The Fattened Caf. was founded by Darren and Charlene Young, a husband-and-wife team passionate about sharing Filipino flavors with their community. Charlene, a Filipino American born in Los Angeles, grew up surrounded by the flavors of her Filipino heritage, while Darren, a budding pitmaster, brought his love for barbecue into the mix. In 2018, Darren and Charlene began selling Filipino BBQ at the Cherokee Street Market—marking the birth of The Fattened Caf.