Yes, Chef! Vicky-Rose Pacheco of Sentro 1771

When it comes to alcohol, we’ve always found whiskey a little intimidating. It’s complex, deeply layered, and often feels more appropriate for seasoned drinkers—a hush collective of some sorts that seems to solely exist in its own circle of taste and tradition.

But, as we recently learned, what begins as an intimidating mystery can turn out into something rich, approachable, and surprisingly personal. 

Last July 29, we entered Elbert’s Riedel Room with open minds, a beginner's palate, and a hint of reluctance—paired with a little bit of curiosity and eagerness to widen our inclinations to the spirit. 

The venue itself felt “hush hush” in the best way: warm lighting, velvet chairs, rich leather couches and dark wood accents that wrapped the space in elegance. It felt secretive, yes—but also welcoming to everyone willing to walk through the door. And for first timers like us, that was more than enough to help us get settled in. 

With a room gently filled with a smoky aroma, it was the perfect setting for a whiskey masterclass—this one led by Mr. Drew Mayville, a Master Blender from Buffalo Trace Distillery.

Surrounded by amber-gold pours, nosing copita glasses, and seasoned drinkers, class was in session. 

Learning the Language, One Sip at a Time

The masterclass was quite intimate, with just a handful of people in the room—including Mr. Drew Mayville himself. There wasn’t any podium or stage; just a casual conversation, with thoughtfully arranged glasses and an inviting atmosphere for anyone who wants to join in. 

As class began, we quickly learned that whiskey isn’t just sipped or tasted for pleasure. Each bottle is carefully sampled by masters—like Mayville himself—who make precise decisions about the liquor’s quality, character, and readiness.

Like any new language, whiskey has its own vocabulary—and during the masterclass, we were gently eased into it, although most of the people in the room were already knowledgeable about the terms. 

Words like bourbon (a barrel-aged American whiskey made from corn), single barrel (a select whiskey style that ages in one barrel), proof (twice the ABV content of a spirit), and nose (how it smells) were said here and there, but were explained with care and with proper context clues. 

All the other terms felt intimidating to get introduced to, but everything started to make sense, one sip at a time. Drew Mayville even introduced us to the “Bourbon Tasting Wheel,” a guide that helped us identify flavors and elevate our appreciation for the spirits in each glass. 

Our First Sips: The Tasting Experience

Four nosing copita glasses were lined up in front of each guest, each one holding a dram of bourbon from Buffalo Trace Distillery: Buffalo Trace, Eagle Rare, Weller Full Proof, and Stagg. 

To properly taste each one, Drew Mayville shared that a single sip isn’t enough to truly understand a bourbon. The first sip, he said, only “shocks” the palate—the ethanol being the dominant sensation. It’s only on the second sip that the actual flavors begin to rise. By the third, like how master blenders do it, is when we start to notice the transitions; the way the notes unravel, settle, and linger. 

It’s a process that slowly tunes in and allows the bourbon to introduce itself fully sip by sip. 

Buffalo Trace

The first one of the four, Buffalo Trace has a 45% ABV. On the nose and palate, it offers warm notes of vanilla, mint, molasses, and stone fruits like peach, cherry, and plum. Once it settles on the tongue, it tastes pleasantly sweet, with a hint of brown sugar and a touch of spice that unfolds into deeper flavors. 

The bourbon finishes smoothly and confidently, with a lingering spice and a surprising depth that leaves quite an impression. 

Eagle Rare

Eagle Rare is a 10-Year-Old bourbon whiskey, clocking in at 45% ABV. It offers sweet notes of toffee and honey, with hints of orange peel, and earthy notes of herbs, leather, and oak on the nose. The taste is quite bold, dry, and delicate, settling on the tongue with sweet hints of candied almonds, brown sugar, raisin, and a rich taste of cocoa. 

It finishes quite dry and lingers on the tongue with a spice and a touch of old leather. 

Weller Full Proof

The Weller Full Proof has an ABV of 57% and is sweet to the palate. It has a nose of vanilla, dark cherries, caramel, baked apples, and oak. The sweetness continues with its taste, giving a velvety mouthfeel with luscious hints of cherry, orange, cinnamon, caramel, dark honey, and sweet vanilla. 

A perfect choice to pair with desserts, the bourbon finishes long like crème brûlée, with a touch of dark chocolate, and the warmth of toasted oak. 

Stagg

Standing at an ABV of 67.2%, the Stagg is strong and bold, with sweet notes of apricot, caramel, apple, chocolate, and brown sugar. The taste is quite rich, with toffee, caramel, and black cherry balancing perfectly with rye spiciness, orange, and black tea. 

The Stagg lingers long after you’ve taken a sip, with hints of dark chocolate, cinnamon, cloves, finishing well with citrus and smoky oak. 

Questions Worth Asking as a Beginner

After savoring each bourbon and slowly building our whiskey vocabulary, curiosity followed. We realized that asking questions—especially to a Master Blender like Drew Mayville, was just as essential as the tasting itself. 

Fortunately, he was more than happy to indulge The Beat Asia and all our beginner questions, with patience, insight, and a friendly smile. 

For those starting out their whiskey and bourbon journey, Drew recommended Benchmark, a 40% ABV expression with sweet notes of caramel and stone fruit. But for those willing to try it neat, he said Buffalo Trace is the best one to start with.

Another question we asked was whether it was better for beginners to drink their whiskey neat or with a dash of water. Drew’s advice?  “Sip it the way you like it.” Whether it’s in a cocktail, with a splash of water, or served neat, what matters is learning to enjoy the taste before diving deeper into the world of whiskey.

When it comes to training the palate to recognize more tasting notes, Drew emphasized that it takes time and practice. “You have to just taste, taste, and taste, and you’ll have to accept the flavors and understand the taste of it all.” 

One misconception he’s noticed is that some people add only a small amount of bourbon to cocktails, so they won’t taste it. For Drew, it should be the opposite—bourbon and whiskey should be tasted, not hidden. That said, he admits that he’s not a fan of highballs, personally preferring to drink his whiskey neat.

We also asked, “If we can’t taste all the notes, are we doing something wrong?” Drew reassured us that it’s perfectly normal. “Everybody is different. Some people can smell certain things, and others can’t,” he shared. “You can get better at detecting flavors—with practice.” 

As a parting piece of advice, Drew encouraged us to keep exploring different spirit categories and expressions. Of course, curiosity is always there whenever we’re trying out something new.  

Final Thoughts

As we quietly settled down, finishing what was left in our glasses, we found ourselves to be little less intimidated about the world of whiskey, with a newfound appreciation for this largely misunderstood spirit. 

What began as a night riddled with beginner’s reluctance and curiosity slowly turned into one that was quite educational and eye-opening, understanding why whiskey has earned a mystified and hushed reputation among different social circles. 

Whiskey is a spirit with depth, and when you take some time to understand it, its different expressions and vocabulary, it slowly welcomes you into its world—one gloved hand at a time. 

Learn more about Buffalo Trace Distillery and their products here. Follow Grand Cru Wines and Spirits Inc. on Instagram. 

Asia is one food-crazy continent! We take great care to pick restaurants based on culinary vibes, rankings on international gourmand guides, mentions in magazines, Instagrammability, and added hunger. Yes, Chef! features the region’s chefs' stories of love and labour in kitchens that have made some of our restaurants the next big thing in Asia.

Chef Myrna Segismundo is more than a chef, she's a celebrated force in Philippine gastronomy, known for championing and elevating Filipino cuisine on the global stage. With a career spanning decades, from managing some of the best hotels in New York to winning top prizes at culinary competitions and leading international food expos, she has become a powerful voice in the Philippine culinary scene. 

Known as the mastermind behind the National Food Showdown, a prestigious culinary competition that brings together aspiring chefs, hospitality students, and industry professionals from across the country, Chef Myrna is inspiring a new generation of cooks, all the while keeping our food legacy alive and thriving. 

As The Beat Asia sat down for a quick chat with the chef, it was clear that her passion for Filipino food went beyond recipes and techniques. 

For Chef Myrna, food is rooted in storytelling, memory, experiences, and cultural pride. In our conversation, she reflected on her unconventional path to the kitchen, how she navigated hotel dining rooms, and how she continues to preserve and evolve Filipino cuisine through mentorship, advocacy, and innovation. 

From Home Kitchen to Global Stage

Like most origin stories, Chef Myrna’s love for food started at home. Growing up in a big family with eleven siblings, she was exposed to one important aspect of Filipino cuisine — which is something to share with loved ones. 

“I come from a very big family of 12 children, and I'm number 12. And as in any Filipino household, dining is more or less the center of our lives in the home,” she told The Beat Asia. 

“And so we grew up eating in large numbers. As the siblings started to marry off, the family grew larger and larger, and before you knew it, the meals on weekends and special holidays were almost the size of a feast! Having been exposed to that, it follows that our interest in food was very strongly influenced by family life. My parents loved to host parties back in the '60s and '70s, and as a child, I wasn’t old enough to join the party, so I was always left somewhere in the back where the caterers were. My yaya (babysitter), who eventually became the main cook of the family, influenced me a lot, as well as my parents, who love to bring the family out to eat in restaurants and hotels during those days.”

Chef Myrna graduated with a degree in Hotel and Restaurant Administration from the University of the Philippines, but being an immigrant, she had to fly back to New York, where her career in hotel management began. It was from there that she became exposed to the Food and Beverage sector. 

“I worked for several hotels at the front of the house. I started at the Waldorf Astoria and then moved on to two other hotels while living in New York. These were the Saint Moritz on the Park and the Sheraton Center. Even as my work was in the front of the house, my exposure to New York and its culture, particularly in the food scene, was something that helped my development as a food and beverage person as well.”

The chef told us how she returned to Manila upon her parents’ request and worked for two hotels. She began working as an assistant food and beverage manager at the Hilton, which assigned her to the F&B operations of both the front and back of the house. The chef mentioned how this experience exposed her to the kitchen more as she got involved with the people that she managed in that area.

“But it was when I moved out of the hotel, moving out from the bigger scene of the industry and into a smaller operation that really gave me more focus,” she stated, as she eventually pivoted to corporate dining for an exclusive restaurant in a bank.  

“I was forced to pay attention to kitchen operations because, having been skilled enough to handle the management part of food and beverage, it was in the kitchen where I felt I needed to get my hands dirty, roll up my sleeves, and work alongside my chefs. It was a very new experience for me. It was smaller but more dynamic, more challenging, and more enjoyable. Since it was an exclusive restaurant, it was extremely fancy and very demanding. It had a limited market, so it was also very challenging in the sense that I had to be very creative because I was feeding the top tier of the company and their VIP guests. It’s a very different animal. You literally walk up and down trying to figure out how you can be more creative and serve something new to the eyes and to the palate.”

Over the years, Chef Myrna learned a lot from the people she worked with in the kitchen. She told us how she realized that the people who moved up the ranks were extremely helpful in developing personal skills. “They knew how, but they didn’t know why,” she quoted, on how these workers’ skills are shaped and honed through experience. 

She took on the challenge to provide them with the necessary tools and techniques, going back to the books to explain the “whys.” “It was a two-way thing. I learned from them and they learned from me and we worked very closely as a team,” she shared. “We both appreciated the fact that we would understand what we were doing now. And that was when I started joining culinary competitions.”

The chef also commented how it felt ironic that it was in Manila that she was able to appreciate what she experienced in New York and was able to apply all her learnings, being exposed to the front and back of the house, and understanding the entirety of the operations. 

In the period that she joined culinary competitions, her interest in the craft grew. Her team won top awards in the restaurant division, which surprised many, considering they came from a smaller industry. Chef Myrna used this as an opportunity to hone her skills as a chef, a profession she described as something she got by accident. 

“I needed to benchmark, because coming from the hotel and then moving into a smaller operation and then not even being open to the public, I didn't know if we were good or bad. The competitions kept us going. I was also starting to get burned out at the hotel, as it’s a very difficult job. I no longer wanted to follow that direction, although it was very promising. At the end of the day, it's what you do with what you have in front of you that really decides exactly where you're headed. So this is where we are now.”

On Reviving the Filipino Table

It’s clear to see that Chef Myrna’s career was shaped by her experiences in the industry and honed by hands-on work in the kitchens. She took up culinary courses, but the chef wouldn’t call herself someone fully schooled in a culinary program, and rather takes pride in the way she had learned all her skills on her own and with the people she worked with. 

In 2009, Chef Myrna founded the National Food Showdown, an annual competition that revived some of the country’s earlier cook-offs, such as the Chefs on Parade — a competition she joined back when she was working in corporate dining. Born from her conviction that talented Filipino chefs need a platform to showcase their skills, heritage, and creativity, the culinary competition spans multiple regions and is divided into student and professional divisions. It also features diverse challenges such as classic and modern Filipino dish cook-offs, pastry and dessert rounds, as well as beverage categories. 

Since its founding, the cook-off has served as a “Kitchen Olympics” for culinary students. When asked why she had put it up in the first place, Chef Myrna answered, “I felt for my people. I felt for these employees, these skilled workers who were not schooled. Also in the provinces, the lesser schools that have students who do not have the facilities and means to study and take a culinary course. I felt that, at least at the National Food Showdown, there would be a door that could open opportunities for them.”

The talented chef also mentioned that many young people have forgotten what Filipino cuisine truly is — how it all starts at the table, shared with stories and experiences. 

“Like us, who grew up with home-cooked meals and were exposed to those things, I feel many in the new generation did not have that privilege. So there’s a lack of depth because now everything is about reconstruction, plating, or tasting menus. There’s nothing wrong with that. But do we want to promote our culinary culture in that manner? We weren't into molecular gastronomy. We weren’t into courses. We’re into sharing food — family style,” she said, perfectly describing the heart of Filipino cooking. 

The National Food Showdown has gone back to promoting these objectives in the hopes of encouraging the next generation to appreciate their cooking and cuisine, and for them to discover their ingredients. It also puts emphasis on sustainability, which, for Chef Myrna, is simply using locally sourced ingredients. 

“Sustainability for me focuses on going local. When you support local ingredients and local produce, the topic of sustainability comes into the picture, because then you have to be able to supply the demand,” she said. “And another one would be to discover and appreciate cooking techniques and ingredients that are indigenous to the areas so that there is more creativity, there is more transfer of knowledge and experience. It follows that if there’s more focus on these things, there will be sustainability.”

More than establishing a national cook-off, Chef Myrna has also represented the country in various international food festivals. She shared with us one of her experiences where she collaborated with the Department of Tourism (DOT) and the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) to hold food festivals across Asia, Europe, and the Middle East. When asked about some of her most memorable moments, she told us about an observation that she turned into an actionable plan to gain more traction and meaningful transactions in their booths. 

“So in the beginning, it was about holding food festivals in the hotels, but then I noticed that our only customers were Filipinos too, and so there doesn’t seem to be enough interest from the foreign market. As I got more confident and more exposed to these festivals, I started to suggest that we need to educate the market that we want to attract, which is not the Filipinos nor the overseas workers. Because why go abroad if you cannot attract the locals of that country?”

Chef Myrna suggested promoting festivals by way of lectures and cooking demonstrations to a select audience, such as the media, academe, suppliers, and importers. This way, more information is shared with them on the culture of Filipino cuisine, as well as the ingredients and cooking techniques unique to the Philippines.

She’s also a contributing author in one of the country’s most beloved culinary guidebooks, “Kulinarya,” where she shared ten classic Filipino recipes in collaboration with other renowned local chefs such as Chef Jessie Sincioco and the late Chef Margarita Forés. 

She described the book as not an “end-all” but a start, considering many traditional dishes have one or more ways in which they can be made. Chef Myrna pointed out that “Kulinarya” is not a collection of standard recipes, but more of a representation of the best cooking techniques and practices from the contributing chefs. 

We can say that Chef Myrna is a culinary icon, one who has made it her mission to preserve and revive Filipino heritage cooking and share it beyond our borders. The National Food Showdown continues on its 16th run, which will be held in September and October in various provinces such as Cebu (Sept. 27), Iloilo (Oct. 2 to 3), and Baguio (Oct. 9 to 11). 

Additionally, Chef Myrna is also undertaking a Food Writing competition, which she dedicated to the late Doreen Gamboa Fernandez, a food critic icon and writer in the Philippines. The competition is slated for September and will also go alongside the very first Food Reel competition, which is presented in partnership with FEATR — a digital video channel from The Fat Kid Inside Studios founded by chef and celebrity food blogger, Erwan Heussaff. This year’s theme for both competitions is “Minatamis and Sweet Merienda Staples.”

For more information on how to join, click here.

Enjoyed this article? Check out our previous Yes Chef! profiles here.

With food now more accessible and visible than ever, thanks to social media, travel, and digital content, diners today are more involved, adventurous, and discerning. People know what’s out there, and so they expect more: bolder flavors, better ingredients, and more meaningful dining experiences. As expectations continue to rise, the pressure is on for chefs and restaurateurs to stay ahead of the curve. 

A business of chefs for chefs, Unilever Food Solutions (UFS) presents The Future Menus, a report that distinguishes the ongoing trends in the global food scene. Curated from 300 million searches and shaped by insights from more than 1,000 chefs across 20 countries, The Future Menus is more than just a report but a global roadmap that blends authenticity, innovation, and practicality to help people in the industry turn these food trends into real business growth. 

Now in its third year, The Future Menus 2025 gathered chefs, food professionals, and curious foodies at the Golden Ballroom at Okada Manila last July 15 to talk about the trends shaping both the global and local dining scene. But what made this event memorable was that, more than discussing these data-driven results, we also got to taste these trends as they were brought to life through beautifully crafted and forward-thinking dishes by UFS’ executive cooks.

From inspiring discussions with kitchen masters to fascinating cooking demos, “The Future Menus 2025: The Taste Kitchen” gave us a delicious glimpse into what the future of food could look like, and we’re here to tell you all about it. 

Exploring the Trends Shaping the Food Scene

This event is all about the future of food and what diners look for in their experiences. But while it’s important to look outward and see what’s next, Chef Kenneth Cacho, Country Executive Chef at UFS, reminds us that it’s equally important to look inward — to know who we are, where we come from, and the flavors that define us. 

Before these digital insights and trends, we had something else. We had a story, a memory — one that evolved into traditions, and even flavors that were passed down from generation to generation. 

“It’s very important first to know where our food comes from — meaning you have to understand what the heritage dishes are. Even the traditional dishes, because innovation, for us, is creating a better version of that heritage or traditional dish,” Chef Kenneth told The Beat Asia. “When we innovate, we innovate with taste and presentation. That’s where we come in. We help bring up the level of quality. So it’s very important that we have to know, for example, what sisig (traditional pork dish) really is before we can innovate and create our own. It’s really about understanding our history so that when you create an innovative dish that comes from somewhere, you can tell a story. It’s not just about making a dish and hoping it works.”

The executive chef also discussed the four pillars of Filipino gastronomy, enumerating what makes Heritage, Traditional, Innovative, and Progressive food different from one another. He also used the Filipino dish sisig as an example, and gave us a bit of a background on how it evolved from a vegetable dish dressed in vinegar — fun fact: “sisigan” actually means “to sour” — into the pork sizzling plate we know today. 

UFS Marketing Manager Sheal Ang also briefly walked us through the four trends currently shaping the culinary world, namely: Street Food Couture, Diner Design, Culinary Roots, and Borderless Cuisine. 

The first of the four focuses on elevating the essence of Street Food by incorporating premium ingredients and refined techniques, while still maintaining that informal charm and casual experience. UFS Executive Sous Chef Carlos “Pipo” Aluning gave us a cooking demo of his inspired take on the fan-favorite fried chicken wings, which he stuffed with seasoned minced meat and served with a delicious Mexican-inspired corn salad.

“It’s like street food for us. Every kanto (street corner) has one. What I did to elevate it is stuff the chicken wings with meat, then deep-fry them. The inspiration is the Japanese Karaage,” he explained. “Then we have the barbecue glaze, and I paired it with some Elote — it’s like a corn salad, and some Aji Verde sauce. It’s a mixture of flavors in terms of cuisine and also techniques.”

The culinary journey continued with another tasty demo, this time from USF Executive Sous Chef Paulo Sia, who gave the classic Bistek an American twist. Taking on the Diner Design trend, which focuses on interactive and personalized experiences, chef Paulo created the Bistek Burger served with three different sauces, allowing diners the become part of the food making. It can be served as a “build-your-own” dish, or diners can simply have the choice of dipping in their preferred sauce. It’s fun, interactive, and delicious!

A factor that made this movement popular is technological advancements. We are seeing more and more unique experiences and new techniques born from tech as the use of Augmented Reality (AR) in creating interactive menus or Artificial Intelligence (AI) tailoring recommendations based on previous experiences. 

When asked about how technology will influence restaurant operations in the next few years, Chef Kenneth replied, “There are pros and cons. I love the ease of use when we’re creating menus now. You can just type it in, and it could give you ideas already. Some platforms will even create a recipe for you. But in reality, these recipes are not tried and tested. They are just linked together. There’s still a big factor where the human brain has to be part of. Although I like the ease of use — the ease of generating recipes, information, et cetera, I think it still has to be worked on properly for it to really be a hundred percent useful for us. At the moment, it still has to be fixed in a way that humans still have to play a big part in creating those things.”

“Actually, we don’t see [AI and technology] as a threat but a support for us to do more, create more, and recreate even more dishes,” Chef Carlos added.

In the second part of the program, Chef Kenneth cooked Halang-Halang na Manok, a coconut-based stew from Visayas, as he took on the Culinary Roots trend. This innovative take on the famed Tinola (Filipino Chicken Stew) cleverly captures the growing trend that celebrates the revival of lesser-known regional cuisines and honors indigenous ingredients and cooking techniques. The movement is all about preserving the past while still moving forward, all the while ensuring authenticity remains at the heart of each dish. 

Translated as “spicy-spicy,” Halang-Halang na Manok is an enhanced dish with the addition of coconut milk, lemongrass, chilies, basil leaves, and/or dahon ng sili (chili pepper leaves).

Rounding up the trends is UFS Executive Sous Chef J. Brando Santos with his delightful Beef Pares Tacos. This dish is a perfect example of Borderless Cuisine as it marries the comfort foods from both Mexico and the Philippines. The dish featured tender beef that is cooked Pares style on soft tortilla, and garnished with ensaladang talong (Eggplant salad), garlic-spring onion crema, calamansi (Philippine lime), and cilantro.

Everyone was also served with a special chocolate truffle inspired by the popular Filipino dish, Kare-Kare, created by CMV Txokolat head chocolatier, Christian Valdes.

Another chef taking on the Borderless Cuisine trend is Executive Chef James Antolin, owner of the Japanese restaurant, Ikomai – Tochi Desserts. He demonstrated a staple on their restaurant’s menu, which is the Ahi Tuna Poke Siracha, a recipe he learned from his father-in-law in Hawaii. Most pokes are oil-based, but the chef did an aioli instead, which is a combination of sriracha, mayo, and sesame oil. 

After an afternoon packed with insights and advice from these culinary masters, we believe guests, whether they’re food business owners or chefs, have gained valuable learnings that will hopefully move their business forward or inspire them to create or recreate new dishes that will satisfy both local and international diners. A takeaway that stuck with us from this year’s report is that to evolve, one must first understand what traditional or heritage food is; to look inward in order to move forward. 

“If you’ve been following us for the longest time, every year we always do these future trends. We try to bridge the gap and help our operators on what’s new, what’s in, what’s trending, and what’s going to last,” said Chef Carlos. “As part of the industry, we try to inspire, support, and help our fellow restaurateurs, chefs, and owners to stay ahead.”

“We’re a group of 250 chefs around the world, and every year we collaborate. These trends that we’re sharing are actually trends that are happening around the world, validated by data,” added Chef Kenneth. “And that’s how we would share it with everyone, not just in the Philippines but all over the world. It makes it easier for our operators, for example, to create dishes that really matter for the new market. These four trends that we’re sharing now it’s nothing new, but this is what they’re looking for.”

For more information, the full report can be downloaded here, which provides a more in-depth explanation of the trends and sample recipes that could spice up your menus. 

You can also follow Unilever Food Solutions on Facebook and Instagram, or Knorr Pro Chefs on TikTok for food updates and recipe demos.

Asia is one food-crazy continent! We take great care to pick restaurants based on culinary vibes, rankings on international gourmand guides, mentions in magazines, Instagrammability, and added hunger. Yes, Chef! features the region’s chefs' stories of love and labour in kitchens that have made some of our restaurants the next big thing in Asia.

It’s not every day that you get to sit down with a culinary veteran, so when we got the opportunity to talk to Chef Jessie Sincioco, a.k.a. the country’s first Filipina pastry chef, we jumped at the chance to hear about the inspiring moments from her career and maybe even learn a few baking techniques. What we didn’t expect was to be swept away in a story of quiet resilience, bold reinvention, and deep faith — one that began with a single slice of mango cake. 

In our latest Yes, Chef! exclusive, Chef Jessie walks us through her culinary journey — from the beginning when she won the Great Maya Cookfest in 1983 to how she steadily carved her place with precision, patience, and unmistakable flavor in a male-dominated industry. We talked about the defining moments of her career, such as cooking for the late Pope Francis, putting up some of the country’s most enduring restaurants, and the values she carried with her every time she steps into the kitchen. 

It All Started with a Cake

Many would argue that to be a master at anything, one must start practicing early in life, but Chef Jessie never had the desire to become a chef. 

“I actually shied away from the kitchen when I was young because I hated the smell of garlic and onion,” she revealed. “Because they really stick to your clothes and your body. But through the years, I found out I love baking. I love everything about it. All the sweet stuff — chocolates, cream, the strawberries, and fresh fruits. And so that's how I started with my work in the kitchen.”

When asked about her first brush with the craft, the Chef took us through a kind of accidental incident way back in the 80s that led her to become a contestant in a prestigious baking competition, The Great Maya Cookfest.

“It was my aunt who raised me, actually, who prodded me to join the contest. She was taking baking lessons at the Maya kitchens at that time, and they were running the contest, and it was already like the last weekly finals. They were still looking for a really good baking, entry, and so they were asking her to join. But my aunt is a nervous freak, so she asked me to join instead!”

And the rest, as they say, is history. Chef Jessie worked with her aunt to concoct an original cake recipe. They ended up using mango, a fruit that is popular for its unique sweetness in the Philippines, and called it “My Tita’s Special Treat” — a mango cake with cream and cream cheese filling, and fresh mangoes. The simple yet tasty delight won the grand prize of the competition. More than that, it also captured the attention of one of the judges, who offered the pastry chef the chance of a lifetime. 

“The grand finals were held at the ballroom of Hotel InterContinental, and one of the judges was the resident manager of the hotel. He was not a Filipino, and he was the only judge allowed to look at all the competitors. Among the six finalists, I was the only one he offered a job to. He told me, ‘Young lady, I'm offering you three months' training in our pastry section. And that was the start. I always tell people that the mango cake is like my passport to the culinary world.”

Breaking Barriers as a Woman in the Kitchen

Chef Jessie’s culinary journey didn’t end as a grand winner of the cook fest, though it could have if she had chosen a different path from the internship. In fact, before joining the competition, she was already poised to work in the money market division of a bank, having taken finance and banking.  

The Great Maya Cookfest was like a twist of fate, a light on a road God wanted her to pursue. However, just like most pursuits, her three-month training period didn’t come without challenges. 

“When I entered the Hotel InterContinental kitchen, there was no girl in the kitchen,” she told The Beat Asia. “Everybody, from the cold kitchen to the hot and the pastry, all male. It was a bit challenging at that time, especially since the assistant of our Swiss pastry chef then, who was a Filipino, made a statement saying, ‘There is no girl in my kitchen.’”

This didn’t faze her, however, and she continued with her training. Work in the kitchen was laborious and fast-paced, the chef shared, saying how she had to exert extra effort physically, like lifting sacks of sugar, to prove that she could also do what any other chef can do in that kitchen. With her talent and dedication, she ended up becoming the favorite assistant of their Swiss pastry chef!

“Every time he would have a new dessert, he would call me and ask me to work with him on whatever new dessert he was making. And it went on like that. His other assistant couldn't say anything. He had to live with it. *laughs*.”

A month into her training, however, Chef Jessie received word that an employee from the pastry section had resigned — a rare occurrence considering, during that time, workers often grew old with the hotel. Their Swiss pastry chef asked her to fill in, and she grabbed the chance. She worked for the hotel for over seven years, and after her tenure, she was granted the title “First Filipina Pastry Chef” — a title that was usually only given to male expat chefs. The chef expressed that it felt like God’s plan from the beginning. 

After a few years, the chef was presented with another once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, which was to become the personal chef of Pope Francis during his visit in 2015. 

“When I was chosen to prepare the food for the Holy Father, my God! It felt like heaven! I was really jumping around and so happy. But when I came back to my senses, I thought, 'Oh my! This entails a lot of responsibility,' and of course, I prayed for it and said that this won't be given to me if God knew I won't be able to do it. I really considered it a big blessing since there were so many good chefs around.”

We got a glimpse into what she prepared for the pope, discovering that the Roast Beef was his favorite. She also revealed that Pope Francis had a sweet tooth and loved desserts, especially gelato, so she served him a Flambéed Mango with Mantecado Ice Cream. He had two generous servings, and Chef proudly told us how the glass was swiped clean. Additionally, she also served him an Argentinian dish, Chicken Chimichurri, which was also a hit with the pope. 

The pastry chef has proven that she’s not only a master baker but a great cook, having served original and popular recipes in her two restaurants, Chef Jessie Rockwell Club and Chef Jessie’s Place. Her talent also shines through in her recipe contributions in “Kulinarya” — a beloved cookbook published by Anvil Publishing in partnership with the Asia Society of the Philippines. The book recently released its Third Edition, which still includes all the iconic recipes from the six chef contributors, as well as new photos and newly designed pages. 

Each of the chefs came from different provinces in the Philippines and contributed 10 regional recipes for the culinary guidebook. Hailing from Bulacan, Chef Jessie named the Pork BBQ, Pancit Bihon (stir-fried noodle dish) — which are both very popular at her restaurants, and the Sapin-Sapin — a layered glutinous rice and coconut dessert, as her top three favorite recipes in the book. 

“I think the best version of Sapin-Sapin is in Bulacan,” she said. “I really take pride in it. It’s actually my mom’s recipe. The layers of the mixture are so delicate. It's so nice to eat and very creamy, especially if you have the latik (caramelized coconut) on top.” 

Additionally, Chef’s recipes have reached aspiring cooks and restaurateurs abroad. She told us a heartwarming story about her visit to Toronto for a cooking lesson with the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) last April, and how one of the students had come up to her, saying that he used her pandesal (Filipino soft bread) recipe, which became a crowd favorite at his restaurant. 

There’s no doubt that Filipino cuisine is steadily breaking into the international culinary scene. In 2018, Chef Jessie served as an assistant to her niece, Chef Abie Sincioco-Mateo, for the Embassy Chef's Challenge in Washington D.C., where their Sisig dish conquered the competition and won first place in both the Judges’ Choice and People’s Choice categories. 

When asked about what made their Sisig so good, the Chef revealed their secret ingredient: chicken liver adobo, “I think that made it more tasty. The secret is not to overcook it [liver] and make that adobo taste.”

Additionally, the veteran chef also believed that Sinigang, a popular local soup, is a dish that would most likely win any foreign competition as well. 

From an award-winning mango cake to recipe contributions and successful restaurant ventures, Chef Jessie has made her mark in the industry one tasty dish at a time and continues to do so as she participates in more events, such as festivals and restaurant collaborations. She recently took part in the Makati Food Festival and has a place among the international restaurants at Araneta City’s World Kitchens. 

She definitely had a long and rewarding journey, and when asked about her advice for aspiring chefs, she said: “I always tell people, especially young ones, that they should not be swayed just because being a chef is popular. They need to have, first and foremost, a love for the craft and the profession. If the interest and the love for cooking are truly innate, then they should do it. If you want to be successful, you have to do something that you really love. If you love what you do, you become passionate.”

And of course, Chef Jessie’s success is not only a testament to her skill and talent, but also to her enduring faith, stating that should she encapsulate her life’s journey so far, it is that everything has been in God’s plan. 

To know more, visit Chef Jessie’s Restaurants website or follow them on Instagram.

Restaurant Information:

• Chef Jessie’s Place 

Location: 595 Obrero St., cor Pililia and Tanay Sts Barangay Valenzuela Makati City

Operation Hours: Monday to Sunday, 11 AM to 9 PM

For reservations or inquiries regarding catering, contact +63 88906543, 88907630, or +639178585466. You may also email [email protected] or follow them on Facebook.

• Chef Jessie’s Rockwell Club 

Location: Amorsolo Dr, Makati, Metro Manila

Operation Hours: Monday to Sunday, 11 AM to 9 PM 

For reservations, contact 8254-0229 local 825, 8253-4732, +639770976649. You may also email [email protected] or follow them on Facebook.

• Chef Jessie’s at World Kitchens

Location: Level 4, Gateway Mall 2, Araneta City, Cubao, Quezon City

Operation Hours: Monday to Thursday, 11:30 AM to 3 PM and 5:30 PM  to 10 PM; Friday to Saturday, 10:30 AM to 11 PM; Sunday: 11 AM to 10 PM

For reservations, contact +63 288609799 or +63 918 9394537. You may also email [email protected].

Enjoyed this article? Check out our previous Yes Chef! profiles here.

Warm lights, slow pours, and a night filled with deliciously full-bodied cocktails set the stage for Nikka Whisky’s long-awaited debut in the Philippines. 

One of Japan’s most respected whisky houses, Nikka, officially entered the local market with a series of quiet and elegant launches that caught many whisky enthusiasts — and even longtime connoisseurs — by surprise. 

Held at ReCraft along Scout Tobias in Quezon City, Nikka Whisky’s “The First Pour” brought together a crowd of creatives, cocktail lovers, and whisky enthusiasts for an intimate tasting event that celebrated the entrance of Japan’s most beloved whiskies. 

The mood at ReCraft last June 18, 2025, was one of understated elegance, with dim lights, snazzy music, and a lively crowd setting the tone for the evening. It was a scene that echoed Masataka Taketsuru’s philosophy of celebrating the joys of life. And on this particular night in ReCraft’s very own Nikka Room, with a nosing glass in hand and good company, that spirit came through in every amber-colored pour. 

What We Drank

The Beat Manila had a front-row seat to watch the evening unfold, made even memorable by a cocktail menu curated by ReCraft’s Beverage Director, Cedric Mendoza. Each drink was crafted with a Nikka spirit at its core, elevating classic profiles with the layered, refined character of the brand’s distinct whisky expressions. 

The cocktail menu featured five drinks, each crafted to highlight a different expression from Nikka’s extensive portfolio. The Beat Manila had the chance to sample four: the Manila Cocktail #1, a zesty and refreshing mix of Nikka Coffey Vodka, calamansi, curry, pandan, and ginger beer that was floral with a playful kick, and perfect for humid nights (our personal favorite); the Nikka Milk Punch, a spice-kissed mix of Nikka Coffey Gin, elderflower, yuzu, and milk that was a joy to indulge in, like a sweet treat; the 39th Ward, another refreshingly sharp concoction that featured Nikka Coffey Grain Whisky, dalandan, lemon, and homemade grenadine; and the timeless Highball, made with Nikka Taketsuru Pure Malt Whisky and soda, was a crisp and clean drink that cleansed the palate. 

We also tried the Nikka Coffey Grain and Taketsuru Pure Malt neat, which revealed the spirits’ depth with clarity — just pure amber warmth and smooth, aged character in every sip.

The Art of “The First Pour”: Nikka Whisky’s Debut in the Philippines

Nikka Whisky’s Philippine Launch came as a surprise to many in the room, especially with Nikka already being a household name among local whisky lovers. For years, Nikka had already been whispered in these niche circles and was a go-to for those in the know. 

Despite its quiet and formal introduction, ReCraft’s “The First Pour” event felt like the perfect moment to welcome Nikka Whisky into the local drinking scene. For those unfamiliar with the brand, it was a rare chance to savor its depth and flavor in an intimate, curated setting. 

According to Cedric Mendoza, ReCraft’s Beverage Director, the timing couldn’t have been better, even calling it a “cheat code” because “it’s always been there.” 

“Whenever you say Japanese whisky, it’s always Nikka. And now it’s being distributed here, it’s like a 'cheat code,' meaning you don’t have to market it because it already has a market,” he said. 

Filipinos are known to love hard drinks, and with Nikka entering the scene, there’s bound to be one expression that would suit the Filipino palate. To this, Cedric says that’s the reason why Nikka has a large variety of flavor profiles. 

“If you’re a whisky drinker, you could really find out what type of whisky drinker you are by trying all of the expressions of Nikka,” he said. His personal favorite from Nikka? The Yoichi Single Malt, which is distilled in Hokkaido and is known for having a faint hint of the sea, much like any Scotch. 

Every cocktail on the menu was curated with familiar ingredients in mind, with flavors that resonate with ReCraft’s clientele while still placing Nikka’s subtle complexity at the forefront of the drink. At the same time, Cedric wanted to push boundaries, experimenting with different ingredients that could complement the spirits without overpowering them. 

“Whenever we make cocktails, we always think of ways to enhance the flavors of the brand we’re working with,” he shared.

Final Thoughts

Nikka Whisky’s official launch in the Philippines takes the local drinking scene to new horizons, with the arrival of a globally renowned whisky brand that, until now, has quietly existed under the radar for most everyday drinkers. 

This, however, nudges the drinking scene into a quiet sophistication. Cocktails today are becoming more experimental, more intentional, and still rooted in the classics that shaped them. 

Despite long-held taboos around drinking in the country, a quiet and refined culture is emerging — one that respects the art and science behind every blend and pour. “The First Pour” was one of those affairs that not only celebrated that shift but helped solidify it.  

Follow Nikka Whisky Southeast Asia on Instagram, and follow ReCraft on Instagram for more information.