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Nicole Ponseca Biography

Nicole Ponseca is a respected thought leader and trailblazer in the Asian/Pacific American and Filipino culinary and cultural space, as well as the hospitality industry at large. With a foundation in advertising, she invigorated the conversation around Filipino identity and cuisine in the United States and helped bring Filipino food into the global spotlight.

Early in her career, Ponseca balanced her work as an advertising executive with behind‑the‑scenes roles in restaurants—from hostess to bartender, server and manager—as she immersed herself in every aspect of the hospitality world. Her deep engagement with food and community culminated in the success of her restaurants, including Maharlika and Jeepney, and the publication of her best‑selling debut cookbook “I Am a Filipino,” a seminal exploration of Filipino culinary heritage that earned a James Beard Award nomination.

For nearly two decades, Ponseca has traveled throughout the Philippines’ 7,100+ islands, seeking ancestral recipes, tools and stories that illuminate a richly diverse yet historically under‑documented culture. Her work has become a touchstone for understanding Filipino food as both a cultural force and a living tradition, influencing chefs, food lovers and cultural conversations worldwide.

She has expanded her role beyond chef and restaurateur to become a prominent Diversity, Equity & Inclusion speaker, food journalist and cultural commentator. An outspoken advocate for Asian/Pacific American, Black and LGBTQ+ communities, she brings honesty, resilience and empathy to her work, shaped in part by her own journey of overcoming childhood abuse and domestic violence.

Ponseca is a sought‑after speaker for companies, Employee Resource Groups and organizations seeking to deepen their understanding of inclusive leadership, cultural identity and community building. Her talks are known for being vibrant, heartfelt and inspiring, offering practical insights that help teams cultivate empathy, diversity and purpose in both their professional and personal lives.

Contact a speaker booking agent to check availability on Nicole Ponseca and other top speakers and celebrities.

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Speaker profile last updated by AAE Talent Team on 01/08/2026.

Nicole Ponseca Speaking Topics

  • DEI in the Workplace and Society: Through the Lens of Food and Community

    Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in the workplace and society, through the lens of the universal language of food. Join chef, author and restaurateur, Nicole Ponseca, as she discusses the importance of representation, not only in the workplace but within corporate leadership. Nicole reveals her story of a lack of representation as a catalyst for her venture into the restaurant industry, and her own experiences with workplace diversity. Nicole conducts a cooking demonstration of a staple Filipino dish to offer insight into elements unique to Filipino culture, breaks down the Asian monolith, yet also provides similarities in food culture that we can all relate to.

  • My Entrepreneurial Journey: Corporate America to the Restaurant Industry

    Entrepreneurial journey from corporate America to the restaurant industry as a female person of color. Join chef, author and restaurateur, Nicole Ponseca, as she tells her inspiring story of working in corporate advertising by day and moonlighting in restaurants by night, in order to achieve her dream of opening her own restaurants and putting Filipino food on the map. Nicole discusses her journey – both highs and lows – of being a successful female minority entrepreneur in a male-dominated industry, the pressures of being the first in the door, lessons learned, and what lies ahead.

Nicole Ponseca Videos

OMSOM Chef Stories: Nicole Ponseca

OMSOM Chef Stories: Nicole Ponseca

Nicole Ponseca speaks about her Filipino background and influence that she brings to Jeepney- a restaurant located in the lower east side.

Flavors of Fairchild: Experience the Bold Vision of Chef Nicole

Flavors of Fairchild: Experience the Bold Vision of Chef Nicole

Join us for Flavors of Fairchild a one-night-only dining experience with Chef Nicole Ponseca; trailblazing author & restaurateur.

Chef Nicole Ponseca embraces recognition for Filipino Americans

Chef Nicole Ponseca embraces recognition for Filipino Americans

Chef and cookbook author Nicole Ponseca is embracing the wave of recognition Filipino-Americans are experiencing on a national stage. CBS2's Kristine...

See All Videos »

I Am a Filipino: And This Is How We Cook
I Am a Filipino: And This Is How We Cook

  • How do I book Nicole Ponseca to speak at my event?

    Our experienced booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure speakers like Nicole Ponseca for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment since 2002. Click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page to check availability for Nicole Ponseca, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get speaking fee information and check availability for Nicole Ponseca or any other speaker of your choice.

  • What are the speaker fees for Nicole Ponseca

    Speaking fees for Nicole Ponseca, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The estimated fees to book Nicole Ponseca are $10,000 - $20,000 for live events and under $10,000 for virtual events. For the most current speaking fee to hire Nicole Ponseca, click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to speak directly with an experienced booking agent.

  • What topics does Nicole Ponseca speak about?

    Nicole Ponseca is a keynote speaker and industry expert whose speaking topics include Asian & Pacific Heritage, Author, Business, Business Leadership, Celebrity Chef, Celebrity Chef, Culture, DEI, Disruptive Thinking, Diversity & Inclusion, Empowerment, Entrepreneurship, Health & Wellness, Hospitality, Leadership, Non-Fiction Authors, Personal Growth, Social Activism, Thought Leadership

  • Where does Nicole Ponseca travel from?

    Nicole Ponseca generally travels from Miami, FL, USA, but can be booked for private corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. For more details, please contact an AAE Booking agent.

  • Who is Nicole Ponseca’s agent?

    AAE Speakers Bureau has successfully booked keynote speakers like Nicole Ponseca for clients worldwide since 2002. As a full-service speaker booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the world. Our agents are happy and able to submit an offer to the speaker or celebrity of your choice, letting you benefit from our reputation and long-standing relationships in the industry. Please click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page including the details of your event, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536, and one of our agents will assist you to book Nicole Ponseca for your next private or corporate function.

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    AAE Speakers Bureau is a full-service speaker booking agency, meaning we can completely manage the speaker’s or celebrity’s engagement with your organization from the time of booking your speaker through the event’s completion. We provide all of the services you need to host Nicole Ponseca or any other speaker of your choice, including offer negotiation, contractual assistance, accounting and billing, and event speaker travel and logistics services. When you book a speaker with us, we manage the process of hosting a speaker for you as an extension of your team. Our goal is to give our clients peace of mind and a best-in-class service experience when booking a speaker with us.

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    If you’re looking for the best, unbiased speaker recommendations, paired with a top-notch customer service experience, you’re in the right place. At AAE Speakers Bureau, we exclusively represent the interests of our clients - professional organizations, companies, universities, and associations. We intentionally do not represent the speakers we feature or book. That is so we can present our clients with the broadest and best performing set of speaker options in the market today, and we can make these recommendations without any obligation to promote a specific speaker over another. This is why when our agents suggest a speaker for your event, you can be assured that they are of the highest quality with a history of proven success with our other clients.

Nicole Ponseca is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics such as DEI in the Workplace and Society: Through the Lens of Food and Community and My Entrepreneurial Journey: Corporate America to the Restaurant Industry. The estimated speaking fee range to book Nicole Ponseca for your event is $10,000 - $20,000. Nicole Ponseca generally travels from Miami, FL, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. Similar motivational celebrity speakers are Michelle Li, Aarti Sequeira, Sharon Gai, David Chang and Claudia Chan. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling Nicole Ponseca for an upcoming live or virtual event.

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