Balancing luxury and accessibility
At 26 years old, chef Valery Anthony faces what people in the industry will admit to be a gargantuan task. After moving around the late Margarita Forés’ group of restaurants, doing research and development with the culinary icon, she was recently given the permanent title of R&D and technical head chef of Lusso by Forés.
Quite the mouthful, one might say, but it must be difficult to put a label on a position once held by a titan of the local food industry.
Seasoned with experience
However, Anthony is not walking into this new role blind and wet behind the ears. She met Forés working as a chef in A Mano, the Italian concept owned and operated by Margarita’s son, Amado, under his umbrella company AF Hospitality.
“A Mano was my first job in 2019,” Anthony narrates. “I was part of the opening team in Power Plant Mall. After a while, I decided to resign, but Margarita felt bad about me leaving, I suppose. So she asked me to join her, and I worked with her in Margarita Catering for three years.”
Working closely with Forés meant Anthony had access to some of her quiet thoughts and lofty dreams. Before the highly respected chef passed away, she was planning her next chapter with Anthony and her participation in it. “Back then, we were already doing R&D for her signature restaurant, Margarita (supposed to be at the corner of Makati Avenue and Paseo de Roxas at The Shops in Ayala Triangle Gardens).”
“She shared with me the idea of working closely with her there. And even back then, she also said that she wanted me to be more involved with Lusso. Of course, I said yes to her! It’s really hard not to,” she adds.
Keeping the legacy alive
Like the trusted lieutenant, she juggled all her different roles within Forés’ organization—doing research and development for the different restaurants, standardizing recipes, and helping with kitchen systems. Then, the unexpected passing of Forés stunned the world, and Grace Park and Lusso were absorbed by AF Hospitality.
This was when Anthony was given one restaurant to focus on, and by then, she knew the Lusso brand like the back of her hand.
“It is an interesting position, because as we all know, this was Margarita’s restaurant and this was all her food. Of course, I really do not want to change much since I want to keep her identity alive through Lusso and her food,” Anthony admits. “I understand what a big role this is stepping into a 16-year-old brand.”
Anthony is keeping the game plan simple—adhering to the Lusso brand of luxury and indulgence while injecting updates to make it more relatable to a wider and younger audience. “We are sticking with the core ingredients that Margarita loves—caviar, champagne, foie gras, all those luxurious things that are known to be very her and very Lusso. We will continue to highlight those.”
New dishes, same soul
She has also started adding a few new dishes following this template, making sure that the founder’s stamp on her new creations remains. The recently launched caviar and ikura pasta in beurre blanc—and a chilled version with a miso-based sauce—is, as many of the regulars observed, “very Margarita,” whose style is poignantly ingredient-driven, regardless if it’s diwal from her native Negros or white truffles from the Piedmont region of Italy.
Anthony is also mindful of the ingredients Margarita would steer clear of when conceptualizing a dish. “She did not like abalone and chocolate,” Anthony confesses. “And if we do want to use chocolate in a dessert, we keep it minimal. She did not like red wine as much as champagne, and so we also keep that in mind when coming up with dishes.”
Anthony admits that her dream for Lusso is for it to be able to reach a younger market, one that is currently more open to experiencing new things and also willing to pay for it. “I think Amado and I are aligned when it comes to the vision of making Lusso more approachable and accessible. Not too intimidating, but also maintain the luxury and elegance of the brand.”
The newest dish they launched is exactly that—chicken schnitzel inspired by the late Forés’ exploits in Austria. The crispy, fried chicken cutlet is simply adorned with your choice of house-made compound butter and served with a side salad. Simple and refined, it speaks less of opulence but more of a well-traveled past filled with happy memories.
Leading Lusso into a fresh chapter
The young chef, in the best sense possible, is a tribute band, yes, but one that is poised to lead Lusso into a fresh chapter. “Before Margarita passed, we talked about dishes that she wanted to launch in Lusso,” Anthony imparts, “so I really want to get to do that for her. At the same time, I would love to work with fresh blood. I really appreciate having so many seasoned chefs in Lusso, but it would also be great to mentor young cooks on modern techniques and new dishes that will update the menu.”
“I’m looking forward to doing more events—more bubbly, more caviar, just really luxurious things the brand is associated with and what many of the young people also like these days,” she adds.
All the talk about Forés has made everyone nostalgic, reminiscing about encounters with her, undoubtedly significant even if fleeting. “I’m very grateful to have bonded with her, even if it was just for a short period of time. It really meant a lot to me. But, yes, I am also ready to move forward and do more fun things.”
Anthony truly has that unique quality of being immersed in Forés’ impeccably tasteful world, and the confidence to weaponize her youthful vigor in bringing Lusso into its bright new future. Exciting times ahead for the brand, and hopefully, when it’s Anthony’s turn to look back at her handiwork, she will make herself proud.
This story was originally published in F&B Report 2026, Issue 1
