Master BBQ Asheville: A Legacy of Filipino Cuisine and Neighborliness
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Master BBQ Food Truck submerged in river after storm
Lola Rosa Cruz Francisco started the 3 Sisters Restaurant with her husband Leon Francisco in the 1940’s. It was told that she named the restaurant after a cosmetic ad that was always on the radio.
The original restaurant on A. Mabini Street in Kapasigan, Pasig. It was a restaurant on the ground floor and the Francisco home on the top floor. It was sort of a landmark until the early 70’s when it relocated to Barrio Kapitolyo.
In 2021, my wife, Julia, and I brought this legacy to the United States. We first established Master BBQ in Los Angeles as a catering business, introducing Lola Rosa’s 80-year-old recipes to a new audience. After building a loyal following, we relocated to Asheville, North Carolina, where we found a welcoming community that inspired us to expand further.
We transitioned from catering and pop-ups to a permanent food trailer stationed at Zillicoah Beer Co., serving traditional Filipino dishes daily. This was a dream realized—combining our culinary heritage with Asheville’s vibrant brewery scene. Thanks to the support of local breweries, our community, family, and friends, we transformed from pop-up events to a daily food service operation.
Then, Hurricane Helene hit, devastating our trailer. Two-thirds of the truck was submerged in water, destroying appliances, warping the flooring, and washing away all our catering and pop-up supplies. Despite this overwhelming setback, we knew our community came first.
As Filipinos, it is innate in us to help others in times of need. In the days after the hurricane, we put the needs of the community before our own. Despite the damage to our truck, we continued to feed those affected, partnering with other local restaurants to reach more people in need. Serving our community has always been at the heart of Master BBQ, and this difficult time was no different.
Prepping meals for the community
Continuously, we do our best to feed more people, even as we face the challenges of rebuilding. For more than 20 years, cooking has been my passion, and serving this community—whether in Los Angeles or Asheville—brings us immense pride.
Despite the damage to our truck, we continued to feed those affected, partnering with other local restaurants to reach more people in need.
Although our trailer has been sent to Georgia for assessment and our insurance claim has been denied, we remain determined to overcome these obstacles. Our team, who depends on the truck for their livelihood, are also eager to get back to work and continue serving the community.
Truck owners Paul Pike (beige apron) and wife Julia (gray apron) with team of Asheville community volunteers.
With your support, we hope to rebuild and return to doing what we love: serving Filipino comfort food to the people of Asheville.
Gofundme for Master BBQ AVL
To help in rebuilding the Master BBQ food truck: https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-rebuild-master-bbq-after-hurricane-helene
Paul Pike owns and runs Master BBQ in Asheville, North Carolina.
