About Us
Rosel’s offers the best Filipino food experience you can find in Waterloo region. Our well-trained team is committed to excellence and quality in service. We work to source the freshest local ingredients so that we can support our amazing community while making sure that you have the most flavourful and authentic food experience we can offer.
Check out more of Rosel’s story below!
Discover the heart and soul of Rosel’s!
Chef Rosel
Our Head Chef and owner of Rosel’s. Rosel was born and raised in Manila, Philippines. She grew up in a poor family in Manila. She remembers on multiple occasions having to beg food from the neighbors. Many nights she remembers going to bed hungry. From a very young age she has wanted to be a chef and to always have food on the table.
When it was time for her to go to college or university she wanted to go to culinary school. Unfortunately, her family could not afford this. So, she attended College of the Philippines instead and took a business degree. She studied in Bachelor of Science Business Administration, Major in Management. She held onto her dream though of eventually being able to do something with food. During university she had her daughter Aileen. Upon finishing University, Rosel decided to move to Hong Kong as a nanny and earn money for her family back home. While she was in Hong Kong she always heard talk of Canada.
After a couple years in Hongkong she made plans to come to Canada and work as a nanny. For several years, she worked as a nanny and sending money back home. Both for her family and to provide for her daughter. Also while she was working as a nanny she met her soon to be husband Chris. Once she was able to work openly in Canada she was able to get a job as a custodian at the University of Waterloo. During this time she was working at UW she enrolled at St Louis Adult Learning in Kitchener. She joined the Culinary Arts program. The next step to fulfilling her dream. She was in school from 8am to 3pm, then at UW from 6pm to 2am. There was not much sleep for her during this time. She did her work placement at Proof Kitchen and Lounge in Waterloo. When that began, she left her job at UW. She worked at Proof as a Garde Manger up to the time when she took her next big step.
She opened her Popup in Kitchener at the Wooden Boat restaurant location. This was a fantastic opportunity for her. She got some first-hand experience in running her own business/kitchen and got her first taste of what running her own restaurant would be like. She was at that location for a year before covid hit. During covid she was able to do some sporadic catering for small groups. But she knew what the next step would be: in July of 2021 she opened her own restaurant, Rosel’s. She is living her dream as a chef!
Rosel is so happy and excited to be able to share her Filipino food and smile with all her guests. She is a big proponent of making quality food that is full of flavour and made with love. She also strives to be environmentally conscious with regards to use of packaging in her restaurant. Also, a huge part of her enjoyment comes from being able to give back. With Rosel growing up poor, she always wanted to give back and help those less fortunate. One of the ways she does this is through Kids Against Hunger Canada. From every sale that we put through, Rosel’s donates $1 to KAHC. This money goes to the needy in Canada, around the world and a big focus is in the Philippines.
Rosel pours her heart into every dish she prepares. Her delightful smile, infectious laugh and delicious food are what makes her into the incredible chef that she is. Living her dream of being a Chef.
Discover the heart and soul of Rosel’s!
Chef Rosel
Our Head Chef and owner of Rosel’s. Rosel was born and raised in Manila, Philippines. She grew up in a poor family in Manila. She remembers on multiple occasions having to beg food from the neighbors. Many nights she remembers going to bed hungry. From a very young age she has wanted to be a chef and to always have food on the table.
When it was time for her to go to college or university she wanted to go to culinary school. Unfortunately, her family could not afford this. So, she attended College of the Philippines instead and took a business degree. She studied in Bachelor of Science Business Administration, Major in Management. She held onto her dream though of eventually being able to do something with food. During university she had her daughter Aileen. Upon finishing University, Rosel decided to move to Hong Kong as a nanny and earn money for her family back home. While she was in Hong Kong she always heard talk of Canada.
After a couple years in Hongkong she made plans to come to Canada and work as a nanny. For several years, she worked as a nanny and sending money back home. Both for her family and to provide for her daughter. Also while she was working as a nanny she met her soon to be husband Chris. Once she was able to work openly in Canada she was able to get a job as a custodian at the University of Waterloo. During this time she was working at UW she enrolled at St Louis Adult Learning in Kitchener. She joined the Culinary Arts program. The next step to fulfilling her dream. She was in school from 8am to 3pm, then at UW from 6pm to 2am. There was not much sleep for her during this time. She did her work placement at Proof Kitchen and Lounge in Waterloo. When that began, she left her job at UW. She worked at Proof as a Garde Manger up to the time when she took her next big step.
She opened her Popup in Kitchener at the Wooden Boat restaurant Location. This was a fantastic opportunity for her. She got some first-hand experience in running her own business/kitchen and got her first taste of what running her own restaurant would be like. She was at that location for a year before covid hit. During covid she was able to do some sporadic catering for small groups. But she knew what the next step would be: in July of 2021 she opened her own restaurant, Rosel’s. She is living her dream as a chef!
Rosel is so happy and excited to be able to share her Filipino food and smile with all her guests. She is a big proponent of making quality food that is full of flavour and made with love. She also strives to be environmentally conscious with regards to use of packaging in her restaurant. Also, a huge part of her enjoyment comes from being able to give back. With Rosel growing up poor, she always wanted to give back and help those less fortunate. One of the ways she does this is through Kids Against Hunger Canada. From every sale that we put through, Rosel’s donates $1 to KAHC. This money goes to the needy in Canada, around the world and a big focus is in the Philippines.
Rosel pours her heart into every dish she prepares. Her delightful smile, infectious laugh and delicious food are what makes her into the incredible chef that she is. Living her dream of being a Chef.
You can check out the great work that Kids Against Hunger is doing by clicking their logo below!
