How A Daughter’s Simple Show Of Appreciation Gave Her Father’s Passion A Platform

It was just a simple show of appreciation. 

Eden Padel was on her way to school last March 6 when she saw her father Dioscoro preparing equipment for his cooking vlog.

Noticing his excitement, Eden decided to film him and post it on her TikTok account as he tested his setup, which included a phone and an improvised vlogging stick. 

“He is so happy because he can finally do what he loves, which is cooking. Look at that, so cute! He even told me to edit his vlogs. I will be here supporting you papa! I love you!” Eden said in the video.

But little did Eden know that this would resonate with millions of viewers on the platform, that her appreciation would give her father a wide platform on top of beginning his cooking vlog.

“I did not expect that there would be a lot of children like me who were moved by the video. I am so happy for my father because the video went viral and he gained lots of subscribers. If anything, I am even happier than he is,” she told The Philippine STAR / OneNews.PH on Wednesday, March 15. 

Some netizens commented about parental love on top of cheering on Dioscoro in the video, which has 4.1 million views and 654,300 likes as of writing. 

“I miss my dad. Watching this makes me sad [because] he passed away last year. He loves vlogging and taking pictures too,” one netizen commented. 

“Nothing beats the feeling of seeing your parents happy and enjoying what they do,” said another in Filipino.

The elder Padel was also surprised with video going viral, saying he was not aware that his daughter was recording him.

“I did not know that she was on her camera! I’ve always been enthusiastic like this. Whenever I do something, it always comes from the heart. It’s been like that for me,” he told The STAR / OneNews.PH.

A chef through and through 

 But how exactly did Dioscoro’s passion for cooking, and eventually vlogging, start? 

Dioscoro said he had been a chef for the longest time.

His earliest memory involved his first job as a cook in Manila in his youth before graduating with a Hotel and Restaurant Management degree.

After graduation, he said his first professional experience was in a Makati restaurant in Salcedo, before moving on to fast food chains along with other restaurants. 

“I started working professionally in Trelli’s Restaurant in Makati, I think it’s near a subdivision. Eventually I moved to Goldilocks where I lasted eight years, then on to Chowking in Tandang Sora and so many others I have forgotten,” he narrated. 

Eden recalled that her father had always been their household’s cook. Even during occasions, he would be the one to prepare their dishes instead of ordering outside, she added.

It was only in 2020 that Dioscoro first felt the urge to vlog. He said that he wanted to share his passion to a wider audience and teach others how home-cooked recipes can be transformed into restaurant-quality dishes.

“I thought to myself, what if I share my cooking skills with people? So that kids or other audiences learn how to cook home-cooked recipes. Even simple recipes like that taste good, and I’ve been preparing those for my children so I’m really confident,” he said. 

However, plans did not materialize until 2023. While a YouTube channel was created for him in 2020, Dioscoro eventually became busy with their sari-sari store. He also cited the lack of a decent camera and the challenges brought about by the pandemic.

Earlier this month, Dioscoro said they were able to borrow an iPhone, which made him determined anew to revive his YouTube channel. 

“The day I got the iPhone camera, starting the vlog was what was on my mind completely. I thought to myself that this was the opportunity I was waiting for. I had finally gotten a good camera,” he said. 

By March 7, a day after his daughter’s now-viral TikTok,  Dioscoro uploaded his first recipe – his take on "humba," a Visayan braised pork dish recipe. 

Moving forward 

As of writing, Dioscoro’s channel has nearly 29,000 subscribers and over 65,000 views. A peek at the comment sections show a lot of viewers discovering Dioscoro through his daughter’s TikTok. 

Eden expressed gratitude to those who supported her father, noting how it affected him positively. 

“Thank you because you supported my father… I am so happy that he has gained lots of subscribers. This has made him very happy and extra motivated to vlog so thank you, you have done so much,” she said.

Dioscoro shared the same sentiments and reiterated that he only wanted to share his passion for cooking and the potential of simple, home-cooked recipes. 

“There are no more challenges and I will keep on vlogging now… This is my passion so I will keep on going as there is nothing to lose. What I want to do in life is to just cook and cook and cook,” he said. 

As for the future of the vlog, Dioscoro said that he has recipes beyond home-cooked meals, including an affordable take on Korean cuisine among others. 

“I still have a lot of recipes up my sleeve, authentic ones even...Included here are Korean recipes because I also cooked in a Korean restaurant. For example, their gochujang sauce, I use chili with tomato paste instead. So what I do is a home-cooked version of these recipes,” he added.