Yes, Chef! Cristina Santiago on Reinventing Carmelo’s Steakhouse
In the heart of Manila’s dining scene, Carmelo’s Steakhouse stands as a beloved institution — a place where tradition, craftsmanship, and heart come together on every plate. Endearingly called “Melo’s” and founded by Carmelo Santiago in 1987, the restaurant was the first to offer Certified Angus Beef in the Philippines, making him a pioneer in the steak dining scene.
At its helm today is his daughter, Chef Cristina Santiago, whose creative and driving force continues to honor her father’s legacy while carving out her own mark. From new, delightful dishes to introducing its first catering menu, Chef Cristina is showing us there’s more to Carmelo’s than just premium steak cuts.
In her conversation with The Beat Manila, Chef Cristina reflects on her earliest memories in the kitchen beside her father, shares the inspiration behind Carmelo’s exciting new offerings, and opens up about the emotional moment she learned the restaurant had been hailed as a Michelin Selected establishment — a recognition that affirms not just years of dedication, but a family’s enduring passion for great food.
On Honoring a Legacy
Chef Cristina’s connection to the world of food runs deep — one might even say it’s in her veins. Born to a gifted cook who founded the country’s pioneering restaurants in fine steak dining, Chef Cristina quite literally grew up in the kitchen.
“I think among all his children, I was the only one who was actually very interested in tagging along and learning in the kitchen,” she told The Beat Manila. “At that time, I wasn't allowed in the bar yet, so he put me in the cashier. That’s basically where I started. I remember I was in high school, and then he would cook, and I would go inside and just look. It's always intense in the kitchen. My interest was really in desserts, and one day he asked me to come help him, so I could see him cooking. That's really how it started.”
Chef Cristina shared how his father was a gifted cook, often relying only on taste to create and adjust the flavors of his recipes. However, she revealed that he never really baked and that it was more of her mom who baked a lot in the house, which was where she fostered a love for pastries and desserts. A few years after her family moved to San Francisco, she decided to go to culinary school.
“It was the happiest moment of his life!” She shared. “Because that’s something he has never really done, I guess. But he was such a good chef — by taste lang siya [he cooked by taste]. He had a vision, and he’ll create it. But he can never bake in his life! The only thing he could actually [create from scratch] was ice cream. We were both ice cream monsters, but I guess it was also because it’s easy. There’s a machine and you’ll just have to put the ingredients in and let it ice. So he was very excited when I said I wanted to go into culinary. Even though it was expensive, he told me to go ahead! That we can do this!”
When she returned to the Philippines, she became the Operations Manager of the restaurant’s four outlets. At the same time, she began cooking with him and they started collaborating on dishes — changing the presentation or tweaking the flavors — to present new and exciting experiences for their customers.
When asked if there was one thing she learned from her father that has shaped the way she approached cooking or running Carmelo’s, she answered, “I remember how he would always tell me: if you do something, give it your best because you'll never go wrong. He told me to make sure that when I work on something, I give it all my best. So my goal in life is to really wow people. I think I was able to achieve that while he was alive. He was very happy with everything that I did back then.”
On Leading Carmelo’s into the Future
Today, Chef Cristina takes the lead at Carmelo’s Steakhouse at the Proscenium Retail Row, and it’s safe to say, the experience feels both familiar and refreshingly new.
With newly refurbished interiors that exude understated grandeur and warmth in every detail, the restaurant mirrors Cristina’s vision: elegant yet deeply personal. From the thoughtful design touches to the exciting new additions on the menu, the chef was hands-on in every aspect, determined to elevate the dining experience while honoring the legacy her father built.
“When I opened Carmelo's, it was really to elevate the dining experience — rather, the steak dining experience in the Philippines. Everything I do is to make him proud. Now that he's gone, I just don't want to tarnish his name. I want to uplift his name even more.”
Carmelo’s Steakhouse is an extension of the beloved Melo’s Steakhouse, carrying signature selections like the Certified Angus Beef and premium Australian Wagyu cuts. More than these favorites, the chef has added dishes that highlight the best of Japanese and Western techniques, giving an East-meets-West approach to the elevated selection.
The Beef Tartare and Beef Carpaccio, for example, have hints of umami and pay homage to the Japanese roots of the Wagyu beef. The chef shared how the dishes came about from a simple request from her Japanese supplier, which challenged her to create her first tasting menu. She created the Beef Tartare first, which she loved from the start, and that inspired seven more dishes using Japanese Wagyu. Long story short, the menu was a hit — so much so that she had to add it to their regular menu as customers kept requesting it.
Some of the new additions to the menu also come with personal stories — dishes inspired by Chef Cristina’s travels, her own palate, and even playful challenges with her loved ones.
“I love truffles, and my daughter loves burgers. As simple as that,” she laughed, recalling the inspiration behind one of Carmelo’s newest offerings. The Gourmet Truffle Burger features an incredibly juicy, aromatic beef patty crowned with caramelized onions and melted cheese that oozes luxuriously onto the meat, all nestled between soft brioche buns. “I didn’t want to just serve a regular burger,” she added. “So I thought, 'Why not elevate it with truffle?'”
Another standout is the Spaghetti with Lobster Tail, a dish born from her recent trip to Italy. There, she noticed the pasta-and-lobster pairing gracing menus across the country and decided to bring a touch of that coastal indulgence back home. After perfecting the recipe on her second try, it earned its place on the menu. With its creamy, savory sauce and tender lobster tail, the dish pairs beautifully with Carmelo’s signature steaks.
Meanwhile, the Moules Marinières carries a heartwarming story with the chef sharing that it’s her father’s favorite whenever he was in Paris. “The moment he gets there, he looks up his favorite restaurant where they serve the mussels. And we got so hooked on it. That’s all we would order. Buckets and buckets of it! So I added that on the menu when he passed away, because it’s very close to me since I would always eat it with him. It's one of our bonding memories that I'll never forget.”
The latest pièce de résistance to conclude a Carmelo’s meal is L’Amour, a burnt cheesecake with a charming backstory. Chef Cristina recalls how the idea came about after catching her partner buying cheesecake from a neighboring restaurant. Amused but playfully challenged, she decided to create a version that her partner — and everyone else — would fall even more in love with. Her secret weapon? A side of cookie crumble, meant to be sprinkled generously over the cheesecake. It adds a delightful layer of texture and a satisfying crunch to every creamy, indulgent bite, making it a sweet finale that perfectly captures the chef’s wit and heart.
Beyond her fantastic menu additions, Carmelo’s Steakhouse also does catering and has already begun servicing events for well-known brands like MAX&Co., Bally, and Tory Burch.
“I've been actually wanting to do that last year, but since we opened June of last year, I really didn't have time to concentrate on the catering,” she revealed. “We had a lot of inquiries, and I felt bad that I couldn't cater because I wasn't ready. My menu was not ready. I didn't have enough staff to pull out because my priority was really to give the best service in the outlet.”
The catering menu is highlighted by the signature canapés, which transform the restaurant’s popular dishes into scrumptious small bites. The chef expressed how she enjoyed the challenge and had fun with her team as they made sure each canapé could be consumed in a single bite.
Some of the crowd favorites include the Beef Tartare Tart, Beef Wellington, Tuna Tostado, Salted Egg Shrimp, Tofu Sisig Mille Fuille, and the Mushroom Tart. When asked if she had a favorite among the canapés, the chef chose the Salmon Cornette, which has small bits of salmon sashimi, served inside a crunchy, tiny cone, and topped with chives and salmon roe.
Safe to say that Chef Cristina has succeeded in bringing more flair into her father’s restaurant, giving it new life while keeping the warmth and familiar flavors Melo’s has always been known for. In fact, her hard work and passion for the brand paid off, after having just been recognized as a Michelin-selected restaurant at the inaugural Michelin Guide in the Philippines.
“It's incredible! I did not expect this, especially since we've only been open for a year. It just gives me that stamp that if you have a vision and you have family who will help you, and God gives you the best team, which I have, you can make that vision a reality,” she said. “I call my team my second family because without them, I wouldn’t be able to do this. I'm just very blessed. Everything is just in my head, but when I create it, my team picks it up right away, and they even have new things to add on. This award is not just mine because I won't be able to do this alone. From day one. I would always tell them that. So the award is really for them, too.”
As for what’s next for Carmelo’s Steakhouse, Chef Cristina expressed her desire to open another restaurant, thriving on challenges and the joy brought by keeping her father’s legacy alive. She also shared that she’s also interested in doing collaborations, mentioning Chef Pichaya “Pam” Soontornyanakij of Potong to be a dream collab for her after tasting her food, which she called “the most flavorful I've ever tasted.”
Whatever happens next, Chef Cristina will continue to work towards maintaining her vision, promising to every customer who walks through the door:
"When they walk into the restaurant, it will wow them. When they eat the first bite, it will stay in their palate forever, and when they take the last bite, it will make them want to come back for more. For me, that's the whole package. They get the best service.”
Follow Carmelo’s Steakhouse on Instagram to learn more about their offerings. For reservations or catering inquiries, contact +63 9159038005.
Location: 2/F The Proscenium Retail Row, Rockwell, Makati
Opening Hours: Monday to Sunday, from 11:30 AM to 11 PM
Enjoyed this article? Check out our previous Yes Chef! profiles here.
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