Meet the chefs at Mood for Food, Tatler Dining’s new food festival

Chef Wang Wei Qing began his career in the hotel industry at Shangri-La Fuzhou in 2004 as a banquets Chinese chef de parties, later moving to Shanghai as a Chinese sous chef. In 2012, he relocated to Fujian as a Chinese executive chef for another hotel. Finally, he rejoined the Shangri-La group in 2015 as Chinese executive chef at Shangri-La The Fort, in charge of Canton Road and all Chinese-related functions at the hotel. Chef Wang aims to uphold the essence of traditional Chinese cuisine while incorporating modern elements. “It is vital to be innovative with creating new dishes through pursuing new skills and culinary trends guided by Chinese culinary culture,” he shares. 

The heart of Canton Road chef Wang tells us is, of course, the food. “For us to ensure that we are serving the best quality of food, I start the day by checking the deliveries of fresh live seafood and locally grown vegetables from Benguet and Davao. Having these locally and sustainably sourced ingredients is vital for the quality of food we create. Then, I personally check the quality of the sauces and the entire mise en place, so we’re ready to open by 11.30am every day.” 

Why do you love being a chef in Manila today? 

The experience of working in different countries gave me the opportunity to explore a diverse range of ingredients. The Philippines has such fresh and premium seafood, and in Manila, you can easily access good quality ingredients. This makes re-inventing new dishes so enjoyable. There is also such a rich food scene in Manila. From global brands to homegrown speciality restaurants, there’s always something exciting going on, and that gives me more inspiration to be innovative. 

See also: 11 Filipino breakfast foods you need to try

What do you want people to know and understand about your food?

I want our guests to come and experience Canton Road and leave with an unforgettable memory. It’s more than just good-tasting food, we present our food as part of a dining experience. There’s always a story to our dishes, and we present it to guests through different flavours and forms.

Please tell us about the inspiration for the dish you created for Mood for Food.

I was born in Fujian province. As a child, I often saw my mother making five-spice pork rolls with tofu skin, which I really enjoyed eating. These pork rolls are a home-cooked dish quite popular in the Fujian area so when I go abroad, these remind me of home and the taste of my mother’s cooking. Kikiam is a very common Filipino street food, too, so we thought it would be great to combine the idea and flavours behind both and elevate this dish for Mood for Food. To me, it’s more than just a home-cooked dish, but it also represents the spirit of Fujian Chinese who work hard abroad to support their families and the home that has inspired generations of people.

Chef Raghu Bansh Singh is the current executive chef at Indus Modern Indian Kitchen. Prior to his position here, Singh worked as the Indian chef in Edsa Shangri-la Manila, Hyatt Regency - Delhi, Taj Mahal - New Delhi, Intercontinental Eros - New Delhi, and Crown Plaza Surya - New Delhi. He also participated in overseas Indian Food Festivals in Grand Hyatt Kiev, Ukraine and Grand Hyatt Beijing, China. Today at Indus, he strives to ensure food quality is at its highest level in terms of both taste and presentation. Chef Singh actively plans upcoming menus, develops recipes, manages the restaurant's food costs, and actively addresses guest feedback and requests.

Why do you love being a chef in Manila today?

During my eight years as a chef in Manila, the city has felt like home to me. Filipinos are loving, caring, cheerful people who have a passion for food. My main objective is to introduce authentic Indian cuisine to Filipinos through Indus.

What do you want people to know and understand about your food?

I want people to learn about the different types of Indian cooking methods, such as the tandoori oven, dum cooking, and the health benefits of spices in our cooking style.  

Please tell us about the inspiration for the dish you created for Mood for Food.

When I first arrived in Manila, chicken adobo was the initial Filipino dish that truly captured my heart. I decided to create my own take by blending the flavours of adobo with the vibrant ingredients of chaat. I crafted a new culinary creation to showcase the harmony between Filipino and Indian culinary traditions.

See also: 5 reasons to start meal prepping

Erik Idos has been in the business for over 25 years. His culinary career started in San Fransisco then moved to New York, where he worked with Nobu. He then became the sous chef of Nobu San Diego, then finally executive chef of Nobu in Hong Kong. Following the Nobu journey, chef Idos opened and owned Chino HK and Chino BGC, and today acts as executive chef of Izakaya Geronimo. At this BGC hotspot, Idos handles all menu creation, quality control and, most importantly, manning the team and the pass during service. 

Why do you love being a chef in Manila today?

One of the reasons I love it is the influences the Philippines has from so many other places, whether it is Europe, America, or other neighbouring countries. These influences not only translate to the food, making it unique and interesting but also to the people here. It makes the scene very energetic and vibrant. Kind of like my dish for this event: American, Filipino, and Japanese all in one. 

Please tell us about the inspiration for the dish you created for Mood for Food.

I am an American-Filipino who cooks Japanese food, so the dish is just that: a dip sandwich with Japanese flavours using miso, all in a Filipino dish, caldereta. I wanted to highlight the restaurant and my cooking background in Japanese cuisine but also highlight my life background and of course the Philippines.

See also: Where to order ceviche around the Philippines

Alphonse Santos Sotero began with an internship at The Ritz-Carlton properties in California and Colorado. The young chef was exposed to high-volume banquets and ran the line for the hotel outlets. “I became the right hand of Shef Sefika, the executive pastry chef of the hotel, and also her first intern. She led the kitchen with tenacity and accountability and never forgot about finesse. She was one of the pillars of the kind of cook that I am now,” he expounds. 

Some years later, he came home to the Philippines and worked at a Southeast Asian restaurant in BGC, where he acted as a pastry chef. He and his good friend and now business partner RJ Ramos then moved on to open Lámpara, a modern Filipino restaurant in Poblacion. “RJ had a vision for what he wanted Lámpara to be: a restaurant that serves familiar Filipino flavours, but elevated by using premium produce, proving that these familiar flavours we hold close in our memories can be pushed further.” 

See also: The best steakhouses in the Philippines from the Tatler Dining Guide 2024

This dynamic duo just recently opened their second restaurant, Papillon in Salcedo, a beautifully designed and delicious Southeast Asian restaurant bursting not only with flavours but also with character. Today at both Lámpara and Papillion, chef Sotero champions the pasty departments. “However, there are times when I can’t be in the kitchen anymore since I’m no longer just a cook, being a business owner means that RJ and I are responsible for the livelihood and the growth of the team, making sure that the business is running properly so that everyone is employed and be able to create new opportunities for them.”

Why do you love being a chef in Manila today?

Enjoying everyone’s growth really. As a chef in Manila, you start to see change in how it used to be, as well as in the style, the culture, the ethics, the cuisine, and the community. Everyone is just more collaborative now, sharing ideas and experiences and at the same time being very respectful of each other. 

Please tell us about the inspiration and more about the dish you created for Mood for Food.  

The Pavlova Tropikal is a homage to the Philippines’ tropical paradise. We are known to use bold flavours and tropical ingredients; this showcases the harmony of sweet, tangy and savoury flavours that are widely present in Filipino cuisine. Tropical fruits have always been a component that brings balance to flavours, for me. With the pavlova, I wish to bring that essence of a tropical paradise to your plate. 

See also: The best sisig in the Philippines according to top chefs

Chef Kerwin Go worked for his parents before he dove into the culinary world. It was in 2003 when chef Colin MacKay broke both of his arms and asked Go if he’d be interested in working in the restaurants. “At that time, I was just another extra hand in the kitchen, helping in whatever way I could. In 2005, when People’s Palace relocated to its present location I was made in charge of the operations in the kitchen,” he shares. Today, chef Go handles operations of two kitchens of two of the country's most fully booked establishments: People’s Palace and Blackbird. 

Why do you love being a chef in Manila today?

I love feeding people and seeing friends and family get together for a meal. I started cooking at a young age and have always cooked for family and friends. So being able to do it every day and see people enjoy our food and come back is gratifying.

Please tell us about the inspiration and more about the dish you created for Mood for Food.

Whenever I am in Thailand, I follow office workers to see where they will have lunch. On our last trip, my husband and I were walking along Soi Convent and saw a long line for a street stall, so we fell in line and had a bowl of amazing dry noodles. The flavours were sour and salty with the right amount of sweetness to balance it out and spiciness to make you want to eat more. For Mood for Food, I wanted to recreate the noodles but serve them with Pinoy classic street food, kwek kwek, pinsec frito and lechon kawali (I know it’s not street food, but who doesn’t like crispy fried pork belly!)

See also: How to elevate your instant noodles: 9 Easy hacks you should try

One of Siargao’s most talked about restaurants, Roots, joins us at Mood for Food. A trio of chefs collaborated to put their unique dish together just for our food festival. First, we have Daan Overgaag whose philosophy as a chef is all about linking disciplines and broadening perspective. To expand his scope of thinking, he even studied cultural anthropology and design. “I worked at Restaurant de Kas, a Michelin-star restaurant with its own acre of crops and greenhouse, ensuring a close connection between food production and consumption. I also worked at Vuurtoreneiland (which translates to “fire-tower-island”), a place where we cooked exclusively with open fire. Additionally, Overgaag spent time in Peru working at Central and MIL Centro, where I was primarily dedicated to the research arm of both restaurants, known as Mater Iniciativa.”

“From a young age, I was captivated by the ritual of cooking, perched on a chair beside my grandmother’s stove in Florence,” says Filippo Turrini, another of Roots’s chefs. He trained in the bustling kitchens of Central in Peru to Michelin-starred establishments like Zaranda in Mallorca and Pollen Street Social in London. “Alongside accomplished chefs of diverse backgrounds, I’ve honed my skills and broadened my understanding of gastronomy. My journey also took me to the Basque Culinary Center, where I immersed myself in research and pursued studies focused on the sweet nuances of cooking,” he adds.

See also: Sake, soju, and shochu: What’s the difference, and how do you drink them? 

Chef Inês Castañeda was born into Mexican and Portuguese families, where she inherited a deep-rooted appreciation for gastronomy and art, shaping her journey into becoming a culinary artist who sees food as a transformative force. Her time at the Basque Culinary Center provided this chef with a solid foundation in gastronomy, prompting a personal quest for her to redefine the role of a chef in the modern era. “This journey has been enriched by experiences at Central and Mater Iniciativa, in Peru, where I learned to forge connections between local ingredients, cultural traditions, and culinary practices. At elBulli, I honed skills in idea structuring and meaningful dialogue, extending beyond mere dishes. Other work experiences in Japan and Australia further broadened my culinary perspective, reinforcing the importance of sustainability and cultural preservation in gastronomy,” she explains. 

Why do you love being a chef in Siargao today?

One of the things we love most about being chefs in Siargao is the diversity in its broadest sense. It sparks our curiosity, encouraging us to learn more, experiment, and step beyond the traditional confines of a restaurant. This environment motivates us to apply our adaptation of the “Sapiens methodology” from elBulli. We strive for a holistic understanding of products through an interdisciplinary and multidimensional approach. For every product, we analyse it from three perspectives: the natural landscape (seasonality, cultivation methods, and relationship with nature), the social aspect (how it is used by humans), and the culinary dimension.

What do you want people to know and understand about your food?

Our name, Roots, encapsulates who we are and what we offer. Our team originates from various corners of the globe, each bringing our own cultural roots, family recipes, and the flavours we have gathered from our travels and experiences abroad. We also strongly believe that we are just the final link in a broader chain of producers, fishermen, and artisans, and without them, the Roots experience would not exist. This is something that will always become evident to any diner at Roots. 

Finally, and equally important, seasonality, proximity, and availability shape our menu. In this sense, it changes daily based on these three factors. We adapt to the landscape and circumstances, and not the other way around.

See also: Filipino delicacy: What do chefs like to eat bagoong with?

Please tell us about the inspiration and more about the dish you created for Mood for Food.

The adlai risotto that we will be offering at Mood for Food perfectly exemplifies our approach to gastronomy by merging a recipe from our background—in this case, from the Italian heritage of chef Filippo in the making of an Italian risotto and ragù—with Filipino ingredients. Multiple local ingredients and our collaborators become the protagonists, including adlai from iFarms, Borracho cheese from Malagos Farmhouse, Filipino Wagyu from Kitayama Farms, and tapuey rice wine from Proudly Promdi.

Chef Miko Calo is a partner and the creative culinary director for the group behind Taquería Franco. Today, she is a culinary force celebrated for her modern French cuisine and her playful, delicious, and often Filipino-influenced creations. Calo interned at La Table de Joël Robuchon, the group’s flagship fine dining restaurant. She then worked to build her career within Joël Robuchon International, moving from various Joël Robuchon restaurants in Paris and London. She then became a junior sous chef at L’Atalier de Joël Robuchon and Restaurant Joël Robuchon in Singapore. 

Why do you love being a chef in Manila today? 

Being a chef in Manila today is exciting because the industry is so supportive and collaborative. The dining public is open-minded and very keen on trying and supporting new ideas, flavours, and concepts. 

What do you want people to know and understand about your food? 

I am not limited to my French training, and first and foremost, I am a proud Filipino with a modern and fresh perspective.

Please tell us about the inspiration and more about the dish you created for Mood for Food.

I am taking you back with me to my hometown and sharing with you one of my favourite kinilaw dishes. Taquería Franco is making shrimp kinilaw tostada for Mood for Food! 

NOW READ

Carmelo’s Steakhouse: A legacy of steak supremacy

Tatler Dining exclusive preview: Alma, Poblacion

Now open: Automat, a new Filipino restaurant by chef Stephan Duhesme