Gil - Co-Founder & Chef of Señor Sisig
Gil Payumo was born and raised in Daly City, where family, food, and Filipino tradition were part of everyday life. The kitchen was always at the center—especially at family gatherings, where meals were loud, generous, and always meant to be shared.
His father, who immigrated from Pampanga—the culinary capital of the Philippines—brought with him a deep knowledge of traditional Kapampangan cooking. Among those dishes was sisig, a bold and iconic Filipino staple traditionally made from parts of the pig’s head and seasoned with citrus, chili, and onions.
In the Payumo household, that recipe evolved. Gil’s father created a version using pork shoulder—more approachable, but just as rich in flavor. It became a family favorite, especially at gatherings, where it was always one of the first dishes to go.
As a kid, Gil would find his way back into the kitchen the day after the parties were over—hungry and ready to work with whatever was left. He’d take that leftover sisig, throw it into a tortilla, maybe turn it into a quick taco or quesadilla—just being resourceful with what he had, not thinking twice about it. Little did he know, he was onto something.
Gil and Evan Kidera met in high school and built a friendship rooted in food and shared experiences growing up in the Bay Area. Years later, when Evan approached him with the idea of starting a food truck, it immediately clicked. Sisig.
By then, Gil had fully committed to the kitchen. After initially pursuing computer science after high school, he realized his passion was in food and enrolled at the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco. He went on to work in professional kitchens, eventually becoming a sous chef before taking the leap into building something of his own.
In 2010, he left his job to help launch Señor Sisig—bringing his family’s recipe and his culinary training into a new format: Filipino flavors served through tacos, burritos, and rice plates.
What started as a simple idea quickly proved itself. The combination worked—naturally. The shared Spanish influence across Filipino and Mexican cuisines made the flavors feel familiar, yet entirely new.
Today, Gil continues to lead the culinary vision behind Señor Sisig, evolving the menu while staying grounded in the foundation it was built on.
For him, it’s more than a dish—it’s a full-circle moment. A family recipe, a childhood habit, and a dream his parents once had, now realized in a way that reaches far beyond the kitchen.