A galaxy of culinary stars celebrated 10 years of Gallery by Chele, a restaurant in Manila championing fresh Filipino produce

If there’s a collective name for a group of famed chefs, then the word ‘galaxy’ springs to mind. That was clearly the case at a gathering in Manila to celebrate a decade of a Gallery by Chele, a restaurant led by Chele Gonzalez – and preview his imminent opening, Asador Alfonso.

Galaxy as in stars, thanks to the multiple Michelin accolades held by guest chefs who attended from around the world. There were the likes of Virgilio Martínez from Central in Peru – currently the world’s number one restaurant – Andoni Aduriz of Mugaritz in Spain’s Basque country and the familiar, friendly face of Julien Royer from Singapore’s own Odette.

They were joined by the most thrilling and progressive chefs from across The Philippines, legends like Margarita Fores of Grace Park, Jordy Navarra of Toyo Eatery and Bruce Ricketts of Mecha Uma. Although the Michelin Guide has yet to enter the Philippines – but rumours abound that a move is imminent –these stellar names would all rank alongside Gonzalez at the very top of the tyre maker’s coveted lists.

Together they crafted a remarkable menu which reflected iconic dishes from their own restaurants ­– diners can order them from the menu when visiting the restaurants – along with some of the greatest creations of Gallery by Chele.

At times they celebrated Filipino ingredients and techniques, but most of all they championed Gonzalez and his young local culinary team who have done so much to advance the nation’s standing in gastronomy.

In addition to marking a decade of culinary excellence and innovation at his eponymous restaurant, the unique union of culinary minds had another purpose, as Gonzalez explained: “It was our way to say thank you to our close friends who’ve had a hand in shaping what Gallery by Chele is today, reflecting our commitment to cultural exchange, camaraderie, and friendship.”

Gonzalez originally hails from Torrelavega in the northern Spanish region of Cantabria. After a first career as a DJ – he still loves to hit the decks, given the chance – he pivoted to his love of cuisine and had the finest training imaginable in legendary Spanish restaurants including El Bulli, El Celler de Can Roca and Mugaritz.

In 2013 he moved to the Philippines and began working with famed architect and design visionary Carlo Calma to craft a distinctive restaurant which would stand apart from Manila’s dining landscape. More than just a place for memorable dining, however, the ethos behind it was always to become a hub for diverse, immersive experiences.

As the Filipino culinary landscape swiftly morphed to take diners in thrilling new directions, thanks to a proud gastronomic embrace of native produce and technique, Gonzalez threw himself into discovering the extraordinary richness of his new homeland’s natural larder.

He criss-crossed The Philippines, visiting the remotest parts to discover the ingredients and dishes, techniques and people which make up the country’s remarkably diverse culinary landscape. Today Gonzalez calls his work ‘Terroir Cuisine’, still with local produce at its core.

Gonzalez has long worked with celebrated names and over the years Gallery by Chele has run pop-up collaborations by chefs including Andre Chiang, Elena Arzak and Yoshihiro Narisawa. For this special 10th anniversary, conversations began with the chefs almost two years ago.

“I chose people who had worked before in the kitchens with us, collaborating, but also because of our relationship and our friendship – I wanted to make it deep and special.

Gonzalez jokes that part of the reason they decided to mark the 10-year anniversary “was firstly because we survived! But secondly, because we were also able to evolve. I put a lot of effort and time to create a happy environment, where everybody respects each other, where everybody loves what they do.  I empower my team and want them to take the lead.”

Indeed, the opportunity his young team received was nothing short of remarkable – if also possibly slightly intimidating, given the presence of the culinary gods next to them in the kitchen.

Some of the greatest names to ever have wielded tweezers and knives clearly hold Chele Gonzalez in great affection. For the first night of celebrations, they feasted on Gonzalez’s own 10-course menu, The Journey, which dazzled them with some of the greatest hits from his career melding Spain and The Philippines to beautiful effect.

There were delicate amuse-bouche inspired by the beloved local favourite of chicken barbecue before sashimi kinilaw – an age-old Filipino version of ceviche – with yuzu and ikura.

The humblest local ingredient of banana heart was brined and slow cooked to textural perfection, then kalingang bark – reminiscent of cinnamon – bought thrilling and profound spice notes.

Dorado, a type of mahi-mahi, was perfectly accented with green papaya, beurre blanc and calamansi, while duck was perfectly plated to crescendo the savoury thread of the menu. When audible gasps of excitement come from the world’s top chefs, it was clear that this was a menu which wowed the most discerning palates imaginable.

The second night saw the chefs join hands in a menu where they crafted some of their own signature dishes that sat perfectly alongside those of Gonzalez.

“I met Chele a long time ago through a Basque culinary festival called San Sebastian Gastronomika. We had dinner at Mugaritz, then he came to see us in Peru, now this is my third visit to Manila,” said Virgilio Martinez who helms Central in Lima, Peru.

“He first talked about this event a few years ago and of course I said yes. It’s what I do, trying to get information about terroir, geography and identity. He is celebrating that through Filipino ingredients, technique and culture. I also really wanted to speak to the chefs and see what’s going on here. Plus, he has an incredible way with sauces!”

Martinez is famed for his menus which take diners through different ecosystems and elevations in his native Peru. This was reflected in his dish served in Manila, Coral, which is also on the menu at Central in Lima, the number one restaurant in the world.

“We're always inspired by different altitudes and even nowadays we're searching different elevations of the ocean. This octopus comes from the north of Peru – we’ve bought about 40 per cent of our ingredients here, the rest are local – as the octopus quality depends on the seaweed and the water. We cover it with sea lettuce, then layers of codium, a seaweed.”

It made for an extraordinary looking dish, a glimpse into another world under the waves off Peru, where different, unusual textures all popped in perfect unison.

MARGARITA FORES, GRACE PARK, MANILA, PHILIPPINES

Margarita Fores, previously named Asia’s Best Female Chef, is a hugely popular and respected ambassador for her country’s food on the global stage. She first me Gonzalez just after he arrived in The Philippines. She said: “There was this buzz about the architect Carlo Calma opening a restaurant with a Spanish chef and I was invited to the first tasting, held at Carlos dad’s house. Then on one of his first 40-day research trips around the country, we met up in my province of Bacolod. I was totally perplexed – but super impressed – that this person who was not Filipino was just so obsessively in love with and curious about everything food here. He has really been one of the of the main stakeholders of this new renaissance of Filipino Cuisine, but also in Spain with his peers there and legendary chefs.”

Fores’ dish at the dinner – also a menu favourite that diners can order at Grace Park – celebrated local produce. She explained: “I'm using one of my favourite ingredients, the Filipino river prawn with its creamy head fat, and showcasing rice and corn grits called tinigib from my own province in Negros. We cook it with kesong puti, smoked Filipino cheese, because it really works like polenta. There are very sweet snow peas, then a cream of palapa, a sweet and spicy condiment from Mindanao, then topped with crispy bagoong, our beloved shrimp paste. It’s such an iconic Filipino ingredient, but I think that by tempering and dehydrating it, it makes it a little bit more refined for people facing it for the first time!”

ANDONI ADURIZ, MUGARITZ, SAN SEBASTIAN, SPAIN

A true Spanish culinary icon, Andoni Aduriz is famed for his innovative and mind-bending creations, which often look and feel more like they belong in a gallery than a restaurant. His Basque country restaurant, Mugaritz, has held two Michelin stars since 2006.

“Chele is so talented but also a very charismatic person, he’s always smiling, a positive attitude that makes the people around him like him. He worked with us at Mugaritz for a year and so when people make that commitment, I want to return that commitment to them,” said Aduriz.

“You never take a trip without noticing and learning. For example, the Philippines has the perfect temperature and humidity for fermentation – long before it became trendy – so it’s such an interesting country and cuisine to learn about. We may speak different languages, but in the end, food is the same language. We understand each other.”

Aduriz and his team served up a gastronomic version of Zurrukutuna – it translates as ‘pleasing sip’ – a classic Basque soup based around bread called sopako and chicken stock.

“We changed the traditional ingredient of egg yolk for sea urchin as it has similar textures and flavours but enhances the flavour. Then we have tiny peppers which come from an elderly lady farmer in the Basque country who harvests them by hand. They’re incredibly precious.”

JULIEN ROYER, ODETTE, SINGAPORE

Julien Royer needs no introduction to Singapore’s gastronomes, the French maestro having flown the flag for French fine dining at three Michelin-starred Odette since opening back in 2015. He has also known Gonzalez for a decade.

“I first met Chele 10 years ago, when he had just opened,” said Royer. “He came to our restaurant, then invited us to cook here and now this is our third time cooking here – you have the brilliant combination of Filipino produce and flavour with the confidence of his Spanish heritage.”

He continued: “Each time I come to The Philippines, the family meal (the meal eaten by the whole kitchen team prior to service) is very special. They really look after you – there’s the happiness of eating in a real way.”

Royer’s dish on the menu was a true classic – one beloved by diners to this day, albeit with local Filipino touches in Manila.

“Chele really wanted me to do our signature pigeon from Odette – but we did it with local figs, an oil made from the fig leaves and Filipino nuts. Then we had the pepper – the green brings freshness and pep, the pink brings round, fruity flavours and the black brings the peppery notes,” Royer said.

THE LAUNCH OF ASADOR ALFONSO

The final element of the gathering of culinary stars included a visit to Asador Alfonso, Chele Gonzalez’s new restaurant sitting in Alfonso, just a few kilometres from the iconic Taal volcano, south of Manila.

Carlo Calma is the architect behind the jaw-dropping design which mirrors the volcano’s topography in its cantilevered folds and creates a brilliant interplay of light and shade.

The small town of Alfonso is named after King Alfonso XII of Spain and the restaurant pays homage to its historical namesake through traditional Spanish cooking methods where fire is the hero.

It reflects the tradition of the authentic Spanish roasting house and boasts a special oven, the Horno Castellano Jumaco, where dishes including carabinero red prawns or tuna with confit onion are set to wow international gastronomes diners when it officially opens in May.

Gonzalez’s latest culinary landmark, where culinary artistry again meets architectural innovation, looks set to further cement the nation’s reputation as one of Asia’s most thrilling dining landscapes.