U-bae, Do You Remember the Time? Throwing it Back for #YumYams2024
Photos by Kaithleen Apostol + Kapwa Gardens
Ube 🍠 – with its vivid, purple hue and rich, textured sweetness – is a nostalgic staple and symbol of Filipino culture.
From adorable cartoon ube characters to a crossover into mainstream grocery chains like Trader Joe's, ube’s popularity has yielded greater accessibility. It also demands a greater need for understanding about the purple yam’s roots.
Don’t miss our take on the ube movement with our coloring book activation at this year’s Yum Yams — courtesy of Brownthought Academy’s very own Branding & Design Intern, Mariah Rosario.
The Yum Yams Festival is ringing in its fourth year on Sept. 22 by honoring the homegrown culture of Filipino Americans in the Bay Area and the unified strength of our community. What started as a single sell-out event at Kapwa Gardens has intentionally evolved into an annual food crawl that includes over 25 local vendors, garnering economic empowerment and entrepreneurial visibility for our community.
The inaugural Yum Yams kept it sweet and simple…while remaining far from basic. This vendor-centered event highlighted a range of local entrepreneurs specializing in ube and the savory flavors of our cultural culinary heritage—while also providing a platform for retail vendors across multiple genres of product offerings.
Photos by Kaithleen Apostol
You thought we slept on UX? Both the Yum Yams passport and Yum Yams Box allowed attendees to choose their VIP, purple-tinted adventure. All attendees are encouraged to support our partners—with a portion of ticket sales to be invested into Kapwa Gardens and a vendor of their choice.
Yum Yams’ success in 2021 allowed us to take up even more space within SOMA Pilipinas in 2022! This “celebration of all things ube” grew from 8 food vendors and 2 retail vendors, to a full-blown ube crawl with 15 food and drink vendors, as well as 7 retail/creative vendors. We also expanded into three different areas: Ube Garden @ Kapwa Gardens, Ube Alley @ The George, and Ube Park @ 5M.
Photos by Kaithleen Apostol
However, Yum Yams hasn’t just grown in scale or geographically. As a vehicle for the expression of Filipinx culture in the San Francisco Bay Area, we recognize our responsibility to collaborate with organizations working towards a shared goal of empowering the local AAPI community.
Yum Yams and KOHO SF joined forces in 2023 with Yum Yams: Ube Meets Matcha – an event intended to honor AAPI history month. The harmonious fusion of ube and matcha symbolizes the unity and mutual regard, which results from celebrating togetherness through an understanding of our diverse cultures.
Yum Yams – in each iteration – has proven to be not only a versatile event, but a gathering dedicated to the people, the culture, the creation of connection, and the strengthening of partnerships.
THIS #YUMYAMS2024🍠, we are excited to announce our continued Yum Yams partnerships with EatChaChaCha, Lady Victory, The Bread Basket Bakery, and Ube Area. Learn more about each vendor + what to look forward to at Yum Yams below:
EatChaChaCha
Photos courtesy of Kapwa Gardens
EatsChaChaCha — a consistent crowd-pleaser — is a One Lake, Fairfield, CA-based food catering service and vendor specializing in breads, pastas, and desserts galore! We previously rolled out an Ube Yum Yams Box in 2022 with goodies including theirs, Tracy’s, Baked by Cara, and Tita Pearl.
Photos courtesy of Kapwa Gardens
Lady Victory SF is a woman- and Filipina-owned beverage catering service offering a “fully stocked bar with essential spirits and mixers, and all non-alcoholic beverages” (Lady Victory SF). These libations on location – a brainchild of SEED Network grantee and success story, Deanna Sison – are also eco-friendly and accessible, with compostable add-ons and a package range based on event scale.
Photos courtesy of Kapwa Gardens
Check our recent feature on Deanna Sison and her journey in last week’s Kultivate Labs blog post, “Celebrating AAPI Excellence — 5 Entrepreneurs Empowering SF’s Filipino Cultural District + Beyond.”
Photos courtesy of Kapwa Gardens
The Bread Basket Bakery – based on Mission Street in Daly City – has served customers across various cultural backgrounds and beyond the Bay Area with “hot mini pan de sal” and other delectable, Filipino treats. By highlighting our roots, community, and the hospitality cultivation that is key to our history, this corner bakery transformed into a “cornerstone” of its vibrant neighborhood.
Photos courtesy of Kapwa Gardens
Ube Area is also Pinay-owned, and functions as an ube-centered bakery in the Bay Area created by first-generation immigrants, Ren and Rina. Collectively inspired by their multi-generational upbringing, close ancestors, and urgency for ube to become a cultural connected in their families – Ren and Rina began to build their menu of “ube-based dessert with halaya.”
