Twenty-five boxes of queso de bola would overwhelm most households. For writer and food creator, Ron Mojica Gonzales, they became an opportunity to experiment.
“A friend gave me like 25 boxes of queso be bola,” he recalls. Unsure what to do with the unexpected surplus, Gonzales began making pimiento spread. He brought it to the office, shared it with colleagues, and soon found himself fielding requests for more. The spread eventually became one of the products offered through Ronskyeats, alongside a growing selection of creations inspired by familiar Filipino flavors.
The episode reflects a pattern that has followed Gonzales throughout much of his life. By his own description, he is someone who always needs a project. Once he learns on skill, his attention often shifts to another challenge. Over the years, that instinct has led him into different creative pursuits. Food became one of the most rewarding outlets for that curiosity.
Although many people now know him through his food products, Gonzales still considers himself a writer first. He approaches ideas much the same way he approaches ingredients—with a willingness to see where they might lead. Whether working on a story or experimenting in the kitchen, he is drawn to possibilities more than formulas.
Long before he began selling food, Gonzales enjoyed recreating dishes he encountered in restaurants. If he liked something, he would try making it at home. Friends often became willing taste-testers. Eventually, however, reproducing recipes became less interesting than exploring what else could be done with the ingredients themselves.
That mindset is evident throughout his work. A questo de bola pimiento spread became the filling for a lumpia that offered a richer take of the familiar cheese stick. Tinapa found its way into preparations beyond the usual serving suggestions. Familiar ingredients became starting points, rather than limitations.
When asked how ideas such as Queso de Bola Aligue Pasta come together, Gonzales offers a characteristically simple answer.
“I just think of something that’s like, this might work.”
The remark sounds casual, yet it captures the way he approaches food. Rather than beginning with a detailed plan, he often starts with a possibility. An ingredient catches his attention. A flavor combination comes to mind. The next step is simply to try it and see what happens.
His cooking style follows the same instinctive approach. Unlike baking, which he found too structured, cooking gives him room to improvise. Experience has taught him to trust his senses more than measurements.
Ingredients are adjusted according to taste, textures, and aroma. Recipes serve as guides rather than strict instructions. The process is experimental, but it is also informed by years of cooking for family and friends. The goal is not necessarily to be precise, but to create something that feels right.
Many of Gonzales’ products began with ingredients that Filipinos already know well. Queso de bola, tinapa, and garlic appear repeatedly in his work because they offer flavors that people recognize and enjoy—and that he enjoys as well.
“I like cooking Filipino food because it is simple and it’s not pretentious,” he explains.
That preference shapes the identity of his creations. While the combinations may be unexpected, they remain approachable. The ingredients are familiar, even when presented in a different form. People may encounter a flavor pairing they have not tried before, but there is usually something recognizable and often, delightfully surprising.
The appeal of Filipino food, for Gonzales, goes beyond ingredients. He appreciates the straightforward nature and the way it fits naturally into gatherings. A meal does not need to be elaborate to be memorable. Some of the meals he remembers most fondly are also among the simplest—shared with friends and family around a table.
Asked about meaningful food experiences, Gonzales does not discuss recipes. Instead, he talks about people sitting together, enjoying a meal and each other’s company. Whether preparing food for a large gathering or a simple meal shared among friends, what stays with him is the experience of eating together.
“I really like feeding people,” he says. wf Cesar Cruz Jr.
