Her parents came to Portugal in the 90s to provide for the family, and she was able to join them only in 2000 after completing her college studies. Known as “the Diplomata”, she believes food builds bridges and warms hearts.
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You can see her moving at ease among her guests in her café in Linda-a-Velha, near Lisbon, making sure to check in with each one. Jayma is equally at ease behind the counter as she is at high-profile culinary events, where she fuses the variety of Asian dishes and flavours into a true “diplomatic” feast with the same warmth and grace.
Jayma’s story features cocoa beans, reminding of her Filipino heritage, her parents’ wedding photo, her graduation certificates, which speak of her discipline and determination as well as the Bible, her faithful companion. It also includes the wristwatch from her parents as a precious marker of time and presence, the necklace with her initial from college years, and, not least, the bilao – the traditional Filipino plate that gathers the family around the table.
JAYMA'S MOSAIC
Jayma and the measure of time
When Jayma’s parents returned to the Philippines after years away, they were struck by how much she had grown. At the nearest shop, they chose a wristwatch for her – a small gift that would become a faithful companion. “Even now,” Jayma reflects, “if you replaced the battery, it would still tick.”
For Jayma, the watch is more than a timepiece. It embodies the many dimensions of time: the years spent apart from her parents, the hours devoted to study and hard work, the care poured into cooking and food diplomacy, and the invaluable moments lived with intention. It is a reminder that while time cannot be reversed, it can be cherished, measured, and filled with meaning.