milliion on TikTok!” she shared. “I also saw people start their small businesses off the back of this recipe. It will always be a favorite for me.” 

Watch on TikTok

Great minds think alike 

With millions of followers on social media, it comes as no surprise that Marquez has found herself in an opportune space to collaborate with some of culinary scene’s biggest and most influential names. 

The likes of Lennard Yeong (@lennardy), Josh Scherer (@mythicalkitchen), Uncle Roger (@mrnigelng) are among those who have worked with Marquez, experimenting with different recipes and lumpia iterations. For Marquez, each one was an opportunity to plant more seeds about the food she grew up with. “I saw that there was room there for people to learn about Filipino food,” she enthused.

One fan favorite collaboration was with Australian chef and writer Andy Hearnden, teaching him the ins and outs of making classic Filipino dishes Sinigang, Adobo, and the much-loved pulutan, Dynamite. “Chef Andy was super friendly and chill. I liked that I was able to discuss the collaboration with him,” said Marquez. “Nung naglabas ako ng itlog, nagulat siya. He asked me, Is that cancellable? I told him it was something we really do.”

it!

Earlier this year, Marquez got the chance to step into the big leagues, by way of renowned British chef, and culinary icon, Gordon Ramsay. “He is someone that I really respect, or even idolize. It was crazy, surreal, and a really big deal for me to get this chance,” she shared excitedly. “I was one of a few people chosen to collaborate with, and cook for him. I had to get it right, as I was representing the Philippines!” Her mind raced between what should she cook to making sure she nailed the recipe. “I had to put my mind in a place where I was just going to make something good, and have fun.” The dish that made the cut? A Beef Wellington Lumpia, of course! To which Mr. Ramsay had this to say – “I’m really sorry, but I don’t like it. I f*&%ing love it!"

@abigailfmarquez Replying to @gordonramsayofficial WILL CHEF APPROVE? 🥩 🇵🇭 BEEF WELLINGTON LUMPIA, coming right up! #BeefWellington #Lumpia #LumpiaQueen #GordonRamsay #AbixGordon @Newport World Resorts @Gordon Ramsay Bar & Grill PH ♬ original sound - Abi Marquez

From Manila to the world

All across Europe and North America, Michelin stars and accolades are being handed out to Filipino restaurants. In Manila, chef-led restaurants not only have a loyal following, but the chefs themselves have become pseudo-celebrities in their own right. Content creators like Marquez, who push the envelope on home cooking, are thriving on social media, changing the way Filipinos consume their food, literally and figuratively. While many question the need for external validation of one’s culture and cuisine, she sees it as long-delayed recognition. “There is a lot people can learn from Filipino food! The concept of salu-salo, or even telling everyone, ‘kain na’. This culture of sharing is deeply ingrained in the food we make,” she notes. Marquez also finds intrinsic value in how many Filipino dishes are rooted in sustainability and ‘nose-to-tail’ cooking before it was even a thing.  “Dishes like bopis, sisig, dinuguan, use ingredients like offal and blood that would normally be discarded. For us, walang sinasayang,” she explains further. “There is value in that way of thinking and cooking.” 

The real challenge lies in getting more people to try out Filipino food. True to form as “The Lumpia Queen,” Marquez has this suggestion for those who have yet to try it—have some lumpiang shanghai! “I have not met anyone who did not like it. I’ve made it for people of all nationalities, and it’s a very friendly and familiar way to introduce our cuisine to them,” shares the content creator. Once they’re on board, next on the list would be sisig—“It’s reflective of our culture, nose-to-tail cooking, and it’s loaded with those rich savory flavors.  

Cookbook dreams in a lumpia world

Three years, millions of followers, and over a billion view in, Marquez still has bigger plans on the horizon. Each one aligned with her vision of introducing Filipino food to the rest of the world. “I’m very proud of our local ingredients. Like Ube has been getting so much love from other countries. But people are still hesitant to try our food, mostly because they don’t know enough about it,” she explains. “There is room for more Filipino content, so our food becomes better known, like that of other Asian countries.” On her list of possibilities long-form videos on YouTube, a TV show, or even a podcast. “I want to see what I can do as a talent, alongside my collaborations. I have a lot of trips planned this year too. I am excited to learn more, and share them on my platform,” muses Marquez. 

A dream project that is in the works, “but is still a bit of a long journey, because I want it to be perfect,” is a cookbook. Her focus? Recipes that use local ingredients that are accessible, and relatable to the home cook. “So masarap na siya, but they can easily make it at home. I am going to be very hands-on with this,” she points out.

In the meantime, her focus remains to be producing short form videos for her platforms, but taking it a step further. “I want to become a thought leader in this space, and really share our country’s cuisine with the world. This all started as a hobby, but now the stakes are higher,” she notes. “I want to make an impact on our culture.” Fortunately for Marquez, she has the internet on her side, allowing her to get her message across further and faster. Case in point is her Tortang Talong recipe, which had people all over the world giving the dish a try. “They couldn’t believe how simple, easy, and delicious it was!” she shared excitedly.

If there was one thing Marquez knew with certainty from childhood, it was that food would always be a big part of her life. What she didn’t expect was, years later, all her  core memories of days spent in the kitchen – each perfectly rolled up in lumpia wrapper – would play a pivotal role in taking Filipino cuisine global. Fighting against occasional bouts with impostor syndrome and societal stereotypes, she has carved out her own space out of sheer will and determination. “I’ve trained my mind to just let the noise pass, so I’m not so affected by it,” she shares. “This is where I can encourage other women to just keep doing what they do. I never let these comments stop me from reaching for the awards and recognition I want to get.”

As Abi Marquez continues to wow her followers with her lumpia creations, and rubs elbows with the likes of Ramsay, Hearnden, and Uncle Roger, there is no denying her influence on the food scene, both online and IRL. As Ramsay puts it in their viral Beef Wellington lumpia reel, “The whole internet knows you!” And he is not wrong. Testament to that is the over one billion views Marquez has gotten on TikTok. She captured the milestone moment in a reel she posted on the platform in March of last year. With her reach expanding further with every click, it’s safe to say we’ve barely scratched the surface on how she will shape the global culinary landscape. Marquez’s hot take? “By finding new or innovative ways to use  ingredients, we allow  for our cuisine and culture to evolve.” And she is doing it one crispy lumpia bite at a time!