In August of 2024, the Gordon Ramsay Bar & Grill Philippines opened its doors to Metro Manila’s foodies. While many expected his presence soon after, it wasn’t until Monday, January 20, that they finally met the world-renowned chef and media personality in person. Atan exclusive event at the Newport Performing Arts Theatre, Ramsay was met with thunderous applause by culinary students of Le Cordon Bleu, the College of Saint Benilde and the Centre of Culinary Arts Manila (CCA), as well as his loyal fans. “They are the future of the culinary scene in the Philippines,” he says, pointing at the students.
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Upon arriving onstage alongside host Issa Litton, Ramsay shared his thoughts on Filipino food. “I think Filipino cuisine has a permanent hold among global cuisines. Some of the best restaurants in New York, London, and Melbourne are awash with the Philippines… I said it before, Filipino cuisine for me is like the ‘Sleeping Beauty of Asia.’ It’s now prominent and could become one of the frontrunners across Southeast Asia,” he says.
Fun fact: Ramsay mentioned that his favourite Filipino dish is sisig and that the use of evaporated milk in Filipino desserts reminds him of his childhood.
When asked about his media presence, Ramsay shared that social media is crucial in today’s world. “It’s a great way of marketing yourself and establishing confidence. These chefs deserve the following. No one gets to see the 12-hour prep time—only the three minutes of devouring,” he shares. He then recalls his online interaction with TikTok’s ‘Lumpia Queen’, Abi Marquez, and invited her onstage. “Abi did something special this morning. She took Beef Wellington and put it inside an incredible spring roll. It was absolutely stunning.” To which Marquez jokingly replied that he spoiled the surprise.
Also see: Who is Abi Marquez, the content creator showcasing Filipino cuisine to the world?
Chef Gordon Ramsay and host Issa Litton on stage at the Newport Performing Arts Theatre
In the middle of the event, Ramsay let the audience in on a secret. “We are looking at three new restaurant sites in Manila. Lots of exciting stuff to come, and maybe even a Hell’s Kitchen restaurant,” he says, to which the crowd cheered in exhilaration.
The Hell’s Kitchen television series premiered in 2005 and has since spawned seven locations in the United States. Should Ramsay’s teaser come to fruition, this will become the first Hell’s Kitchen in Asia and outside United States.
Chef Gordon Ramsay and Danica Lucero during the Halo-halo prep
Right after the Q&A session, the curtain rose to reveal a kitchen with four stations. In a competition akin to the MasterChef series, Ramsay challenged four Filipino personalities to create a unique spin on halo-haloincorporating a secret ingredient. the first to be introduced is Danica Lucero, a culinary student from the CCA, who used a kamias compôte as her mystery element. “Kamias is crunchy, juicy, and sour—it gives a nice balance to the sweetness of halo-halo,” shares Lucero.
Chef Gordon Ramsay and Ninong Ry during the Halo-halo prep
Second was Ryan Morales Reyes, more popularly known as Ninong Ry. His presence caught the attention of the entire auditorium, earning him a resounding chant. His wildcard was coco jam, aimed at amplifying the milky texture of the dessert—to which Ramsay responded, “Amazing”, followed by a playful jab at the content creator. “Just make sure to keep that hair out of the halo-halo,” he says with a laugh.
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Chef Gordon Ramsay and Chef Judy Ann Santos during the Halo-halo prep
As if to show off her recent accolade of graduating from culinary school, Chef Judy Ann Santos took the stage with black sesame polvoron as her signature ingredient. Ramsay complimented her choice, making her to visibly gush over his approval.
Finally, the Gordon Ramsay Bar & Grill Philippines’ very own head chef, Bea Therese Kwa, represented her kitchen—bringing Bohol’s asín tibuók as her secret ingredient. “You cannot lose this! If you do, we are out of a job!” jokes Ramsay.
(L-R) Ninong Ry, Danica Lucero, Chef Gordon Ramsay, Chef Judy Ann Santos, and Chef Bea Therese Kwa
The contestants were then given 10 minutes to prepare their best version of a halo-halo as Ramsay darted around the stage. After tasting all the desserts and jokingly claiming he was getting diabetes from Ninong Ry’s creation—“I can feel my arteries jamming up,” quips Ramsay—he declared Lucero the winner. She then received a special jacket to commemorate the event.
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