Pao grew up trying different cuisines and dishes thanks to grandparents, parents, aunts, and uncles who cooked and served what they ate as kids from the provinces instead of what they thought kids should like. Pao came of age discovering the works and advocacies of OGs like Anthony Bourdain, Doreen Fernandez, Fernando Zialcita, Ige Ramos, and Ambeth Ocampo, to name a few. He hopes to play his part in continuing the mission.