Cover Off Menu Philippines 2024 featured 17 chefs, each handpicked by Tatler Dining for their culinary virtuoso and knack for innovation
Off Menu Philippines 2024 featured 17 chefs, each handpicked by Tatler Dining for their culinary virtuoso and knack for innovation
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17 of the Philippines’ top chefs gathered in one room for two nights only, presenting seven exclusive Off Menu courses that you won’t find anywhere else—here’s what you missed
For two nights a year, the Philippines’s top chefs join forces at Tatler Dining’s biggest and most anticipated event—one attended by foodies near and far, with many flying into Manila just for the occasion. Launched in 2022, Off Menu remains Tatler Dining’s flagship food festival, bringing together the country’s leading culinary talents in one room. Off Menu Philippines 2024 marked the third iteration, held on September 27 and 28 at the Grand Ballroom, Shangri-La the Fort, with a total of 800 guests in attendance at yet another sold-out affair.
Off Menu Philippines 2024 featured 17 chefs, each handpicked by Tatler Dining for their culinary virtuoso and knack for innovation; these are the talents responsible for some of Manila’s top dining destinations, and they’ve taken the weekend off to cook up a storm for our annual must-not-miss event. We grouped our featured chefs into 7 strong teams, each challenged to create an innovative dish you would not find or taste at any of their restaurants—an exclusive Off Menu creation designed for discerning diners who crave the unexpected.
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Doors opened at 6pm to an eager crowd of foodies, revealing a range of table and sofa seating that set a casual yet festive atmosphere. Spirits were high as free-flowing pours of red and white wine, bubbly, tequila, cognac, whisky, and gin invited guests to imbibe, with music by DJs Tomas (Tomas Cabili) and Wax (Joaquin Escaño) enlivening the space.
Invited to wander around the ballroom, guests curated their 7-course journey as they chatted with the country’s leading culinary minds. Of the 17 chefs, nearly half were fresh faces to the Off Menu series, enlivening the festival with their unique skillset and flair: JP Cruz, Thirdy Dolatre, Kevin Navoa, Kerwin Go, Chele González, Mikee Lopez, Alex Tan, Sonja Ocampo. Cooking alongside them were our Off Menu veterans Josh Boutwood, Miko Calo, Carlos Garcia, Patrick Go, Aaron Isip, Jorge Mendez, Joris Rycken, Nicco Santos, and Quenee Vilar, who each took the opportunity to reveal greater dimensions of their craft.
More from Tatler: September 2024 Dining Radar: Kei Maki, Inatô’s new menu, Gordon Ramsay Bar & Grill, and more
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Many guests kicked off the night with the refreshing crudo, fashioned by chef Josh Boutwood (Helm, Ember, The Test Kitchen, Savage) in collaboration with chefs Thirdy Dolatre and John Kevin Navoa (Hapag, Ayà). Dressed in a roasted fish bone leche de tigre, the luxurious slices of otoro and mahi-mahi opened the palate with robust flavours, accented by fragrant kaffir lime leaf and labuyo chilli oil, fresh herbs, pickles, and a warm sesame undertone.
Chefs Miko Calo (Taquería Franco, formerly Metronome) and Chele González (Gallery by Chele, Asador Alfonso) also championed seafood with their stunning pulpo, roasted til tender and glazed in a lip-smacking demi-glace. Thoughtfully balanced with a funky buro velouté and pickled banana hearts, the dish packed quite a punch and left lasting impressions.
Read more: Chef Josh Boutwood’s Anvil at The Balmori Chef’s Table
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Hainanese chicken met arroz caldo in one soothing bowl created by chef Patrick Go (Your Local) and chefs Alex Tan and Mikee Lopez (Tandem). With a warm, garlicky mixed grain porridge as its base, their dish featured a chicken pressé, fermented vegetables, and flavoursome additions like ginamos sambal, sweet soy reduction, and scallion oil. This was all finished with chicken skin and mantou crisps, imparting exciting textures that kept the palate on its toes.
While chefs JP Cruz (Inatô) and Jorge Mendez (Mōdan) are longtime friends, Off Menu Philippines 2024 marked their first collaboration—one that left many guests stunned and craving for more. Dubbed the Ibérico Pakdon, their memorable creation married thin udon noodles with Inatô‘s signature pinakbet, topped with delectable slices of pork Ibérico collar. Further inspection reveals thoughtful details including walnut goma, sancho tanuki, and kalkag X.O, creating new dimensions of flavours and texture as you toss everything together.
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One of the best things about Off Menu is the fruitful connections sparked between industry peers, such as the newfound friendship between chefs Carlos Garcia (The Black Pig, Tiago’s Restaurant) and Kerwin Go (Blackbird at the Nielson Tower, People’s Palace), who first met at our Off Menu photoshoot. This witty, quick-thinking pair wasted no time getting down to business. The Tongue and Cheek—a clever play on the phrase “tongue in cheek”—was conceptualised in a flash: a duet of tender, salt-grilled beef tongue and braised beef cheek, presented with a delicious carrot-white miso purée and parsley-koji rice relish that accented the dish with robust herbaceous notes.
Chefs Nicco Santos and Quenee Vilar (Celera, opening this November) are no strangers to Off Menu, having participated in both the 2022 and 2023 editions of the food festival. This year, the established culinary duo teamed up with chef Aaron Isip (Kása Palma), who joined us for the second time. Still, both camps continued to step up their game with their curry noodle and laksa bisque. The dish comprised one large, flat laksa leaf-laminated pasta (that’s over 800 sheets!), painstakingly cut by hand in the days prior to the event. The pasta evolved with every bite, as the noodle was mixed with a luscious laksa bisque, and other tasty components in the bowl like kalkag, shallots, curry leaf furikake, and allium foam.
Read more: Flavours of My Youth: Jeramie Go, chef and owner of Pilgrim, Davao
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While guests were encouraged to curate their own culinary journey with seven courses to play with, all roads led to dessert. Crafted by chefs Joris Rycken (Shangri-La The Fort, Manila) and Sonja Ocampo (By Sonja, Cupcakes by Sonja, Cakeshop by Sonja), the dessert course featured three miniature sweets, offering a rich variety of textures and flavours. The lemon-honey mille-feuille was a crunchy, flakey delight—a stark contrast to the decadent, velvety ube opera with white chocolate ganache. Also on the lineup was the pistachio bombe with Valrhona chocolate, which swooned many in attendance as their favourite of the three.
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Off Menu Philippines 2024 was made possible through the support of our lead partner HSBC and our supporting partners Chandon Garden Spritz, Chivas Regal, Código 1530 Tequila, Malfy Gin, Martell Cognac, and Shangri-La the Fort, Manila.
Year after year, Off Menu continues to celebrate the Philippines’ flourishing F&B industry in a grand showcase of culinary talent, leaving diners impressed and chefs, inspired. Stay tuned for more innovative F&B initiatives from Tatler Dining—see you at the next one!
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About
Lauren’s love for food came much later in life than one would expect— an obsession awakened in the streets of Melbourne’s multicultural dining scene. Armed with this newfound passion, she returned to the Philippines determined to discover the best eats in her home country, with a personal advocacy to champion local cuisines and homegrown talent. Nothing is off-limits; if it’s delicious, it’s worth celebrating.
Work
As Tatler Dining associate editor, Lauren covers all things food and drink, from listing the latest openings in our monthly Dining Radar to interviewing chefs and bartenders about the biggest obstacles crippling the industry today. Beyond the digital space, she also organises Tatler Dining’s tentpole events, including Off Menu and Tatler Dining Kitchen, as well as the annual Tatler Best Philippines awards night and guide launch, detailing the best restaurants in the country.
For leads and event invites, contact her via lauren@tatlerphilippines.com or follow her on Instagram at @laurengolangco.
Photo: Ralph Mendo
