In August, diners gathered at Kuya Lord, a small restaurant located in Los Angeles’ Melrose Hill neighborhood, for a kamayan feast—a traditional Filipino communal meal served on banana leaves and eaten by hand. The event was hosted by chef and restaurateur Lord Maynard Llera, who periodically announces these feasts through social media.

The spread featured a variety of Filipino dishes carefully arranged on a long table, showcasing a range of flavors and preparations. Among the offerings were vegetable-filled lumpia, soft-shell crabs sautéed in garlic and crab fat, whole branzino, grilled chicken brushed with herb butter, and pancit chami—noodles mixed with scallops, fish cake, and shredded vegetables. Grilled Jimmy Nardello peppers also appeared on the spread.

A standout dish at the feast was the short rib kare kare, a braised beef specialty served in a rich peanut sauce accentuated by fermented shrimp paste. The dish was accompanied by fried long beans and smoked shiitake mushrooms, creating a complex and layered flavor profile.

Many of these dishes are featured on Kuya Lord’s regular menu. Diners who order the “Kuya tray” receive pancit, rice, and a choice among five different meats or seafood, offering a sample of the diverse flavors typical of Llera’s cuisine.

Llera is widely recognized for his role in advancing contemporary Filipino food in the Los Angeles dining scene. Whether enjoyed as takeout, plated in the restaurant, or shared communally at a kamayan feast, his dishes provide an authentic and meaningful experience of Filipino culinary traditions.