For Elizabeth Mortera – or Nanay Beth, as visitors of her modest roadside diner in Quezon City call her – the Michelin Guide citation is not merely a prestigious recognition. For her, it is a lifelong mark that adds more flavor to the dishes they serve their customers.
Nanay Beth said that since her Morning Sun Eatery received a Michelin Bib Gourmand award in November for serving honest, soulful, and affordable Filipino fare, their income has doubled as customers have begun lining up for their Ilokano dishes.
‘Just from the line of customers, in less than two or three hours, our first dish is already sold out,’ Nanay Beth said in Filipino, as cited in the Department of Tourism’s (DOT) press release.
‘We increased the kilos and quantity of our dishes; from 15 kilos, we doubled it. Dinakdakan, dinuguan, barbecue, and pinakbet. this is our culture. So it’s heartwarming to accept that this is what people are looking for,’ she added in Filipino.
On Friday, the DOT held the Resto-Run Caravan, which made stops at 15 Michelin-recognized restaurants and food establishments in Metro Manila, including Gallery by Chele in Taguig City; Kasa Palma, Ramen Ron, Pilya’s Kitchen, Hapag, Aya, and Taupe Dining in Makati City; as well as Inato, Metiz, and Automat in Chino Roces. This followed the turnover of Michelin plaques to 53 awardees during a ceremony at Novotel Manila in Quezon City.
Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco met with the Michelin awardees, many of whom shared how the recognition has impacted their lives.
According to Chef Josh Boutwood, owner of Helm, which received the first two-star Michelin rating, the recognition made them ‘super hyped’ and excited to keep evolving as much as they can.
Meanwhile, Offbeat Bistro chefs Angelo Comsti and Don Baldosano, who received the Michelin Young Chef Award, said their Makati-based restaurant has begun drawing more foreign and local diners after the recognition.
For Underbelly co-owners and head chefs Jackson Chua and Noel Mauricio, the Michelin award boosted their business across their various establishments.
Manam operations manager Jen Manangan said the Michelin distinction was an honor for a Filipino restaurant like theirs, especially since it is their first time receiving the recognition.
Chef Jordy Navarra, owner and head chef of the one-star Toyo, expressed appreciation to the DOT for its support in ‘putting a life in what all of us do and also in a way how it ties in with the agriculture and hospitality.’
Frasco said the Michelin Guide’s arrival comes ‘at a moment when Filipino cuisine is gaining global attention.’
‘We continue with the celebration of the culinary excellence that pervades our nation, with the handing out of the Michelin Guide plaques that will be prominently displayed in each and every one of your establishments as a reminder and as a symbol of the sacrifice it has taken to be here – the work that all of you have done collectively to advance culinary tourism and gastronomy in the Philippines, as well as the hope of all that is to come,’ Frasco said. /jpv