Marissa Masajo was born and raised in the Philippines, and came to New York when she was 20 years old. Growing up in a food-centric family, she always cooked for her siblings and her relatives, but never thought she'd make a career out of it. Once in the US, however, she realized that she no longer wanted to finish the college education she had started in Manilla, and after much reflection, enrolled at ICE. She externed at Gramercy Tavern, and then stayed on full time for a year, working under Executive Chef Michael Anthony. She loved the work and her coworkers, she says, which made it hard to leave when she had the opportunity to work on the opening of a restaurant that resembles the one she hopes to open one day. She joined Ella Café in Williamsburg as opening sous chef, part of a small team that consists only of the chef, a cook, and Masajo. They began working on menu development and acquiring equipment in March 2007 and opened last July. The restaurant offers new American dishes prepared daily with mostly organic ingredients, Masajo says of what she and her coworkers consider their baby. She will however be leaving Ella Café behind in late August, to travel to Spain for a once-in-a-lifetime experience. The Spanish Trade Commission selected her as one of 20 young chefs from around the world to attend an 11-month training program in Spanish gastronomy for foreign professionals. The program starts with a month of Spanish lessons in Madrid, followed by a month of classes in Spanish culture and gastronomy. The chefs then spend the rest of the year in one-Michelin-star restaurants. Masajo will divide her time between El Chaflan in Madrid and Akelarre in San Sebastian. She does not exclude staying in Europe once the program is over, perhaps spending time in France. Her ultimate goal is to own a restaurant in the Philippines or in the US, which she envisions to be a small neighborhood place.