Behind every great chef is a patient sous chef.
You are familiar with the country’s top chefs and their fabulous food that keeps you re-visiting their restaurants - but do you know who their sous chefs are? These exquisite kitchens would not be where they are today without the day-to-day teamwork and support of a brilliantly skilled sous chef, someone who truly understands their leader's vision, habits, palate and character.
Learn about the Metro’s second-in-command personalities who ensure that our top-billed restaurants are at their best.
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1. JP Cruz, Toyo Eatery
Part of the founding team that helped open Toyo’s doors back in March 2016, the restaurant's upwards trajectory and acclaim means a great deal to this chef. “I still remember the day we first hit construction, there was a lot of hard work, excitement, and anxiety - hoping that everything goes according to plan.” JP talks fondly of how they curated their first-ever menu, picked out the cutlery and service-ware and even recalls wanting to throw up from the extreme mixture of passion, panic and excitement.
How long have you worked with chef Jordy and at the restaurant?
I have known Jordy ever since our culinary school years. We’ve been working together for eight years, from a previous restaurant all the way to Toyo Eatery that we opened in 2016.
Tell me about your journey with the restaurant?
My journey with the restaurant is a mix of love, anxiety, hard work and dedication. But most importantly it is also a place where I find utmost joy. We are very fortunate to have a community of people who are happy to be together and aim towards the same goal.
I work as the sous chef of Toyo Eatery. It makes me really proud thinking of all the memories and achievements we’ve obtained, the ups and downs, and all the challenges we overcame as a group. We are truly blessed and fortunate to be in a place where people treat each other as family. I’m very much excited to see where our journey continues.
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