Two Restaurants in the Philippines Honored in Asia's 50 Best Restaurants List 2023
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SINGAPORE: The year’s list of best dining places in Asia has been revealed.
During an exuberant awards ceremony held at The Ballroom of Resorts World Sentosa tonight, chefs from all over the region gathered, clapped, cheered and handed out congratulatory hugs to each other every time a restaurant was called and named among the year’s finest.
Leading up to the much anticipated event, organizers of the Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants, sponsored by S.Pellegrino & Acqua Panna, had already announced a few of the special citations, including the Icon Award for Shinobu Namae of L’Effervescence in Japan, American Express One to Watch Award for August in Indonesia, and Best Female Chef to Johanne Siy, a proud Filipina who’s running the kitchen of Singapore’s Lolla, which is ranked no. 63 in the elusive roster.
“There are so many amazingly talented female chefs so for me, it’s definitely rewarding to be recognized,” Siy said. “’Chef’ is a beautiful word because it is inherently genderless. It is us who overcomplicate things. Having said that, do I think the award is necessary at this point? I do.”
This year, Bangkok’s Le Du takes top spot, a momentous step up from no. 4 last year. Sezanne in Tokyo and Nusara, also in Bangkok, complete the top three spots.
In 2022, none of the Philippine-based restaurants were cited in the top 50. Gallery by Chele tied with Comorin at 69, Antonio’s Tagaytay landed at 74, while Toyo Eatery sat at 94. This year, the country may not have any representation in the lower half but fortunately, we have two that made it to the top 50.
Team Metiz: Kevin Soliven, Stefan Duhesme and his wife Karen Ramos, Arlo Gregorio
Stephan Duhesme’s Metiz, who runs the restaurant with wife Karen Urriago Ramos, joins the big league by reaching no. 48.
“It’s going to take a while to sink in,” Duhesme said of the accolade. “It’s a bit surreal. Such a big honor for us. Being in the top 50 is a real surprise; to be side by side with the restaurants we look up to.”
Jordy and May Navarra of Toyo have been in the prestigious list the longest among the restaurants in the Philippines. This year, they find themselves the best in the country, sitting snugly at no. 42, as well as winning the Flor de Cana Sustainable Award.
Team Toyo Eatery: Paolo Achacoso, JP Cruz, Meigan Butalid, May and Jordy Navarra
“Honestly, every time we get invited to the Asia’s 50 Best event, it’s like, wow, really?” shared May. “We’re just so happy [to be a part of it]. It doesn’t even matter what the number is. Every time we see the other chefs, it’s like an emotional reunion.”
Here is the top tier of the 2023 list:
1| Le Du, Bangkok
2| Sezanne, Tokyo
3| Nusara, Bangkok
4| Den, Tokyo
5| Gaggan Anand, Bangkok
6| Odette, Singapore
7| Florilege, Tokyo
8| La Cime, Osaka
9| Sorn, Bangkok
10| Narisawa, Tokyo
Asias best female chef Johanne Siy with husband Vinchi and Chef Yi Xuen
Other big winners include Avartana in Chennai, India for Aspire Lifestyle’s Highest New Entry Award; Louisa Lim of Odette for Valrhona Asia’s Best Pastry Chef Award; Della Tang of Ensue for Beronia Asia’s Best Sommelier Award; Labyrinth for The Highest Climber Award; Zen for Gin Mare Art of Hospitality Award; and Hiroyasu Kawate of Florilege for Inedit Damm Chefs’ Choice Award.
“Because of Asia’s 50 Best, a lot of restaurants are being discovered,” said LG Han of Labyrinth, which is ranked 11. He recognizes the list’s relevance and importance in the industry. “Every restaurant in the list is unique in character, and to be discovered early on is amazing. For myself, I cook Singaporean cuisine. I love my history, my roots, and my food. To be on the list helps in introducing our brand to the international market, showcasing what we do, and bringing Singaporean cuisine to the world stage.”
Meanwhile, Jordy Navarra said he believes that such awards can serve as a morale boost to the whole staff. “It becomes the push, the encouragement to get better. It’s like a different kind of ‘really good job, sir.’”
To see the complete list, head to https://www.theworlds50best.com/asia/en/list.
