Walbert Castillo is a storyteller. He has only been in Las Vegas for a year and a half, but the documentary producer—latest project Climate Next is streaming on Prime Video—has already begun sharing the stories of his immigrant family and cultural identity through something that bonds us all together: food.
Originally from the Chicago area, Castillo moved from Washington, D.C., to Vegas to help take care of his parents, and when he learned about the abundant and dynamic Filipino community here, he knew he was in the right place to continue the story he had already started scripting. “My parents immigrated to this country in the 1970s; my mom had me at age 46 … and I’m an only child. I’ve always felt disconnected to my heritage,” he says. “Growing up, I joined groups and organizations that were specifically Filipino to learn more about my culture, where I come from, and the one thing I noticed across these organizations is that the feeling of being disconnected is shared by many.”
Creating and strengthening those connections is one of the primary goals of Istorya, Castillo’s experiential pop-up dinner concept that has already hosted a few events in Las Vegas. With help from a creative team and the talents of Catherine Carlucci—former executive sous chef at Momofuku—Istorya’s Origin series is highlighting the cuisine of the pre-colonial Philippines, a topic researched deeply by Castillo in collaboration with author and historian Felice Prudente Sta. Maria, vice president of the Food Writers Association of the Philippines.
That means the ceviche-like kinilaw with bigeye tuna, coconut and lime, and the fire-roasted ube with turmeric cream served at this week’s sold-out pop-up at Vegas Test Kitchen is food you won’t get anywhere else, and a story you won’t consume any other way. “This is still Chapter 1, and in the ingredients we’re serving are inspired by what was native to the island before 300 years of colonization,” Castillo says. “We want to tell these different chapters over time. The second might be a Chinese-influenced menu, the third might be Spanish.”
If you can’t snag a seat at the Test Kitchen, don’t worry—the series will continue, and those ready for the next chapter should subscribe to the newsletter at istoryalv.com for updates. Castillo and his team plan to keep building in Las Vegas and eventually take the experience across the country, making more connections before ultimately working on a restaurant. There’s a lot left to this story.
ISTORYA ORIGINS POP-UP DINNER April 25, 5 p.m., limited walk-in reservations available at secretburger.com. Vegas Test Kitchen, istoryalv.com.
Click HERE to subscribe for free to the Weekly Fix, the digital edition of Las Vegas Weekly! Stay up to date with the latest on Las Vegas concerts, shows, restaurants, bars and more, sent directly to your inbox!
