In New Single Ingredient Menu, Chef Josh Boutwood Puts in the Work

Josh Boutwood stood by the door welcoming guests himself on the evening he formally presented his new tasting menu at his restaurant, Helm. He said hello to and shook the hands of every single guest as they strode in and took their seat in the intimate dining space, which, as most food-obsessed Filipino knows by now, is the first and only restaurant in the country to earn two coveted Michelin stars.

The culinary talents are a given (as we’ve written about so many times here on Esquire), but there’s something to be said about Boutwood’s social and hospitality skills as well; how he goes around making everyone feel immediately at ease and cooly sliding into the role of genial host instead of superstar chef. And it’s clear the approach has trickled on down to every single person on his team at Helm and in every other restaurant that carries his name. Diners come for what’s on the plate but there’s no denying they come back for the excellent service.

“We extended the old menu a few weeks,” he told me, referencing the monochromatic menu that revolved around presenting dishes within a single color palette. The menu at Helm usually lasts three to four months, but this new one took a while to develop. Boutwood officially introduced it a few days before he left for a much-needed vacation with his family. He’s sporting a healthy tan and showed me his original skin color on his wrist underneath his watch that’s a few shades lighter than the rest of his arm. “We went to Sweden and visited the in-laws then went to a few cities in Spain.”

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The new menu is Boutwood clearly hitting the ground running. Based around the theme of Single Ingredient, it sees the chef choosing to drown out the noise, so to speak, of the last few months in order to go back to basics, which is to coax out the intricacies and novelties of the star component of each dish. One doesn’t ask what the culinary inspiration is in terms of region or provenance; it’s all in Boutwood’s head. He applies technique and skill to allow the ingredient to sing in ways regular diners perhaps never thought possible.

There’s a trio of amuse-bouches served not long after we take our seats: a smoked trout, mustard leaf, and caviar; a savory buchi with lobster and lime kosho; and a Wagyu tartare with egg yolk and shiso leaf. Boutwood and his team take turns introducing the dishes to guests.

The main program starts with tuna, a popular and versatile fish here drenched in a Peruvian marinade called leche de tigre. The tuna retains its distinct flavor and texture, but it’s propped up by other components like a miso emulsion, freshly grated lime zest, and kombu jelly. It’s followed by a pumpkin dish comprised of several different preparations—custard, diced, seed oil, foam—that comes together in what might just be the best interpretation of the gourd I’ve ever tasted.

Boutwood discloses that the American lobster course was initially presented in a different form, but after special plates that he ordered from Japan arrived, he tweaked the dish in order to better fit the vessel. There are no complaints as the lobster taste is not lost but pronounced even more covered in a crustacean sabayon and shrimp oil.

There is a bread course and, of course, it features Boutwood’s signature sourdough (made from a nearly decade-old starter named Sebastian) and a tantalizing brioche that will fill you up if you’re not careful. They’re served with a selection of butters and Italian olive oil.  

The bread is still steaming when presented to diners.

Cod and lamb are the next two courses, both of which are prepared in exceptional ways that make them appealing even for those with an initial bias against these ingredients. After the lychee cucumber and nata de coco palate cleanser, Boutwood turns to Wagyu beef to bring the whole menu together. The striploin is served with a miso glaze, beef bones and marrow sauce, sunchoke puree, and beef tendon chicharon. It’s both creative and no-nonsense, and satisfying for even the most exacting of taste standards.

Dessert is chocolate prepared a multitude of ways: a wafer with burnt white chocolate sauce, a flourless chocolate cake, chocolate crumbs, chocolate foam and veil of white chocolate dusted with cacao powder. A selection of petit fours satiates any other craving for sweets if the main dessert isn’t enough.

There is much pressure for anybody awarded with the ultimate prize that is the industry standard for excellence, but Boutwood carries it with humility and grace. It may be a gigantic thumbs up and pat on the back, but the two-Michelin starred chef proves that it’s really just about putting in the work. Delivering food that causes diners’ eyes to widen and lips to curl into a smile is the goal, and with this new Single Ingredient menu, there’s no doubt that that’s exactly what’s going to happen.

Helm is located at the 3rd Floor, The Shops at Ayala Triangle Gardens, Makati Avenue, Makati City, Metro Manila, Philippines. For inquiries and reservations, phone +63915-9098647