HISTORY

Established in 2024, as a pop up cafe supporting a Filipino non-profit "Central Massachusetts Filipino American Association" (CMFAA) at the PAMANA Philipipine Independence Day Festival.

Since then Kuya Jay's Ube Kafe has popped up all throughout New England from MA, CT, NH and RI. From state fairs to music festivals, cultural celebrations, holiday themed events, to farmers markets and even private dinner parties. Kuya Jay's Ube Kafe‘s signature purple tent is known to have lines of enthusiastic customers eager to get their favorite ube drinks. 

You can currently come see us 5 days a week at our kafe location in Somerville and follow us on Instagram for our pop-event events!

Kuya Jay's frequent travels to the Philippines with his Filipino family, sparked his passion in Ube. Combining his culinary and arts background with his business and marketing background, he sought a passion to bring Ube creations in unique ways. With his Culinary education from Johnson and Wales University in Providence RI, and coming from a family of chefs and restaurateurs — Jay continued to pursue his obsession with UBE and Coffee and bringing modern Filipino flavors to life while honoring his wife and family's traditional recipes and flavors. 

In September 2025, Kuya Jay and his family initiated a give-back event for over 200 families in Carmen, Philippines serving his signature ube lattes, boxed lunches, dinner buffet, and school supplies for all the children.

Prior to Ube, Jay was the CEO of JUST BE Records and was in the entertainment industry for two decades. He founded an organic baking company in San Francisco, OM Bakers, and catapulted his brands and confectionery creations to receive acclaimed notoriety in publications such as Rolling Stone, Vogue, Huffington Post, LA Weekly, SF Chronicles, TMZ and more.

Sarai was born in the Philippines, raised in Massachusetts, and made a career in California. Sarai's culinary background stems from her college internship at Disney World making fudge at The Confectionary on Main St. Taking the lead from her husband's culinary experience, together they created Kuya Jay's Ube Kafe.

Sarai is the CEO of her own marketing and production firm, CUE Agency. She has launched celebrity product lines for her clients such as Celtic's own Paul Pierce, NBA Hall of Famer Gary Payton, Whoopi Goldberg, and more. Sarai's talent production credits are: Grammy Awards, Emmy Awards, People's Choice Awards, the Victoria Secret Fashion Show, MTV VMA's, and more.

She is the third term President of a 31 year old Filipino non-profit, Central Massachusetts Filipino American Association (CMFAA) also known as @massfilipinos. She initiated the first Philippine flag raising at Worceser City Hall in 2020 with the mayor proclaiming October as Filipino American History Month. 

Sarai is also a full-time mom to a busy toddler, Karisma, who loves Ube just as much as her parents do.