Inquirer Lifestyle Food Awards honors F&B industry’s best and beloved
The Philippine Daily Inquirer brought together some of most inspiring and exciting names and entities in the culinary and hospitality world for the first-ever Inquirer Lifestyle Food Awards. It was an afternoon of heartfelt recognition held on May 19 at The Whisky Library at the Newport World Resorts in Pasay City.
“Today isn’t just a celebration of food. It’s a tribute to the spirit of gastronomy that rises above passing trends,” Lifestyle editor Cheche Moral said in her welcome remarks.
“We’re here to honor the dedication, creativity, and pursuit of excellence that define true culinary artistry,” she added. “This marks a milestone as we launch the inaugural Inquirer Lifestyle Food Awards, shining a light on those who dare to push boundaries and redefine what it means to be delicious.”
Moral gave credit to Lifestyle food columnist Angelo Comsti, who sparked the conversation about a year ago when they were at a dinner. She also shared how the newspaper section has always been supportive of the restaurant and food community through stories and coverage.
“And what could better cement that than by recognizing the F&B industry’s finest?” she said, and went on to mention how the Inquirer Food Awards unites two vital perspectives.
“First, our esteemed F&B industry jurors, whose rigorous evaluation and profound understanding of the culinary landscape have identified the true masters of their craft. Second, and equally important, we opened the floor to the vibrant chorus of our dear readers in the Philippine Daily Inquirer.”
Moral explained that the results “truly captured the hearts and taste buds of our community,” while underscoring the readers’ choices as a “testament to the power of shared culinary experiences and the deep connection we all have with food.”
She then pointed out, “As we honor today’s winners, we hope this sparks even more creativity and excellence in our F&B community. Let this recognition fuel your passion and drive to elevate the dining experience for all. Let us celebrate the brilliance shaping the future of Filipino cuisine.”
Winners
In the first division of the Inquirer Food Awards, winners were chosen by a panel of 30 carefully selected industry professionals. This is called the Industry Award.
The Hapag restaurant group emerged as big winners with three awards: Best New Restaurant for Hapag, Best Bar for Aya, and Most Memorable Collab for Hapag and its collaborator, Serai.
“It means a lot to me,” Thirdy Dolatre said in our interview with his fellow Hapag co-owner and head chef John Kevin Navoa. They were joined by operations director and sommelier Erin Ganuelas Recto, who’s responsible for the beverage program of Hapag and Aya.
“The entire team has been working very hard and all year we’ve been trying to get our groove and we’re just very happy that we were able to represent Filipino food in our own way. And we’re very happy to see Hapag and Aya get the awards. Thank you to Filipino food.”
Dolatre added, “I think it’s a truly humbling experience that our peers voted for this. It really means a lot and we really appreciate it. And we hope that this just inspires us to keep going.”
He then shared a bit of what’s in store for diners: “You guys can expect us to push the envelope more and maybe just see what else we can do by maybe doing more regional cuisine.”
Recto then pointed out, “The fact that a Filipino wine bar won Best Bar is truly amazing. Like my partner said, that just means that we can push the envelope a little bit more and really push Filipino hospitality and culture forward.”
Special awards
The Inquirer Lifestyle Special Award for Best New Restaurant went to Gordon Ramsay Bar & Grill Philippines. It was received by general manager Kathie Gee Mercadal and executive chef Stephen Woods.
“It means so much to us,” Mercadal said, a statement seconded by Woods, who went on to say, “It means recognition for all the team’s hard work and all the effort that everyone’s put in. And also, it makes us feel welcome and accepted here in the Philippines. To get this means that what we’re doing is good and that people are liking it.”
Woods added, “But us as a company, us as a restaurant, we never stop. We always want to continue to improve, always want to continue to change, always want to continue to be the best we can.”
The other awardees in this category were Don Baldosano (New Generation Chef), Jordy Navarra (Most Impactful Chef), By Sonja (Best Bakery), Antonio’s (Best Regional Restaurant), Iai (Best Tasting Menu), and Inato (Best Interior Design).
More winners
The second division of the Inquirer Food Awards is called the Readers’ Choice Award. It was determined by popular vote, in which the general public had the chance to cast their votes. This ensured that the awards also reflected the tastes and preferences of the broader community.
Melo’s Steakhouse emerged as the Favorite Steakhouse, and the award was received by founder Melo Santiago’s daughters Carmina Santiago-Mesias and Carolina Santiago-Macasaet.
“We are so thankful that readers chose us,” Santiago-Mesias said in our interview. “Because we’re working so hard, from us the second generation to our kids, the third generation. We’re trying our best to keep the consistency and keep up with the new trends.”
Another institution in the food industry, Cibo, was cited as Favorite Italian Restaurant. Its managing director Bledes Forés-Legarda and deputy chief operating officer Mercedes Forés collected the award.
“No, I’m not surprised,” Forés-Legarda, candidly told us. The sister of Cibo’s recently deceased founder, Margarita Forés, clarified how she felt. “I’m happily not surprised. I’m happy that Cibo still got its name. It’s Margarita.”
The younger Forés pointed out, “I think it’s a testament to what we’ve done over the last 27 years. Our award was fun. I think it’s extra special.”
On the other hand, NIU by Vikings executive chef MJ Camarista said she and the rest of the company were surprised that Vikings Philippines was awarded the Favorite Buffet Restaurant.
“I mean, it’s nice to be recognized,” she said. “And then it’s good as well that we can tell our staff that most of our guests actually voted us for it. So, it’s a privilege. There’s a lot of exciting stuff that’s coming.”
Other awardees were KFC Philippines (Favorite Fast Food Restaurant), Manam (Favorite Filipino Restaurant), No. China House (Favorite Chinese Restaurant), Kazunori (Favorite Japanese Restaurant), and Samgyupsalamat (Favorite Korean Restaurant).
Completing the category were Starbucks Philippines (Favorite Coffee Shop), Shake Shack (Favorite Burger Place), Greenwich Pizza Philippines (Favorite Pizza Place), Flaky Co. (Favorite Bakery), and Bizu Patisserie (Favorite Dessert Place).
