Blades by Crank Presents: Cooking culture, local pride, and shinarp vibes
Meet the SHINEF: Jiovani Leon Guerrero – Chamorrita Eats
For our very first episode of SHINEFS, we’re honored to feature Jiovani LG, founder and chef of Chamorrita Eats — a small business on Guam that’s creating big flavors with local ingredients and cultural roots. Her mission? To share dishes that honor Chamorro heritage while bringing something exciting to modern food lovers.
In this episode, Jiovani shows us how to make one of her sweet favorites: Mango Malasadas — fluffy, golden donuts filled with homemade mango pastry cream. Yes, they’re as good as they sound.
And of course, she’s slicing up mangoes with a shinarp Blades By Crank chef knife to kick things off. Let’s get into it.
What Makes a SHINEF?
A SHINEF isn’t just a chef. It’s someone who cooks with intention, culture, and community. Jiovani embodies that spirit — using food to bring people together while highlighting sustainability and island ingredients in every bite.
Quick Recipe: Mango Malasadas
Wanna try this recipe at home? Here’s the simplified flow. (Don’t forget to use a shinarp knife)
Step 1: Make the Mango Pastry Cream
- Slice up overripe mangoes (perfect use for them).
- Scrape and squeeze all that mango goodness into a bowl.
- Heat the mango with milk, steep it (don’t boil), and sweeten with sugar.
- Mix in cornstarch and egg yolks (tempered slowly).
- Whisk over heat until thick.
- Cool in the fridge overnight — this becomes your pastry filling.
Step 2: Make the Malasada Dough
- Mix together:
- Eggs
- Vanilla extract
- Whole milk
- Sugar
- Flour
- Active dry yeast
- Pinch of salt
- Knead the dough until smooth and elastic (check the windowpane test to see if it's ready).
- Let it rise for 1–2 hours until doubled in size.
Step 3: Fry the Donuts
- Roll out the dough, cut circles, and let them rise again briefly.
- Fry 5 at a time in oil — keep that oil hot but not too crazy so they cook evenly.
- Flip until golden brown on both sides (about 5 minutes total).
Step 4: Fill and Finish
- Let them cool slightly.
- Use a chopstick trick to poke and prep the donut for filling.
- Pipe in that mango pastry cream using a shaker or piping bag.
- Roll in cinnamon sugar or glaze with honey.
- Try not to eat 4 in one sitting.
Support Small. Eat Local. Shine Shinarp.
This episode is more than just a recipe — it’s a celebration of small businesses like Chamorrita Eats that are doing big things with heart and hustle. Jiovani is showing us what it means to cook with culture and lead with flavor.
So do us a favor:
🎥 Watch the episode
🤝 Follow @chamorritaeats
🗣️ Share the video
💬 Tag another local SHINEF we should feature next!
This is just the beginning.
Support your local. Stay shinarp.
— Frank “The Crank” Camacho