What Somebody Feed Phil’s Phil Rosenthal Did—and Ate—in Manila

Phil Rosenthal is known in Hollywood as the creator of hit American sitcom Everybody Loves Raymond, but in recent years, he has amassed a cult following with his food and travel shows I’ll Have What Phil’s Having, and, of course, Somebody Feed Phil on Netflix. The latter show takes Phil in different cities and countries around the world getting to know locals and sampling their culinary specialties. 

Phil Rosenthal, host of the popular Netflix travel documentary ‘Somebody Feed Phil’ with DOT Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco and Tieza COO Mark Lapid after lunch with on October 3, 2024

In early October, Rosenthal was spotted in the Philippines, specifically in Tagaytay City and Batangas province. On Thursday (October 3), the producer and host had lunch at the Department of Tourism (DOT) office in Makati, with no less than Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco herself and other heads of the DOT attached agencies. The moment was captured by Mark Lapid, chief operating officer of the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority, who posted a selfie with Rosenthal and Frasco on his Instagram account. 

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A week later, on October 10, Rosenthal and his wife Monica visited Spanish restaurant Txoxo Asador in Makati where they were served a spread that included foie gras with chicken skin, octopus carpaccio, mushroom paella with grilled bone marrow, cochinillo, and besugo (or grilled sea bream). For dessert, there was macerated strawberries with yogurt foam and bombas con txokolate in pani puri shells with chocolate ganache.

Industry sources also told Esquire Philippines that Rosenthal had stayed overnight at Taal Vista Hotel, so there will likely be shots of the popular Tagaytay landmark, Taal Volcano. He and his crew also filmed at Pico de Loro in Batangas, “because they wanted a beach destination,” said the sources, but Rosenthal immediately rushed back to Manila after the filming wrapped up. Both properties are owned by the SM Group, which the DOT contacted to host Rosenthal and the production crew, which includes his brother Rich.

Reports say the DOT arranged the visit of Rosenthal and his production team. “I think we can’t say they were here until the episode comes out,” said one tourism official who declined to be identified as they are not authorized to speak on the matter. “But it’s amazing that he’s here though, right?” 

“I think I heard they were going to Tagaytay, but they’re here for a short visit only,” another official who was at the DOT lunch, said.

Somebody Feed Phil has aired seven seasons on Netflix is now shooting its eighth.

Rosenthal’s visit to the country follows a strong showing by the Philippines at Terra Madre Salone del Gusto, a global slow food event held in Turin, Italy. The event’s organizer Slow Food International also announced also that Bacolod City, Negros Occidental, will host Terra Madre Asia Pacific next year, beating other countries like Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan, which also wanted to host the regional event.

Rosenthal is far from being the only host of a food and travel show to visit the Philippines. Over the years, chefs and presenters like the late Anthony Bourdain of No Reservations and Parts Unknown and Andrew Zimmern of Bizarre Foods have sampled the culinary delights of the country.