Jamie Balmores was just another Filipino nurse who dreamt of giving his family a better life.
Armed with a degree and years of experience, he flew to Edmonton, Canada 10 years ago in the hopes of being able to provide a better future and expand his wings in a country thousands of kilometers away from home.
10 years later, Jamie Balmores is the proud owner of Edmonton’s Best Food Truck named Jeepney Jaytee, has been hailed as Entrepreneur of the Year, and has sponsorships from the likes of Lexus of Edmonton West, Lucky Supermarket, and Great Smile Dental Clinic.
So, how did he move from being a nurse to owning the number one food truck in Edmonton, Canada?
Jaytee, as he is fondly known, has always loved cooking and during his breaks and days off when he was still a nurse, he would offer his food to the staff in the hospital he works for and in nearby places. People loved his food so much that they started ordering from him for celebrations and parties. This is where the idea of a food truck stemmed from.
Armed with a few savings, passion, and a lot of courage, Jaytee opened his food truck in 2015 and has not looked back since. He won Best Food Truck in 2016 and 2017 and won Entrepreneur of the YEar in 2016 as well. He has guested on national TV in Canada over 100x and has consistently shared his love of Filipino food with an international audience.
Jeepney Jaytee serves authentic Filipino food. To ensure that the dishes he serves are as authentic as possible, Jaytee visits the Philippines from time to time to try out the best dishes it has to offer. Jeepney Jaytee is proud to share with Canadians why Philippine food is one of the best in the world and this is apparent in the long lines that can be seen outside his food truck wherever they go.
Jaytee is living proof that dreams, when paired with hard work and determination, can become a reality. From being a nurse who wanted to provide a good life for his family back here in the Philippines to becoming Edmonton’s Best Food Truck and one of the most well known brand ambassador, Jaytee proves time and again that the Filipino is a force to be reckoned with.