What began as a nostalgic craving for Taiwanese street food has grown into a thriving family-run culinary brand, as Jipai Taiwan Fried Chicken opened its first full-service restaurant in Cebu City earlier this month.
Founded in 2022 with a modest startup capital of P60,000, Jipai was born from the experience of Adrian Barba, a former overseas Filipino worker in Taiwan who developed a fondness for “Jipai” — a popular street food known for its crispy, flavorful fried chicken cutlets.
Upon returning to the Philippines, Adrian and his family set out to recreate the taste that brought comfort during his time abroad.
Together with his wife Margie and daughter Marj Adrienne, the family spent months perfecting a recipe that balanced authenticity with the Filipino palate.
Their efforts culminated in the launch of Jipai Taiwan Fried Chicken at Sugbo Mercado, one of Cebu’s most vibrant night markets.
The brand’s first major evolution came a year later, during a family trip to Thailand. Inspired by the bold flavors they encountered during a traditional Thai cooking class, the Barbas decided to expand their menu to include Thai cuisine.
Pad Thai was the first addition — and a turning point. The fusion of Taiwanese and Thai street food gave Jipai a distinct identity and helped it stand out in Cebu’s competitive food scene.
As the menu grew, so did the brand’s presence. In 2024, Jipai opened new branches in Banawa, Horizons 101, and Talamban.
These locations catered to a growing customer base, attracted by the brand’s signature fried chicken and newly introduced Thai dishes.
On April 4, 2025, the company made its biggest move yet with the launch of a full-service restaurant at Escario Central.
The new outlet features a wider menu that now includes Thai spring rolls, Tom Yum fried rice, and Thai milk tea, offering customers a more relaxed and complete dining experience.
Despite the expansion, the path has not been without challenges. Jipai’s distinct flavors were initially unfamiliar to many local diners.
To address this, the team conducted multiple rounds of taste testing, adjusted recipes to reflect local preferences, and substituted some hard-to-source ingredients with accessible alternatives.
These changes allowed the brand to retain its identity while becoming more approachable to a broader audience.
Marj Adrienne Barba, who leads day-to-day operations, emphasized the importance of staying hands-on, listening to customer feedback, and remaining flexible in an unpredictable industry.
She credits regular taste testing and customer engagement as key factors behind their sustained growth.
Looking ahead, the Barba family envisions expanding Jipai into malls and other key cities across the Philippines, with the long-term goal of bringing their fusion of Taiwanese and Thai street food to a national audience.
BusinessNews.ph