Read below an excerpt of this month’s MEGA Man cover star on how he became more than “Fabio the Model.“
Related: From Superhero To Super Dad: The Anatomy Of Fabio Ide
Although his triumph as entrepreneur seems like it was handed to him, it couldn’t be less true. Ide completely threw himself into the businesses, working hard to contribute to the success of their concepts. Today, The Palace and its affiliated restaurants and bars are considered the pinnacle of Manila night life. When asked how he managed both a career in showbiz and helping run a massively popular business, Ide says it was all about the drive to making it work.
Full suit by VIN ORIAS
I love acting and portraying other characters, but I have all these businesses, and I want them to succeed. I put a lot of time and effort in to make that happen.
Fabio Ide
With a newly found entrepreneurial spirit, Ide then decided it was time to expand his portfolio as a proprietor even further. He was invited to join an array of concepts, such as Boteco Brasil in Poblacion (which he helped create), Siargao-based bar Zicatela, BGC café Nomi, and Japanese restaurant-bar Nomu. The latter two eventually closed down during the pandemic, but Ide prays that one day, in different circumstances, they will be reborn.
Like any smart businessman, Ide needed to come up with something new during the current pandemic. He knew that Nomi had great potential, but unfortunately, slow foot traffic forced him to shut down the physical store. Knowing that the restaurant’s açaí bowls were always received with great fanfare, he decided to open Açaí Vibe, an Instagram store that sells frozen açaí for home consumption. “We thought we could only serve it in the store, but we had to adapt online. We moved the [açaí soft serve] machine from Nomi to a new, little [work space].
Patches denim jacket by GUESS, Ripped jeans by GUESS, Sneakers by MASSIMO DUTTI
It was summer at the time, and people were really craving for something healthy, cold, and delicious. People started ordering non-stop!” Although he says that their frozen açaí mix can stand on its own, you can use it as an ingredient to make your own version of an açaí bowl at home. Personally, he loves his soft serve açaí with granola and banana, but admits that everybody likes to do it differently. Apart from making people happy with the flavors of their product, Ide is extremely pleased that he is able to share this healthy Brazilian superfood (the fruit comes from the açaí palm, which is common in Brazil) to a Filipino audience.
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Photography FLOYD JHOCSON of STUDIO 100
Art direction NICOLE ALMERO and MARC PAGDILAO
Art direction and Production design NICOLE ALMERO
Grooming JEFF BUNGCASAN
Styling RYAN VILLORA assisted by SOS LOPEZ
Read more about how Fabio Ide started a new business during a pandemic in MEGA Man’s July 2021 issue available on Readly, Magzter, Press Reader and Zinio
