Chef Colin Mackay, restaurateur of Sala, People's Palace, Blackbird and Sala Bistro
Cover Chef Colin Mackay, restaurateur of Sala, People's Palace, Blackbird and Sala Bistro

Sala, People’s Palace, Sala Bistro, Blackbird. What do they all have in common? Mr. Colin Mackay, of course.

Colin Mackay is a man who proudly admits he has been a voracious foodie for pretty much all his life. This electric passion only grew throughout his lifetime, as he was emboldened through flavourful experiences around the globe—as a teenager in Scotland, then as a chef in Hong Kong and as a restaurateur in the Philippines.

After an array of international home bases and time residing in various metropolises, Mackay found permanence in the Philippines. Here, he nurtured his talent and set up shop for what would become a remarkable career. 

His first restaurant Sala, which garnered much acclaim and put him on the culinary map, opened in Malate in 1997. “Since [then] I have continuously channelled my energy into original restaurant concepts,” he says. His other concepts, Sala Bistro, People’s Palace, and Blackbird quickly became staples in the Metro Manila food scene. While he is tremendously thankful for the recognition and abundance of accolades awarded to him, what remains his most valued metric of success is returning patrons, and their happy, satisfied faces. 

To me, each of his restaurants has been consistent go-to spots for get-togethers with friends or celebrations with family. From weekend brunches, milestone birthday's, anniversaries, baptisms or just-because after-work dinners and cocktails, I have never been let down by this Tastemaker's concepts. 

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What would you say your big break was?  

Opportunities presented themselves often. I believe it is important to recognise not only your passion, but your strengths and weaknesses, and only commit to a venture that you truly believe you can make a success. With encouragement from friends and well-wishers, I took a big step forward. Since opening Sala, I have continuously channelled my energy into original restaurant concepts. Some have grown into popular brands and others have been redeveloped over the years. 

What does it take to be a chef and restaurateur? 

Being both a chef and a restaurateur demands a tremendous amount of hard work, long hours and especially the ability to organise a team to work together to make your vision a reality. I was very fortunate in managing to get a good team together. In this industry, success can be highly volatile. The last year has shown us how easy it is for seemingly infallible brands to fall by the wayside. 

What motivates you to do what you do? 

Recognition and accolades are highly motivating but can be easily lost or forgotten. What is satisfying to me is seeing guests return to the restaurants, with friends, family or business clients and enjoying what we have to offer. Their appreciation is most important to me. 

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What do you feel is your contribution to the PH dining scene? 

I would like to believe that my restaurants have played some part in the development of quality, relaxed dining experiences that we have seen introduced over the last few decades in the Philippines.

What have you been up to lately? Tell us about recent work and projects. 

One year ago my team and I were working on a new, exciting Southeast Asian restaurant concept! However, that’s now on the back burner and we are channelling our combined efforts into reinvention. Some of what we had planned can now be seen in our existing restaurants, so it was not all in vain. In addition, I have been spending a lot more time at my farm in Cavite, where we grow many of the herbs and salads that we use in the restaurants. Our latest project there is the introduction of colonies of native and European honey bees. Their delicious organic honey will also be featured in the restaurants. 

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How has the pandemic affected your business and how have you evolved? 

I believe that maintaining visibility during these uncertain times is key to continued success. We have refreshed our menus, introduced various take out options, developed our Sala Bistro Chef at Home frozen food line, created bespoke small private events at Sala restaurant and at Blackbird's private room The Cabin where we can control the safety of our guests and staff. It is always about keeping the restaurants safe for everyone, whilst maintaining the experience of quality food and warm hospitality that we are known for. 

Where do you see the future of the PH food scene? 

No one could have anticipated the global impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Today we still face uncertainty as to when the situation will improve. For those of us in the restaurant business, it is clear that we will still have to make some changes to how we operate whilst maintaining the high-quality standards which I believe to be so important.  Offering our guests different options will be essential too. Some of these, such as take-out and frozen meals, are already in place - however, we will continue to be more innovative and develop new ideas as we move forward.  

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Tatler Asia
Chef Colin Mackay, restaurateur of Sala, People's Palace, Blackbird and Sala Bistro

What do you think is the next trend in the food scene and will you be part of it?  

I hope that we will continue to see an increase in the availability and use of locally sourced quality products. We are already doing our small part on our farm in Cavite. If this trend continues, not only will it encourage local supply chains of quality produce, but it should also help eliminate our dependency on imported products, cut costs and reduce uncertainty.

Advice for a young chef, and restaurant owner?

The best advice I can give is not to think too big, too quickly. Always lead by working hard, sharing your knowledge and be ready to recognise talent within your team. Their skill and success will ultimately bring you the most happiness and satisfaction.

What would you attribute to the success of your brand? 

Guests often comment on the quality and consistency of the food, service and ambience in my restaurants. I attribute this to the professionalism and dedication of everyone in the team. This not only includes the servers, bar staff and managers that you meet when dining with us, but also the whole kitchen brigade, the administration, purchasing and maintenance staff as well as the designers of the restaurants. Every one of them works very hard and plays an important role, and I hope that this has been the major reason for our success. 

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