2024 AAPISTRONG Restaurant Fund Winners

Grubhub and National ACE announce three finalists who were awarded $25,000 grants each live on-stage at the #AAPISTRONG Annual Conference.


With the industry facing ongoing economic challenges, this funding will allow AAPI restaurateurs to take their business to the next level through development ideas such as infrastructure improvements, e-commerce and technology, employee benefits, and operations streamlining. Ultimately, this will help AAPI entrepreneurs to scale their businesses, secure their futures, and also give back to the life of their neighborhoods by fostering safe and enjoyable places to gather.

Congratulations to our Grand Prize Winners

Native Fields

Cathleen “Cat” Castaneda

Cathleen “Cat” Castaneda is a Filipina-American Chef and Owner of the Restaurant Native Fields in Walnut, CA. Born and Raised in Southern California. Cat attended the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, NY and graduated with an AOS Degree in Culinary Arts.

Upon Gradua<ng, Cat went to cook under her mentor, Chef Suzanne Goin of the Lucques group for several years, cooking at Lucques, AOC, and Tavern. She then worked with Octavio Bacera of the Pa<na Group, and then became the Chef at Forage, in Silverlake for about 5 years.

Cat then opened Native Fields in 2018 to pay Homage to her Late Father Marcel Castaneda, who passed away from complications of cancer. For Cat, Native Fields is more than a restaurant, but a space to provide organic food access to her local surrounding communities. Cat also is on the board of a local non-profit WVEDF, which helps students with financial needs in education. Through Native Fields, Cat has also continued to work with Mt. SAC, Cal Poly Pomona, and numerous amounts of non-profits in order to educate and help those in need of food.