Stylish moms and businesswomen Beng Dee and Bea Soriano-Dee talk about balancing personal responsibilities with their careers, the value of nurturing family ties, and the importance of making a difference.
Like mother, like daughter-in-law is not a phrase one hears often, but is one that describes the affectionate relationship between Elizabeth Dee, fondly called Beng, and Bea Soriano-Dee. First off, both women founded successful companies with their husbands. With Beng, it was the restaurant empire, Foodee Global Concepts, that she had built with Rikki Dee. Similarly, Bea started her business Sunnies Studios with husband Eric Dee Jr., alongside friends Georgina Wilson and Martine Cajucom.
Secondly, they’re both remarkably accomplished women who place a high value on family. Beng shares that what she teaches all her children is “family time is always a priority.” It is a virtue Bea subscribes too, and is also grateful for. “As a mom, I really appreciate that because it trains my kids as well to have that strong filial connection,” she says.
And among many other things, third is how much they admire and care for each other. “I am very lucky because my children brought home in laws who are so easy to love. And also with Bea,” shares Beng. Similarly, Bea cherishes how easy it is to be around Beng. “She is such a cool mother-in-law.”
And while family relationships may sometimes be complex, the Dees seem to take it all in stride, with Beng often referring to their brood as their ‘famidee’. “There really is no secret to being able to bond with my children and in-laws. It’s really just pure love and closeness. We practice one for all, all for one,” she shares. “And as our grandchildren are growing and getting used to togetherness with their cousins, seeing them happy together is our biggest reward as grandparents.”
READ ALSO: Refining Flavors Close To Home: Rikki And Beng Dee On Growing Successful Food Brands and Concepts
Nurturing Love And Family
It is indeed a beautiful life the Dees have built, navigating the challenges of the restaurant and retail business while nourishing their family. “We love our work especially now that the whole ‘famidee’ is involved. Every day is a learning process and we get to bond even through our jobs,” says Beng. As vice-president and COO of their food business, she has worked in tandem with her husband Rikki, and now her kids, to keep growing their empire.
Today, Foodee Global Concepts is one of the largest F&B groups in the country operating more than 230 restaurants nationwide. Established more than 30 years ago from humble beginnings, it counts amongst its roster Michelin-acclaimed brands Tim Ho Wan, Kam’s Roast, and Hawker Chan. Beloved dining establishments Mesa and Kai, trendy hotspots Cerveseria and Sunnies Café, frozen yogurt brand Llaollao, and more are likewise part of their ever-growing portfolio.
“We believe that whatever we do, whether it’s our food business, retail, or real estate, staying focused is key. We strive to continuously stay relevant,” reveals Beng, on the secret to their growth amidst a competitive landscape. “The restaurant business is a never-ending process. What used to work today, may change tomorrow. So never be complacent.”
That said, she cherishes how things have become less hectic for her at work nowadays relative to when they first started. With their business set up, and responsibilities shared amongst family members, Beng can now take it easier. These days, more of her time is spent in leisurely pursuits, as well as going on trips with her family. “Now that three of our children have families of their own, what used to be a family of six, in our most recent trip, we were already 20 including seven grandchildren,” she conveys.
Bea echoes this love for travelling with the entire family. “Going on trips really bond you as a family, and allow you to get to know everyone. We go on four family trips a year, so that really helps us appreciate each other’s personalities.”
On The Sunny Side
The Dees are indeed a family marked with an entrepreneurial streak, with Bea and Eric’s Sunnies likewise thriving as a lifestyle brand. The couple, along with Bea’s friends and fellow models, Georgina and Martine, had started with Sunnies Studios more than a decade ago. Offering chic sunglasses with a minimalist and modern aesthetic, the brand has since grown to include prescription glasses, and even makeup and skincare with Sunnies Face. Their beauty brand has also seen the addition of Georgina’s sister, Jess Wilson, to the fold.
Like the “It girls” that founded it, there was always an inherent coolness associated with the Sunnies brand. “It’s having consistency and confidence in the things we like. We know who we are and that’s why our customers know what to expect from us,” Bea shares. “Our favorite line that we hear them always say is, “That’s so Sunnies”.”
Their strong and clear brand message is further complemented by an innovative approach to product development. “We only go into industries where we know we can create things in a better way. Sometimes, it’s in the product, sometimes it’s finding new ways of selling,” shares Bea.
Their newest drop is Sunnies Flask, a water bottle with a modern silhouette that allows for an almost endless array of permutations via its color combinations. “With the flask, we were the first to introduce personalization at that level,” shares Bea. “Additionally, it’s made with recycled food grade stainless steel.”
“We always source for better and kinder material for our products,” she continues, like the bio-acetate, castor seed or recycled plastics used in 90% of Sunnies Studios frames. Their packaging and merch totes are likewise crafted from recycled materials. “The material industry is still in its infancy. So while we wait for better technology, we choose recycled or plant-based materials where we can,” reveals Bea.
Purpose and Philanthropy
Given their success, the Dee family has made it a point to also give back to the community. Beng talks about their recently launched foundation called FEED (Foundation of Enrico and Elizabeth Dee), which is “a feeding program focusing on offering sustenance to underprivileged Filipino communities, particularly during times of crisis and natural calamities.” Prior to this, they, along with many local businesses, had provided food to medical frontliners during the pandemic.
Sunnies has also found ways to give back, especially by partnering with Waves for Water, with 1% of all sales of the company going directly to projects that contribute to the planet. “We saw Waves for Water as having the most practical solution to helping communities have access to clean water. And we love what they do for the community and what they stand for,” shares Bea. To date, their contribution has helped provide water filters for 3500 households across 12 provinces.
In addition to this, Sunnies is also this year developing an advocacy to support education. “We want to be able to help as many as we can from the early formative years of education. And we want it to be a long-lasting program that can really help change the lives of many families in our country,” Bea shares.
Meditations On Love
When Beng and Bea aren’t busy with their businesses, their children, or their advocacies, they both love spending quality time with their spouses. “I am a great believer of date nights,” shares Beng. “Ever since Rikki and I were married, we were partners in everything. Add to that, we got married at age 19, we started our business together, so daily work means togetherness. You can say we are a 24/7 couple.”
The couple, who is celebrating 41 years of marriage this year, is clearly still just as enamored. “Up to today, he still makes my heart flutter,” declares Beng. Because of this loving union, their four children, Eric Thomas, Erika Elizabeth, Erica Therese, and of course Bea’s husband, Eric Enrico, Jr., couldn’t be luckier.
Bea, also shares how like her parents-in-law, she’s with her husband all the time. “He’s my gym partner, walking buddy, my coworker, my roommate. We didn’t intend for this but we share the same interests and this works for us,” she says. “We share the same brain is what everyone says.”
Bea and Eric also love going on regular “date walks”. “That’s when we talk about life, ideas, dreams, work and everything in general,” she shares. In fact, it was on one of these walks that they first came up with the idea for Sunnies Studios and Sunnies Flask. “I think it’s the best kind of date where there really are no gadgets to distract us, and it’s only us two. Sometimes we would bring the kids to walk as well,” she shares. Married in 2015, the couple has two kids, an 8-year-old boy named Braeden, and a 6-year-old girl named Billie.
READ ALSO: Bea Soriano & Eric Dee Wedding
Fashion and Flair
With so many differing responsibilities, it is admirable to see how these two women are always the picture of grace. As they pose together in their new home, a gorgeous and minimalist space by architect Ed Ledesma and interior designer Anton Mendoza, you can feel their fond regard for each other. It doesn’t hurt that despite running a food empire, Beng remains as svelte as ever, pulling off outfits with confidence and panache. Bea, was of course, just as naturally stunning, which can be expected for the model-turned-mom and entrepreneur.
Beng shares that through the years, she has understood what suits her. She is especially proud of how she’s cultivated a knack for traveling in style. “I make an effort to try on every outfit I will bring,” she declares, packing lots of day-to-night options, as well as dressier pieces for dates. “Which by the way is always part of the itinerary. Traveling for us means checking out different restaurants, especially the dining scene of every place we visit.”
“My mantra is, it’s okay to be overdressed than to be underdressed,” shares the sophisticated businesswoman. Nonetheless, Beng reveals that she has become more mindful of her shopping of late. “The pandemic has taught me that you don’t really need too much. I just hope I don’t forget that,” she shares.
Elements of Style
Bea is of course just as stylish, showcasing her many covetable looks on Instagram as she attends events, travels with her family, or lounges at the beach. She’s a fan of online retailers Mytheresa and Ssense, and mixes luxury brands with more fashion forward options.
She gravitates towards denim from Khaite, bottoms and belts from The Row, suiting from Saint Laurent, dresses and flats from Alaia, fashion jewelry from Bottega Veneta, and more. Vintage Chanel coats, Loro Piana knits, and fun outfits from Aya Muse, Christopher Esber and Jacquemus can likewise be spotted in her wardrobe. The gorgeous muse also loves getting dressed up by Filipino designers Rajo Laurel and Vania Romoff. “They always make the dreamiest dresses for me,” she shares.
Luckily too for the 37-year-old stylista, her mom Beging has an impressive collection of bags that’s since been passed down to her. “She has amazing taste. All of the classics from the 80s, 90s, and 2000s, she has them in such great condition and all her picks really aged well,” she says. Bea also shares that as she has gotten older, she’s become more disciplined with her purchases. “I always think of how long a piece can last in my closet, and the wearability of it in the next decade. Nothing brings me more pleasure than wearing an item over and over again.”
True Beauty
For beauty, Bea employs a minimalist approach. “I absolutely love the Dream Cream from Sunnies Face, because it never makes me break out,” she declares. Her makeup routine is likewise pared down, with just the perfect lip color or brows from their label to finish off her look.
Indeed, being the co-founder of a cult favorite beauty brand with an international following does have its perks, and Bea is extremely proud of what they’ve achieved. “With [Sunnies] Face, we were the first SEA brand to really focus on the Southeast Asian skin tone. Every color we made was for us,” she shares. “Being loved by beauty insiders from all over the world and having Filipina beauty recognized in the global beauty industry is something that we have always dreamt of.”
Family Values
Bea shares how her mother-in-law is candid with her likes and dislikes, fostering an open communication style which makes things easier. “There’s no guessing. I’m the same as a person,” says Bea. “The best part is she loves traveling and she really loves spending time with the family. I love that the filial value is instilled in my kids consistently throughout different generations.”
Bea also makes it a point to teach her children the concept of “pakikisama” in terms of family activities. “With kids, we have a very good arrangement of respecting and taking part in each other’s interests,” she explains. “We could go to an amusement park, or a house museum, and it’s well understood that we do it for each other.”
It is something that echoes Beng and Rikki’s approach to running a business with their kids, who she claims are all alphas in terms of personalities. “We have learned to understand each other. Being a very close-knit family helped us work harmoniously,” says Beng. Seeing their parents’ dedication to work has also instilled a discipline and a passion in the next generation. “We tried to involve them in what we do, which eventually just naturally grew on them. And now we learn from each other, identifying strengths and weaknesses.”
Redefining Power
Given the hard-earned and resounding success of the Dee family’s enterprises, it is encouraging to see their transformative view on power. “For me power is all about responsibility, the responsibility to inspire others,” shares Beng. “Power to make our world a better place through your own ways.”
Bea subscribes to a similar view, expressing that power is having the ability to make things happen. “Redefined, power to me is to make things better,” she states. “In our company and in our home, I often look to the future and plan for it. I make sure we are on the right path, and that the things we do alight with our personal values.”
Bea conveys how she really looks up to her mom Beging. “She never stops helping causes that are dear to her, like education and women’s rights. I have seen her brave storms and take bancas to remote islands at night just to deliver water and food to really remote places,” she says. “She’s almost 70 but she keeps doing more. At the same time, she takes care of scholars from all over the country.” Bea’s older sister Charo is yet another person she admires. “She has the biggest heart. She is made from nothing but goodness,” Bea continues.
Beng, on the other hand, is proud of her sons and daughters. They to her represent Lifestyle Asia’s vision of an Alpha as someone who can effectuate meaningful change in others and society. “Alphas start with a dream and goals to achieve them. They know that that journey is not all smooth sailing. And success is a series of actions and taking calculated risks,” declares Beng. “Never underestimate the power of a dream.”
Text MARIANE PEREZ
Photos AYA CABAUATAN, assisted by JHAY R BAYLON
Sittings Editor CANDY DIZON
Creative Director PAOLO TORIO
Art Director MARC YELLOW
Makeup LEI PONCE, assisted by JOPAY QUIRINO
Hair JA FELICIANO
Stylist ROKO ARCEO assisted by GISELLE BARNACHEA
Shoot Coordination MAE TALAID
