Sourdough Café puts neurodivergent art on the menu with The Misfits Camp

Philippine café brand Sourdough Café has partnered with The Misfits Camp, an organisation founded by advertising veteran Merlee Jayme, to showcase the work of neurodivergent artist King Esguerra as part of its seventh anniversary celebrations.

Esguerra’s love of drawing food has inspired a new collection of illustrations for the occasion. The collaboration brings his original artworks into Sourdough Café’s Perea branch in Makati, where they will be exhibited and available for sale until the end of September.

His illustrations have also been turned into an exclusive anniversary sticker pack, extending the work beyond the café walls.

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The partnership began close to home. The Misfits Camp, which upskills neurodivergent adults and connects them with opportunities in the creative industry, is located just steps away from Sourdough Café’s Perea branch.

After dining at the café with his mentors, Esguerra drew inspiration from the food and surroundings, turning everything from freshly baked bread and coffee to dishes he enjoys - and those he wants to try - into subjects for his art.

Food has long been a particular interest for Esguerra, who has been sketching and painting since childhood and is able to illustrate portraits and a wide range of subjects.

His work has now become part of Sourdough Café’s anniversary experience, alongside new pizzas, butters, cheesecakes and other anniversary specials.

For The Misfits Camp, however, the collaboration represents more than an art display. The programme was established to help neurodivergent adults turn creative abilities into sustainable opportunities, including employment, commissioned projects, freelance work and design.

Esguerra’s work at Sourdough Café offers one example of that pathway in action: a creative skill being given a platform, an audience and the possibility of income.

“King’s work being seen, appreciated, and supported is what we hope to make possible for more of our creatives. Thank you to Sourdough Café, Mike Lee, and his marketing team led by EG Bautista for believing in their talent and giving it a place at the table,” said Jayme.

For brands and businesses, the collaboration offers another way to think about inclusion - not simply through representation, but through creating opportunities for talent to be seen. 

Sourdough Café’s seventh anniversary provides a setting for that exchange. Alongside its food and drinks, the café is giving customers the chance to encounter and purchase original work by an artist whose interests closely overlap with what the café serves, bringing his artwork into an everyday consumer space.

From AI-powered marketing and the friction economy to retention-led growth, DMA Philippines 2026 on 29 September in Manila will bring together marketers to tackle the opportunities and challenges shaping the next phase of digital transformation.

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