A recipe passed down: The mothers behind Acacia Alley's three-decade legacy

MANILA, Philippines — Some restaurants are built by chefs. Acacia Alley was built by mothers.

In the heritage square of Santa Rosa, Laguna, a family home has been feeding people for more than three decades. What began as a modest refreshment parlor in 1992 has grown into one of Laguna's most trusted names in catering and events — the kind of place people come to for their wedding, and then again for their children's baptism years later. At the heart of it is a story of three generations of women who shaped it with their hands, their instincts, and the belief that good food is never just about the food.

The foundation was laid long before the business had a name. Debora Carpena-Carteciano, a self-taught cook with a generous spirit, was the first to define what Acacia Alley would taste like. Her dishes — Seafood Paella, Lengua con Champignon, Pork Hamonado, Cordon Bleu, and Spanish Chicken Caldereta — remain on the menu to this day. More than recipes, she set the tone for how guests would be received: not as customers, but as family — which is why, to this day, many call Debora and Didette'Tita'.

Her daughter, Didette Carteciano, turned that legacy into a livelihood. After years of working long, irregular hours as a ground stewardess, she was looking for a change. After a fire damaged the family living room in the 90s, what could have remained a loss was transformed into the restaurant’s dining space. Her father named it Acacia Alley, after the tree that had long stood on the family lot.

Over the years, Didette has guided the business through economic uncertainty, shifting consumer habits, and the upheaval of the COVID-19 pandemic, during which the restaurant pivoted to meal deliveries and packaged offerings to stay afloat. Through it all, the warmth that Debora first brought to the table has never left.

The newest chapter belongs to Gianne Itaralde, Didette’s daughter, whose formal culinary training and creative direction left a visible mark across the business. From leading the pastry program and designing the website, to driving digital marketing and overseeing event styling, her contributions expanded Acacia Alley's reach and brought in a new generation of clients. The result was a business that not only held its ground, but grew.

Today, Acacia Alley’s client list reads like a cross-section of Philippine life — families marking personal milestones, major corporations, top universities, government institutions, clients from some of the country’s most recognized productions, and US-based customers and businesses planning events in the Philippines. Its consistently high ratings and long list of returning clients reflect the trust Acacia Alley has earned over more than three decades. That longevity, and the loyalty behind it, is perhaps the clearest measure of what three generations of women have built.

That, perhaps, is the most fitting Mother's Day story there is. Not one of grand gestures, but of women who showed up, fed people, served their community, and built something that lasted.

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