Sixta Evangelista Ongpauco was a food lover, a great cook and a woman of sound business sense. Mama Chit, as she was affectionately called, loved to cook for her friends at her home on Highway 54 in Caloocan. In 1958, Mama Chit officially opened her home as Barrio Fiesta, one of the country's first fine dining restaurants.
Mama Chit's special way of preparing pork knuckles or pata, coupled with her son Rodolfo's innovation of frying the pork
until perfectly crisp, was how the Crispy Pata was invented. Paired with the Filipino specialty Kare-Kare, Barrio Fiesta's specialty drew crowds to the first of many restaurants Mama Chit and her family would establish.
With the help of her eight children, Mama Chit expanded Barrio Fiesta to numerous branches nation-wide and in other countries. Corazon Ongpauco Tamayo heads the Barrio Fiesta Greenhills Group which currently owns and manages Barrio Fiesta on EDSA (Greenhills) and in Dela Rosa Carpark 2 in Makati. It also owns
and manages Good Mixes by Barrio Fiesta in Valero Carpark 2 in Makati, serving a spin on Filipino favorites at more affordable prices.
Barrio Fiesta Greenhills also owns and manages Fiesta International Catering Services, a full-service catering company that offers an array of international cuisines, elegant dining set-ups
and good value for money.
