In fact, Donnie himself is not only a producer, but a consumer. When the group brought in Filipino designers Vina Romero, Kelvin Morales and Randolph, among others, he shares that their pieces, specifically the modern barongs, had “resonated” with him. “I almost always wear their clothes for work.”

Despite the challenge of winning and retaining the loyalty of customers, they see to it that they remain as immersive as possible—by understanding what inspires each of them culturally, emotionally, artistically and “who they are as human beings that have pain points, problems to be solved, and aspirations to be fulfilled”.

For the Tantoco family, the fruit of their work should not draw admiration to themselves, rather elevate the lives of people. “The very point of our work is to serve and love others,” Donnie says. Through this, protect the legacy of their predecessors and sustain it across generations.

“When you walk into a restaurant, you want to feel welcome. There’s always a guest-to-host relationship that we Filipinos are so familiar with,” says Jim Fuentebella, director of Max’s Restaurant.

A story of friendship and good food, Max’s roots date back to 1945, just after the Second World War. Maximo Gimenez, one of the restaurant’s founders, often had American soldiers visiting his home for drinks. Eventually, the troops insisted that they pay for their drinks, inspiring him to open a cafe. The signature chicken we know and love comes from Ruby Trota, Gimenez’s niece and Fuentabella’s grandmother, who developed a special recipe that became an instant hit. Today, Max’s Restaurant is a staple Filipino establishment that delivers all its diners a ‘just like home’ feeling.

Over the years, Max’s Restaurant has expanded dramatically—with over 170 restaurants across the Philippines, North America, Canada and the Middle East—but it was not without its challenges. Their biggest concern was keeping the prices as low as possible. Max’s Restaurant isn’t meant to cater to one specific market. It’s intended to serve everyone from all walks of life and all social classes. So, sticking to their principles, the brand has fostered a community that knows it for what it is— a restaurant where you can always enjoy good food with good company. “Never trade your personality because of a variance or a competitor… We’re happy to serve food that makes you feel great. That is our purpose,” says Fuentebella.

In the business for over 78 years, Max’s Restaurant credits its longevity to the heart and soul poured into its work. All the flavours you taste from their menu—from the kare-kare and lumpiang Shanghai to the famed fried chicken—have all been preserved since 1945, giving a sense of familiarity and consistency. “It’s really just perseverance and believing in our magical recipe. I think Ruby gifted us with this chicken that can appeal to different people worldwide. For them, it’s to try what Filipino food tastes like and to experience that it’s surrounded by Filipino hospitality. So when you mix those, it’s a potent combination. It’s rooted in basic human principles, integrity and humility,” shares Fuentebella.

Consistency is their forte, but the restaurant is no stranger to change and evolution. Besides their international expansions, Max’s has also done significant work to renovate their first branch in Scout Tuason–an homage to Trota.

As for their visions for the future, Fuentebella wishes to stay humble. “I don’t want to get too big. I don’t need to rule the world. I don’t want to dominate… I gravitate towards something more meaningful. I like it when the scale is just right. I want to be connected with the people so that there’s a sense of trust... My dream for our stores is to be value-adding to the communities there. I can have fewer stores as long as all the stores mean something,” he says.

From the very beginning, The Aristocrat Restaurant was always about family. After all, founders Justice Alex Reyes and his wife Engracia “Asiang” Cruz-Reyes were devoted parents to their 12 children, even through the hectic years of the rise of their historic restaurant. Family time was sacred to the Reyes clan—and family mealtimes, even more so.

“Our grandparents were from Malabon,” explains Raymund A Reyes, chairman and president of The Aristocrat Group of Companies. “Our great-grandmother started cooking there. Our roots are as Filipino as can be.” Despite the growing popularity of American food and culture in the Thirties, Asiang’s love for Philippine cuisine never wavered. The Reyes couple soon saw an opportunity to transform their home, which was large enough to accommodate their family of 14 and countless house parties and open a canteen on the ground level. “My grandmother was just a housewife who happened to love cooking for her family and, eventually, for friends and customers alike,” Raymund shares. Known as Lapu-Lapu, the canteen proudly served homestyle Filipino delights, with each of the 12 children carrying their weight in day-to-day operations. Not long after, their home became a famous watering hole for the students of the nearby St. Theresa’s College.

Inspired by their first food venture’s success, Lola Asiang opened a food truck at Luneta—where the Reyes family would also hold their weekly picnics. Clever and innovative, the matriarch conceptualised easy-to-eat meals infused with her passion for Filipino flavours, like sandwiches stuffed with chicken adobo or fried fish. The truck later moved to Dewey Boulevard (now known as Roxas Boulevard), and in July 1936, Alex and Asiang opened a brick-and-mortar restaurant on that very spot. This humble eatery would become the very first branch of The Aristocrat Restaurant, now a historic landmark recognised by the National Historical Commission of the Philippines, and one of 17 branches operating today.

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Be it with their fan-favourite lumpiang Shanghai, signature chicken barbecue with Java rice, Java sauce and atchara, or even some treats from The Aristocrat Bakeshop, the long-loved brand has earned the trust of Filipinos across the country and maintained its reputation for over eight decades—a milestone few establishments get to accomplish. Unsurprisingly, Raymund explains that this success all goes back to family, declaring it “the core to any establishment for longevity, in this generation and generations to come”. “We are run by third- and fourth-generation Reyes family,” he continues. “There are only a few third-generation establishments in the Philippines. The challenge is to get at least one of your sons, daughters or apos to love the business. The restaurant business is one of the toughest [industries] I that you have to devote your time and efforts to long hours, especially when you have 24/7 operations.”

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Heritage plays a vital role in The Aristocrat‘s enduring success—but Lola Asiang’s knack for innovation is also a core tenet of the brand. The Aristocrat’s dedication to quality ingredients persists to this day, tweaking heirloom recipes as needed through constant taste tests and R&D. The power of comforting, homestyle cooking continues to be at the forefront of their brand. At the same time, Raymund draws from his extensive business studies to ensure The Aristocrat stays relevant in the fast-changing F&B landscape. The Aristocrat has brought their Thirties charm to the modern era by leveraging tools like social media and delivery aggregators. “The company has grown conservatively, not aggressively, through its 87 years of existence, but it has kept its traditions intact, culturally and business-wise,” Raymund reflects.

Looking forward, Raymund seeks to expand The Aristocrat Group of Companies to more cities across the country and destinations overseas. “The Filipino consumer has become more sophisticated in that Filipinos are well-travelled and OFWs are exposed to various international cuisines,” he observes. “More people are eating out, whether it be street food, fast food, or casual dining, and Filipinos have become more adventurous in their dining choices… however, comfort food and home-cooked meals are still much sought after.” Through The Aristocrat, Asiang‘s devotion to family, Filipino food and hospitality lives on, offering a beacon of simple yet timeless values where everyone feels at home.

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Few brands resonate through generations of Filipinos as powerfully as Milky Way. Over six decades, what started as a dairy bar has evolved into a restaurant empire spanning Filipino, Thai, Japanese and Spanish cuisines, each establishment deemed among the country’s best. Despite this growth, the Gamboa family has never once sacrificed their standards for quality food, nor have they lost the sincere hospitality the brand is known for.

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“The very first Milky Way was a dairy bar in old San Miguel owned by the Cartagena sisters, Spanish ladies who migrated to the United States,” relates Malu Gamboa-Lindo, who helms the family business as the group’s general manager. She continues, “Our grandfather bought the ice cream factory from them in the Fifties. Tita Corazon ‘Cora’ Araullo Goquingco [our mum’s eldest sister] and our Lola Epifania ‘Inding’ Valbuena Araullo introduced Capampangan fare to the menu.”

The gamble was immediately well-received. “Milky Way was an instant success,” says Gamboa-Lindo. “The ice cream, sherbets and dishes were so popular that they were encouraged to keep adding dishes to the menu. Milky Way evolved from an ice cream parlour to a short-order restaurant to a turo-turo offering 350 entrees, 220 soups and salads, 180 desserts and 72 sandwiches.”

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Hoping to arouse an entrepreneurial spirit in the family, Gamboa-Lindo’s grandfather, Lolo Pancho, insisted that his children own separate branches of the Milky Way. “He believed that the only way for one to succeed was to be an entrepreneur,” she explains. “He encouraged our mum, Julieta ‘Julie’ Araullo Gamboa, a certified public accountant at the time, to open her own Milky Way. This would later be the Milky Way on Aguado Street, a stone’s throw away from Malacañang, which Mama opened in 1962.”

Julie’s Milky Way has been a family-led operation ever since, falling into the hands of Gamboa-Lindo and her three siblings: J, the group’s executive chef; Popsie, who manages purchasing and packaging requirements; and Gina, the lawyer in charge of all legal, immigration and labour matters. The transformation of the Milky Way Group would not have been possible without the siblings’ contributions.

Cirkulo was Gamboa-Lindo’spersonal project. “I was tasked to come up with a concept that would not compete with the existing restaurants in the building yet be a popular choice for lunch, dinner and late-night dining,” Gamboa-Lindo recounts. At the time, the Milky Way Building had already housed the eponymous restaurant’s flagship location, as well as Tsukiji: the Japanese favourite that, to this day, sets the bar for authentic Japanese cuisine in the country. “It was in Madrid that I discovered tapas,” she reveals. “I was impressed with how people enjoyed it for lunch, with cocktails, a light dinner or a late-night snack. I knew immediately that was what I wanted to bring to Manila.” She opened the doors to Cirkulo (then known as El Cirkulo) in 1995, often considered the metro’s first tapas bar.

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Meanwhile, J, Popsie and two of their chefs flew to Bangkok to enrol in cooking lessons in preparation for Azuthai’s opening in 2011. Azuthai continues to be touted as one of the premier Thai restaurants in the country and has even been awarded the Thai Select Seal of Approval by the Department of International Trade Promotion, Ministry of Commerce of the Royal Thai Government, in recognition of their authentic Thai cuisine.

“Milky Way, Cirkulo, Azuthai and Tsukiji have thrived for so long because we focus on consistently bringing the highest calibre of food and service to all our customers with every meal,” shares Gamboa-Lindo. “We are present and involved in the day-to-day operations to make sure no one drops the ball, or if we do, we ensure to fix the situation as best as possible.” This dedication is not just a value shared by the four siblings, either—it’s a tenet ingrained in every member of the Milky Way family. “I am proudest of our very loyal staff, many of whom have been with us since the beginning,” says Gamboa-Lindo. “Many have said that our staying power is thanks to the happiness and ambience of home we have fostered in our restaurants.”

Read more: The importance of great service in F&B

Henry Sy, Sr undeniably introduced new merchandising and retail concepts when he established the first Shoemart store in 1958. Dubbed the “Father of Philippine Retail,” Sy thought that if he could sell a pair of shoes to every Filipino, he would be successful. In the early Sixties, the businessman expanded his business and became one of the pioneers in the new urban centres in Makati and Cubao.

In the Seventies, Shoemart evolved into a department store and became a one-stop shop for everyday needs, including garments, luggage, tools and whatnot. The store’s loyal patrons started calling it “SM”, an acronym for “shoe” and “mart”—a name that remains relevant today.

SM continues to cement its name in the retail industry. In the Eighties, it ventured into the supermarket and appliance business. In 1985, it opened SM City North EDSA, its first shopping centre.

As of this writing, SM prides itself on being the most prominent mall operator in Southeast Asia; it has 83 world-class malls in the Philippines and seven in China that enjoy a Php17.05 billion revenue. The company has about 10.5 million square metres of gross floor area and 19,690 tenants in the country and 1,883 in China.

The company keeps a good mix of local and international brands that Filipinos have learned to trust and love. Among the sought-after brands and global retailers that can be found inside SM stores are H&M, Uniqlo, Forever 21, Uno de 50, Crate&Barrel, Dior, Clinique, Kiehl and more.

At its core, SM’s operations are committed to providing outstanding shopping experiences for Filipinos. It continues to raise the bar in retail by embracing innovative practices such as integrating cutting-edge digital solutions.

In one of her interviews, Teresita Sy-Coson, Sy Sr’s eldest child, revealed that the company’s secret to success lies in its ability to adapt to a world that is changing so fast. “What drives retail is that we always have to move forward,” she disclosed. Sy-Coson has served as an adviser to the board since May 2008. Before this, she was the company’s director from 1994 until April 2008. Today, she holds board positions and continues to take the lead in several companies within the SM Group, the conglomerate her father started.

SM takes pride in its unwavering commitment to giving back to the community through its corporate social responsibility arm, SM Cares. Under this initiative, the company has created a series of programmes for persons with disabilities, children and youth development, women and breastfeeding mothers, senior citizens, overseas Filipino workers, and environment and sustainability.

SM is celebrating its 65th year in the retailing industry, but its dedication to public service remains solid and firm. In the coming years, it seeks to establish malls in La Union, Sta Rosa Yulo area, and Harrison, Manila. It will also redevelop branches such as SM City Cebu, SM Aura Premier and SM Megamall.

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