Pinoy chef in LA wins $15-million lottery pot

MANILA, Philippines - A Filipino sushi chef from Long Beach, Los Angeles, California won the $15-million SuperLotto jackpot, local online news sites reported last week.

Chef Victor Caube, 48, and another Filipino friend who declined to be identified had been buying lottery tickets for three years before Caube hit the winning combination.

Caube, in an interview with theeastsiderla.com, said he could not believe that the ticket he bought won during the Feb. 26 draw.

“I still do not believe it. I cried, I screamed. I was in shock,” he said.

Caube said he was on his way home when he stopped by the House of Spirits to buy another ticket and check on a SuperLotto ticket he had purchased the previous week.

After learning that he had the winning ticket, he immediately called his friend who, like him, “didn’t believe it (either).”

When asked what he would do with his winnings, Caube said that he would split the money with his friend and will be opening his own restaurant in the Philippines.

According to another website, echopark.patch.com, Caube trained in Japan and Guam as sushi chef before migrating to the US 10 years ago.

His friend, meanwhile, is studying to take his state board exams to become a certified nurse.

Caube, who supports a child and other family members back in the Philippines, said he is thankful about the changes that his SuperLotto win will bring to his life.

“Everything here is so expensive (that’s why) I tried my luck (at the lottery). I never won anything before. I am so blessed,” he added. – With abs-cbn.com