Diner’s DiaryTop Manila chef’s mission to elevate Philippine food takes him to Macau
Chef Jordy Navarra’s world travels to educate diners about Philippine cuisine recently saw him at Italian restaurant 8½ Otto e Mezzo Bombana Macau for an exhibition of the two country’s cuisines
Chefs Antimo Merone and Jordy Navarra act like old chums even though they only met in person a few days ago. Merone, the Italian chef de cuisine at 8½ Otto e Mezzo Bombana Macau, and Navarra, the Filipino chef-owner of Toyo Eatery in Manila, were already talking about their next collaboration just hours before their “four hands” dinner at Merone’s restaurant was due to start.
At first the collaboration sounds strange – a Michelin-starred restaurant serving a mixture of refined, modern Italian dishes alongside experimental Philippine creations – but it is serving as an opportunity to elevate homey, hearty meals from the Philippines to fine-dining level.
Navarra has been promoting his native cuisine – a mix of Spanish, indigenous and American ingredients and cooking styles – at his restaurant in Manila for two years now. Over the past year he has been travelling around, educating diners about Southeast Asian cuisine.
Now he is in Macau doing what Merone claims is probably the first ever collaboration between an Italian and a Filipino chef. So how did it happen?
“It was like a dating app – we got set up,” Merone jokes, and the two high-five each other, laughing. He explains that the matchmaker was Richard Stuart, assistant vice-president of international cuisine at the Galaxy Macau casino resort, where Merone’s restaurant is located. Stuart visited Toyo Eatery and after eating Navarra’s food, felt the two were similarly creative and suggested they do a four-hands event together.
