Yamazato Manila, the crown jewel of Hotel Okura Manila, is ready to kick off 2025 in style with its exclusive Osechi Ryouri — a traditional Japanese New Year feast that promises to bring luck, prosperity, and plenty of satisfaction to your life (and taste buds).

This year’s offering is a stunning three-tiered feast, expertly crafted by Japanese Executive Chef Keiichiro Fujino, Sushi Chef Ikuma Sato, and Teppan Chef Katsuji Kato. Packed with premium ingredients and exquisite flavors, the Osechi Ryouri is presented in elegant jubako boxes — because starting the year in style is non-negotiable.

The First Tier includes a sweet and savory spread featuring gold-leaf-topped black beans, miso-marinated herring roe, candied sardines, and soy-marinated caviar — each dish steeped in symbolic wishes for prosperity and longevity.

For the Second Tier, dive into oceanic treasures and earthy delights like simmered octopus, abalone with dashi, grilled yellowtail, and seasonal vegetables such as lotus root and bamboo shoots.

Finally, in the Third Tier, the pièce de résistance — a premium teppanyaki selection including Kumamoto F1 tenderloin tataki, Miyazaki A5 sirloin, and Saga A4 minced cutlet. Paired with chirashi and ball-shaped sushi crafted from seasonal fish, it’s a tier worth savoring.

To top it all off, each set comes with a complimentary bottle of Yamazato sake because no celebration is complete without a toast!

Priced at P28,600++ (P31,365.52 nett), this limited-edition feast is available by reservation only. The order deadline is Dec. 15, 2024, so act fast!

For more information, visit their website, or follow them on Facebook and Instagram.

We love good butter on our breads, don’t we? Well, what if we said that Japan’s best buttered pastries are in the Philippines?

You butter believe it, because Japan’s Butter Butler is finally in the Philippines to spread all their buttery goodness. Now open at the R2 Level of Rockwell Power Plant Mall, Butter Butler is all ready to share their best butter-centric treats.

The launch was attended by executives from iFoods Inc. and Butter Butler, which drew in a crowd that was excited to try all the delicious-smelling desserts and treats.

Bryan Tiu, President and CEO of iFoods Inc. said, “We are thrilled to bring the unique and indulgent world of Butter Butler to the Philippines. Our goal is to elevate the dessert experience by making butter the star of the show, and we believe we’ve achieved that with our delectable offerings.”

Butter Butler offers their fan favorites, the Butter Financier, a rich and delightfully tasty pastry with a golden-brown crust, and their signature Butter Galette, a classic French pastry that’ll melt in your mouth as soon as you try it.

The Butter Financier is priced at P640 for four pieces, P1,200 for eight pieces, P1,700 for 12 pieces, and P2,300 for 16 pieces. The Butter Galette, on the other hand, is priced at P690 for 9 pieces.

If you want to try both, the Butter Selection offers eight Butter Financiers and eight Butter Galettes, priced at P1,750 for a set!

Both pastries are made with a mix of European fermented butter and French sun-dried Guérande salt, offering a decadent experience worth ruining your diet for.

Not only that, but Butter Butler is offering a Manila-only exclusive Butter Croffle, a creation that has the buttery and crispy exterior of the croissant, and the soft and fluffy interior of a waffle. And to glaze it all with more butter? Oh, it’s heavenly.

The Butter Croffle sells for P135 a piece, and P550 for five pieces.

If butter is usually just an ingredient in desserts, in the Butter Butler, they’re the main character. Are you ready to give the Butter Butler a try?

Follow Butter Butler PH on their Facebook and Instagram to get updates on their latest promotions!

Location: Butter Butler, R2 Level, Rockwell, Power Plant Mall, Rockwell Drive, Makati City 1210

Opening Hours: 11 AM to 9 PM (Mondays to Thursdays), 11 AM to 10 PM (Fridays to Saturdays), 10 AM to 9 PM (Sundays)

The Philippine culinary scene is soaring to new heights!

CIBO, the Italian restaurant chain owned by the 2016 Asia's Best Female Chef Margarita Araneta Forés, has made it into the 50 Top Pizza’s list of the 50 Top World Artisan Pizza Chains for 2024. The restaurant nabbed the 44th place, making it the only pizza chain from the Philippines on the list.

The restaurant received the award at the World Pizza Summit 2024 during the European Pizza Show, held in London from Nov. 26 to 27, 2024.

In a social media post, CIBO expressed their gratitude over the recognition, stating, “A big grazie to our team and loyal patrons for loving what we do — bringing you the REAL. MODERN. ITALIAN. experience that earned us this honor.”

Topping the list is Spain’s Grosso Napoletano, followed by Italy’s Da Michele, Europe's Big Mamma Group, Brazil's Bráz Pizzaria, and Switzerland-United Arab Emirates' Luigia.

CIBO’s recognition as one of the world’s top artisan pizza chains follows the announcement of the Top Pizza World 2024 last September, where the Philippines’ Crosta Pizzeria and A Mano ranked 12th and 70th, respectively.

CIBO was founded in 1997 by Forés, following her culinary journey in Italy. Today, the restaurant boasts several locations in the country, serving authentic Italian dishes to customers.

To check out their offerings, head over to any CIBO location near you or order online.

Benvenuti nelle Filippine, Venchi!

Italian Fine Chocolatier Venchi has finally opened its first store in the Philippines, located at the Central Square Mall in Bonifacio Global City (BGC).

Local distributor SSI Group, the same one that brought SaladStop! and Shake Shack into the country, collaborated with Venchi to open shop in the Philippines. The chocolatier also revealed that they will be opening their 2nd store in the Philippines at the Podium Mall in Mandaluyong City soon.

President and CEO of SSI Group, Anton T. Huang said, “Recognised all over for our penchant for sweets, we believe that the local market and the Filipinos will embrace the authentic Italian lifestyle brand’s dedicated mastery to creating high-quality chocolates and gelato crafted for your well-being.”

Venchi is a beloved Italian chocolate brand founded in 1878 in Vanchiglia, Turin. Since then, Venchi has been defining what chocolate artistry means, curating a wide variety of chocolate offerings — from extra dark to white chocolate, hazelnut chocolate, pistachio chocolate, caramel chocolate, plant-based chocolate, and even low-sugar options!

Venchi will be introducing 350 exquisitely crafted Italian chocolates to Filipinos and over 90 gelato flavors, including their best-selling Chocoviar, Cremino, and Guianduiotti!

What are you waiting for? Head on over to Venchi for their luxurious and rich-tasting chocolate! Which one are you going to try first?

Follow Venchi Philippines on Facebook and Instagram for more updates! To get 10% off on your next order, sign up for Venchi Philippines' newsletter here!

Location: Venchi, Lower Ground Floor, Central Square Mall, 5th Avenue Cor. 30th Street, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig 1634

Opening Hours: 11 AM to 9 PM (Sundays-Thursdays), 11 AM to 10 PM (Fridays-Saturdays)

While the Philippines is proud to have its own culinary identity, one cannot deny Spain's influence on Filipino cuisine. From flavorful arroz (rice) dishes to aromatic soups and viands, the Spanish have brought its indelible fingerprint to local fare.

At Bueno Tapas and Wines, this delicious heritage is celebrated through a rich menu of offerings; these include paellas, chorizos, and of course, tapas. “Filipinos are very familiar with the taste profile of Spanish cuisine, so it wasn’t a challenge for me to introduce [the concept of Bueno],” shared Chef Kennedy Alfonso, the man behind the restaurant.

Aside from being a chef, Chef Kennedy has also worked as a marketing professional, a TV actor, and a non-profit founder. But today, he dons his chef’s toque and takes us through his kitchen and dining room in BGC.

A former culinary student in San Sebastian, Spain, Chef Kennedy has experienced – firsthand – the magic of European terroir. His time at this culinary capital had introduced him to the richness of diversity. “[In San Sebastian], you get to enjoy the scenery of the beach and the mountains. Then, just a few steps away is the Old Town [where there are] plenty of hole-in-the-wall restaurants that unfailingly serve the best tapas and pintxos. It’s such a magical place.”

Since his return, Chef Kennedy has aimed to recreate the kind of sensorial beauty he’s experienced in those eateries, with ingredients sourced directly from there. “Ninety percent of the ingredients [in our kitchen] are from Spain,” the chef revealed. “The rest we source from local farmers.”

But aside from the ingredients, Chef Kennedy also adheres to traditional cooking methods, especially when preparing Spanish cuisine. One of his restaurant’s staples – paella – is a serious matter in his kitchen. The restaurant serves eight kinds and every one is prepared passionately and meticulously. “When you want good paella, you have to have five key ingredients,” he explained. The first is liquid gold: stock. “There’s no shortcut when it comes to good stock, you have to create from scratch,” he maintained.

The second is the sofrito, which is a blend of vegetables, spices, and aromatics used to flavor the paella. “It’s very typical for the Spanish to have that for paella,” he shared.

The third is rice. For Chef Kennedy this specifically means using varieties that are small and not too starchy; this will allow it to absorb more stock and, thereby, add more flavor. “We also have the protein and the vegetables,” he reminded us.

Needless to say, every dish in his restaurant is meticulously crafted to include flavors similar to what he himself experienced as a student abroad. The seasoned restauranteur knows that ultimately, that is key to owning a successful restaurant, especially in the cutthroat neighborhood of BGC.

“[We’re situated] in a melting pot and we get to see a lot of different people here: locals, foreigners, different kinds of customers. It’s hard to predict the outcome of business sometimes,” he admitted. “That’s why it’s so important to be consistent. The competition in F&B (Food & Beverage) [industry] is intense.”

As the chef observed, Filipinos nowadays are accustomed to many fine things. Customers are more well-traveled and have access to impressive menus and indulgences. As such, diners nowadays are more discerning and when you step foot in a restaurant, it’s no longer just about the food.

“[Dining out] should be a total experience,” Chef Kennedy mused. “The ambiance should be good, the service should be consistent, and the food – of course – should be great.”

Make your holidays berry merry with Kumori Philippines' latest holiday treats for 2024, which are equal parts visual eye candy and equal parts delicious!

First up is the iconic Merry Berry Jelly Cake, priced at P899. This limited-edition stunner has four glorious layers — coconut chiffon, strawberry cream cheese frosting, tangy strawberry jelly, and tropical flavors that essentially scream "Christmas in the tropics." Each bite combines comforting traditional recipes with modern flavors. You can grab yours at any Kumori branch or order it online.

For those hard-to-shop-for foodie friends, Kumori has your back with the Merry Medley Bundle, which is priced at P999, and purchasable exclusively online. It includes a selection of offerings including the Merry Berry Jelly Cake plus fan-favorites like the Coffee Pan, Red Bean Bun, Soft Milk Bun, and Melon Pan. It’s practically Christmas in a box.

Celebrated for their Japanese-inspired pastries and breads, Kumori bakes fresh every day with that unmistakable commitment to quality. These holiday offerings will add a fresh twist to your festive feasts and gift-giving games.

Order online now or visit their branches to bring home some holiday magic! To find out more, visit Kumori Philippines on their website, or follow them on Facebook and Instagram.