Sushi bake—we’ve been curious about it, we’ve tried it, we continue to crave it. Maybe you’ve even tried to make it. In our house, it was part of a Test Kitchen series with my mom when the pandemic first hit. In another household, it was the same. But for Bill and Joahnna Santillan, it’s a full-blown business.
Hōsaku Baked Trays started from a suggestion from a friend to sell sushi bake in Cebu since it was becoming a trend in Manila. Joahnna shares, “I immediately told Bill about the idea and both of us remembered our cousin in San Francisco serving us the dish.” Bill adds, “From that conversation, I immediately went to the grocery store the next day and bought the ingredients to make one for the family.” The next day, they posted it on Facebook Marketplace. The rest was history, as the saying goes.
Hōsaku, which means good harvest in Japanese, was first meant to promote enjoying food in the comfort of their customers’ homes. Now, they have a physical store. Encouraging words from customers like “Your trays are here to stay, go for it” and constant support from friends and family are what gave Bill and Jo the confidence to push their business forward.
Working corporate jobs and then diving into the food industry was an experience for the two. Their corporate background helped them handle customers, create their kitchen process, build relationships, and arrange logistics. It definitely prepared them, too. Through every challenge, they go back to their core principle of togetherness. Overall, it’s a continuous learning process for them.
Their tagline “Togetherness” is about being together with the people you love. “The pandemic made us realize what truly matters at the end of the day,” Jo says. “For us, togetherness is an action word—being together and practicing togetherness, such as sharing a good meal together at home, being connected with each person during the conversations that happen while sharing a meal,” Bill shares. They practice this as a family and hope to spread this message to others through Hōsaku.
With a menu of more than 10 sushi bake flavors, rice bowls, kaizen and kaizenis (mini versions of their kaizen), and sushi bake cakes, they continue to experiment to serve more flavors. Bill always took an interest in cooking. He does the research and tests the recipes until he finalizes them, while Jo decides how to garnish the tray and works on the packaging. “No tray goes out without my approval,” she jokes.
Jo’s favorites are the Karai Unagi, Nihon, and Samuragi. Bill’s favorites are the Niniku, Nihon, and Kaizen. Their best-sellers are the classic Samurai, Karai Unagi, Salmon Ikura, Niniku, and Nihon. Masago Mango is a favorite among children, and the Niniku is my personal pick.
From one sushi bake tray for their family to many sushi bake trays for other families, Hōsaku has quite literally become a household name. Customers bring their trays to dinners and get-togethers. Some bring it as a pasalubong when they travel from Cebu, while others send the trays as gifts.
Bill shares, “What made Hōsaku somehow a growing brand in Cebu is because of all the support and help we have been receiving from Cebuanos, and the customers who give us their feedback about how we can improve.” Saying that their customers do it in the most encouraging way, Bill concludes, “It’s actually the very essence of togetherness in action.”
Hōsaku ensures the freshness and quality of ingredients in their dishes. Cleanliness is also a must in their kitchen as everything is always in order and in the right place.
You’re probably craving sushi bake after reading this. To order, you can find them on Instagram @hosakutrays and on Facebook @hosakutrayscebu. Visit their store along Pope John Paul II Avenue, across The Greenery.
Photography Miguel Belen