Chef Ria Dolly Barbosa Interview

Born in Iloilo City in the Philippines, raised in Los Angeles and trained in French cuisine, Chef Ria Dolly Barbosa is a product of her fusion environment - and she’s serving up some of the most crave-worthy food in LA. 

With more than 20 years in the industry, she’s now at the helm of Chef Alvin Cailan’s Amboy Quality Meats & Delicious Burgers in LA’s Chinatown neighborhood. And when she’s not slinging some of the best burgers in the world, she’s doing pop ups to share her Filipino-fusion flex. 

We sat down with Ria to talk about starting out in Vegas, inspirations, the LA dining scene, and what brings her joy in the kitchen - read the full interview below: 

When did you first fall in love with cooking?

“Some of my earliest food memories are from the Philippines. I remember walking through sugarcane fields with my mom and grandpa, chewing on cane he cut with a machete. Or sneaking sweet squash off the stove when no one was looking.

When we moved to the U.S., food was still at the center of our daily lives. Both my parents cooked—adobo, sinigang, and regional dishes like KBL (aka Kadyos, Baboy, at Langka), a stew of beans, jackfruit, and pork. By the time I was a latchkey kid in California, I was babysitting my siblings and reheating our lunches. 

Around that time I also discovered Great Chefs of America on PBS. I’d fry eggs and rice, then wait for the chefs’ ‘taste moment’ at the end of the episode to take my own bite—pretending I was eating alongside these amazing chefs. That’s when I knew food fascinated me. By high school, all the while watching PBS and early Food Network, I decided I wanted to go to culinary school. My dad helped me enroll before I graduated.”

Talk to me about your time cooking in Las Vegas.

“Vegas is where I started out as a chef with my externship at the MGM Grand. Every two weeks, I rotated kitchens—buffet, room service, garde manger. It was overwhelming but taught me so much.

I eventually landed at The Mansion (before Joël Robuchon). The chef there, Philipe Rispoli, was incredibly particular. I cried my first week, but his standards pushed me to stay—and I learned more than I realized at the time.

That particular kitchen served high rollers who could request literally anything, and sometimes even brought their own chefs. There I was, working Lunar New Year on a caviar station, plating blini to order at 19 years old. 

After that period I did a stint at Michael Mina where I really got to focus on pastry and pastry techniques.

What I took away most from my time in the Vegas culinary world was managing time, working at volume, and executing under pressure; I was able to really hone in how to be most efficient because when you're feeding 350-700 people at any given day, you quickly find ways to make sure you execute quickly, efficiently and most importantly - consistently without dropping quality.”

What advice would you give to a chef just starting out?

“Take pride in what you make. Even when you’re slammed, don’t cut corners—make food the way you’d want it to be served to your parents or grandparents.

You never know who you’re cooking for. It could be a big-name guest or someone’s first time in your restaurant. Either way, the dish should reflect care. Pride in your work is the difference between food that’s just rushed out and food that makes people come back.”

Where do you find inspiration for new dishes?

“Inspiration is everywhere—markets, cookbooks, social media, or travel. On a recent trip back to the Philippines, I found batwan, a sour fruit usually used in sinigang. Locals suggested using it in marinades, and since I can’t get it in the States, I brought home powdered batwan to experiment with.

Sometimes inspiration comes from discovering new ingredients, sometimes it’s a friend sharing food from their family, and sometimes it’s seeing a random dish online and falling down a rabbit hole. I’m definitely a cookbook person, too—though I’ve had to slow down buying more because I’m running out of room!”

What spice do you think is underrated?

“Black peppercorns—they've become an afterthought for most. 

I like to pre-toast them before using in a pepper mill or hand crushing with the back of a small skillet for a coarse grind that’s perfect for au poivre and Filipino adobo. Toasting them beforehand brings out so much flavor, aroma and also makes it easier to crush or grind.”

What do you love about the LA culinary scene right now?

“I’ve noticed a shift toward comfort. At Kismet recently, we had roast chicken, veggies, sides—and for dessert, a chocolate pudding cup. Simple, nostalgic, and exactly what we wanted.

LA also has incredible farmers markets, and I love cooking with fall produce—tomatoes, corn, and the first squashes. The seasonal variety here keeps me inspired.”

What’s a favorite ingredient to cook with and why?

“Garlic. Always.

With my Filipino background and French culinary training, I love both ends of the spectrum—raw garlic with its spicy bite, browned garlic for depth, or gently cooked for sweetness. It’s multifaceted, aromatic, and essential. At home or at work, there’s always garlic.”

What’s a dish you love to make for yourself at home?

“Right now, a quick steamed egg, tofu, and shrimp dish I found on Instagram. You whisk eggs with a little dashi, add shrimp and silken tofu, cover, and microwave for 5–6 minutes. Top with soy, sesame oil, scallions—whatever you want. It’s fast, nourishing, and saves me from doing a pile of dishes after a long day.”

What’s a dish you love to make for friends and family?

“Lately, pies—both savory and sweet. In winter, I love making pot pies from scratch, with a buttery crust, braised chicken, cream, and fresh thyme. For birthdays, I’ve made fruit pies—like a peach pie for my boyfriend’s mom, her favorite fruit.

For me, the crust is 80% of the dish. I think I picked up the love of pies when I worked with a Sydney-based restaurant group in LA—they had sausage rolls and meat pies, and I got hooked on the craft of a great crust. I was also inspired from local pastry chef friends who make amazing pie crust - Meadow Ramsey, Roxana Jullapat, Nicole Rucker!”

Do you consider yourself more of a baker or a cook?

“A cook first, who happens to bake well. In culinary school, I thought I’d go into pastry, but I discovered my hands are too warm for chocolate work. It was mess after mess. So, I stuck with cooking—but baking pies has definitely become part of my repertoire.”

What’s a technique or trick you learned in school or along the way that even home cooks could use?

“There’s a way I cut bell peppers that increases the yield you otherwise would just throw away or compost. You trim the top and the bottom portion, about a half inch or so. Then similar to the Japanese sheet cutting technique, cut around the veins and seeds. You should be left with the top, bottom and a mostly rectangular piece from the center. It’s much easier to slice into strips or dice from this point and you’ll be able to use more of the pepper!”