From Seafarer to Grape Farmer: How This 23-Year-Old Started His Own Vineyard and Restaurant

Nestled within a 150-square-meter plot of land with a rustic garden, Lucky Spark Vineyard Restaurant offers a unique dining experience unlike any other. 

With a spacious 80-square-meter vineyard, the restaurant boasts a unique ambiance, thanks to its incorporation of the vineyard into its architectural design. Owner, Lucky Jay Saturinas thoughtfully incorporates the quirks of his design in mind into the restaurant making sure the foreign things he introduces to the vineyard won’t mess with the grapes’ growth. Visitors to Lucky Spark Vineyard not only get to enjoy a romantic dining experience surrounded by vineyards and radiant lights but can also partake in a classic Filipino activity—karaoke! 

From seafarer to grape farmer

Lucky Jay is a former seafarer from Silago, Southern Leyte who is now sailing through his journey as a successful grape farmer and restaurant owner.

In a surreal twist of fate, Lucky Jay first became interested in grape farming after having a series of dreams where he tasted the grapes, had a grape tree fall on him, and finally, dreamt of grapes growing in his own backyard.

Looking back at his journey from seafarer to a grape farmer, Lucky Jay cited the difficulties of life at sea as the main reason for his transition. It was his struggles that pushed him to literally make his dreams come to life. Now that he’s reaping the fruits of his labor, he expresses how happy he is that he gets to control his time and do what he loves now. He hopes that his determination to learn and grow as a grape farmer during his transition serves as an inspiration to others. 

But of course, he also encountered several storms along his journey. Despite receiving initial criticism that his grapes were low quality, Lucky Jay expanded his grape varieties and started selling seeds on Facebook to increase his capital. He was inspired by photos of Restaurant Vineyards in Vietnam and decided to bring the concept to the Philippines. With the help of investors, Lucky Spark Vineyard became a reality.

“Yung iba[ng grapes] dito ay imported talaga at kinucultivate na lang namin dito sa Pilipinas para padamihin at ibenta” Lucky Jay proudly speaks about his grape farm’s wide variety. The vineyard grows various types of grapes, including Baikonur, Miracle, Red Cardinal, Aniuta, Preobrazine, and Friesa grapes from Italy.

Lucky Jay's journey from seafarer to grape farmer and restaurant owner is a story of determination and creativity, with a touch of humor and a big heart. His restaurant and vineyard are a testament to his hard work and passion making it a must-visit destination for anyone looking for a unique dining experience surrounded by vineyards.

So why not take a break from the hustle and bustle of city life and indulge in a one-of-a-kind dining experience? And who knows, on your next visit you may even get to witness Lucky Jay, in the process of turning his grapes into delicious vintage wine.

Watch the video below.

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