Velvet Ditch Coffee Roasters has begun serving a Filipino pop-up lunch menu courtesy of chef Irish Fe Leigh. Leigh runs Manila Skillet, a pop-up restaurant and food truck operating since 2016 beginning in Nashville, Tenn. Now, Manila Skillet caters Filipino cuisine throughout Oxford, Miss.
Leigh was born in the Philippines and spent her early childhood in Mandaluyong City before moving to Bulacan, where she was raised. From a young age, her parents nurtured her passion for cooking, introducing her to a wide variety of dishes from across the Philippines and inspiring her appreciation for the country’s rich culinary traditions.
“My passion started when I was young; I was like seven years old,” Leigh said. “Filipino culture is kind of like Hispanic culture, so we gathered together, just chatting and helping each other to chop the vegetables or meats. It’s just a fun way to get together with family, and since then, I always volunteered with my family”
Although Leigh’s passion has always been cooking, she pursued a bachelor’s degree in tourism from Our Lady of Fatima University in the Philippines. However, she eventually realized that a career as a flight attendant or tour guide was not the right path for her.
In 2013, Leigh met her husband, Lucas, and moved to Nashville, Tenn. The transition was not easy, and she often struggled with homesickness. During this time, her mother-in-law became an important source of support, especially when her husband was out of town. She encouraged Leigh to continue cooking dishes from her native country, helping her stay connected to her roots and easing the adjustment to her new life.
“I always cooked for her, and every time she loved my cooking. She was the one that inspired me,” Leigh said. “Since then, I started cooking for friends, and then they started asking, ‘Hey, can I buy this?’ … The rest is history.”
Leigh found comfort in cooking for Nashville’s relatively large Filipino community, which is estimated to total 1,000-2,000 people. She began catering to events such as weddings and graduation parties. In March 2020, she and her husband moved to Oxford in his home state of Mississippi.
“When we moved here to Oxford, I really wanted to continue my catering,” Leigh said. “I was kind of sad leaving Nashville because I was known there through catering, and my husband was like, ‘It’s okay, you can still continue it.’”
The move was only the beginning for Leigh. She began working in the kitchen at the Mississippi Veterans Home, making friends from many different cultures. Over time, the move to Oxford opened up many opportunities for her.
“I met Miss Betsy (Chapman), the director of the Oxford Community Market, and she accepted me as a vendor there,” Leigh said. “I was selling my coconut macaroons and chocolate crinkles, and those were the bestsellers there. I did not expect people to like those treats, but they kept coming back for more.”
Leigh began selling more than sweets thanks to Ole Miss Dining’s “Farmstand” food truck. On Thursdays, Leigh plans the truck’s menu, which has gained more exposure for Manila Skillet. Through the Yoknapatawpha Arts Council’s annual culinary fundraising event called the Snack Down, Leigh met Lesley Vance-Walkington, the owner of Velvet Ditch Coffee Roasters.
Vance-Walkington is particularly excited about the collaboration with Manila Skillet. The two were put in touch through Corbin Evans, the former head chef and owner of the now-closed Oxford Canteen.
“When she came to the interview, she brought a box of her goodies, with this layered pistachio cake and an elevated brownie,” Vance-Walkington said. “All the food was amazing. So I was like, okay, she could help, because I needed to offer a menu that was right for a coffee shop with some lunch and some breakfast options. After maybe two months, I started dropping hints that we should do a collaboration.”
The idea originally began in March 2025, but Leigh and Vance-Walkington finally agreed to begin a six-week pop-up this April. The lunch is offered on Fridays and Saturdays to accommodate Leigh’s other work with Manila Skillet. Despite the change of kitchens on these two days, Leigh still aims to preserve as much cultural authenticity within her dishes as possible.
“I tried to bake it as Filipino as possible,” Leigh said. “When you get Manila Skillet, you know it’s authentic because it could be gourmet or fusion or just mixing whatever. But I like people to get traditional, authentic food.”
The restaurant is serving a number of authentic Filipino entrees from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays for the next five weeks, including — but not limited to — a pork adobo and a pancit-bihon canton, which is a rice noodle dish with shredded chicken and vegetables. The restaurant also offers pineapple iced tea.
“I am just so happy and proud to be part of this with Lesley (Vance-Walkington), and to be part of someone else’s dream,” Leigh said. “That’s really the contentment I was looking for.”
