In a city rapidly catching up to its Southeast Asian neighbors in culinary innovation, two names are helping push Manila’s dining scene into sharper focus: Alexis (Alex) Offe and Michael Needham.

Offe, a French-born, Hong Kong-raised hospitality lifer who trained at the prestigious École Hôtelière de Lausanne (now EHL Hospitality Business School), cut his teeth with major hotel groups and F&B players before launching Meraki Hospitality Group with his sister, Laura in 2017

Meraki became known for culturally rich concepts like Uma Nota in Hong Kong and Paris, and Bedu, a modern Middle Eastern spot. Eventually, Alexis brought the Meraki name to Manila — teaming up with Michael to open Uma Nota’s first Philippine outpost at Shangri-La the Fort.

Needham, for his part, may be newer to the F&B industry, but he brings sharp business instincts honed by his background in finance. Half-British and half-Filipino, he experienced living in Jakarta, Hong Kong, and the UK, before planting his entrepreneurial roots in Manila. His portfolio has ranged from co-founding KOOP Studio, a salon brand with locations in London and Manila, to investing in ventures like La Pícara. But it was a chance meeting with Alexis — and a shared vision to elevate Manila’s F&B scene — that led to their first joint venture with Uma Nota, and later, their first concept built entirely from scratch: Sabai, a Thai restaurant that combines comfort, spice, and substance.

While Meraki has officially closed its restaurants in Hong Kong earlier this 2025 and shifted its focus towards Manila, the duo isn’t slowing down. Together, Offe and Needham are now setting their sights on making Manila a dining destination on par with Bangkok, Singapore, and their former base in Hong Kong. With one successful concept imported and another homegrown, they’re doubling down on thoughtful design, authentic cuisine, and creating vibrant spaces that don’t just serve food but offer an unforgettable experience.

The Beat Asia sat down with the two as they talk about lessons from Hong Kong, challenges of building a restaurant post-COVID, and why they believe the Philippines is just getting started.

First, let’s talk about your latest concept Sabai. I heard you two did a lot of travelling and research in Bangkok?

Michael: A lot of research!

Alex: I think it’s necessary. First, that’s how we found our chef, Chef Tob. If you’re putting up a restaurant, it ultimately starts from the kitchen. And it was very important for us to get the details right, whether in service or the flavors. Also, understanding why a dish wouldn’t make it on the menu because we’re not happy with the local ingredients. It’s having a deep understanding of both the culture and cuisine in order to not adapt so much to Manila but rather bring out the most authentic version of Thai cuisine [in our] concept.

When I opened Uma Nota, I did the same and travelled to Brazil [a lot]. It’s a good excuse for us to travel; some will say that we choose the concept to be able to travel. (laughs) But no, [that effort] is super crucial. I think you can’t really cut corners in that sense. Otherwise, [it’ll be easy for others to say], ‘What are you talking about?’

Michael: It is necessary. We [visited] Bangkok maybe six times before opening [Sabai], so that we really got a feel for what is authentic. And we both grew up loving Thai food, living in the region, and visiting Thailand. But it’s different when you’re there with local chefs. Aside from Chef Tob, we found five other chefs from Thailand who moved here [to Manila]. And Kitti, our Guest Relations Manager, who is also from Thailand. From the front [of house] all the way to the back, we wanted to keep things as authentically Thai as possible.

What was the key to making authenticity as approachable as possible while still maintaining high culinary quality?

Michael: It actually started with the ingredients. We ran through a master list of all the different ingredients we would need, particularly the herbs. Rather than swapping in Filipino ingredients, we actually figured out the solution with Chef Tob and the other chefs to fly in the seeds of those missing herbs from Thailand, and we partnered with a supplier who grows those plants for us. So, before we even got to the concept with the design and all, it was important to have the right foundation and let Chef Tob and his team build on that.

We sort of joked, we want [people] to walk in and think they’re somewhere in Bangkok. We’ll get there eventually with the design. But certainly with the food, we strayed away from doing typical Thai dishes you kind of see around the world. It’s equivalent to going to a Chinese restaurant in China and asking for Orange Chicken, so we let Chef Tob create a menu that may not be conventional Thai but rather celebrates all the different regions within the country. Like with the Philippines, when you go to Bicol or Tawi-Tawi, you have a completely different cuisine.

That’s how we went about keeping it authentic, not just repeating the tried-and-tested way of doing Thai food. It was a lot of fun taking Chef Tob’s [cache of] recipes of 100 dishes and narrowing them down to 40, where it would be a mix of ‘familiar enough for people’ but also [new ones that] encourage people to explore.

Going back to your backgrounds, what drew you, Michael, to the F&B industry?

Michael: My overall thesis with Manila is where it is and where it could be, and that there are gaps in the market that need to be addressed. Honestly, before I decided on Uma Nota and partnering with Alex, I was already the customer. This is also what we’re seeing more now with well-traveled Filipinos — seeing all these different [F&B] concepts around the world and wondering, ‘Where are we [in Manila]? Why can’t we be up there too?’ So that’s where it came from, and then I started talking with Amir [Borsok], our other Co-founder, and we both realized there was demand because we were part of that demand. I’m a foodie — not to the extent that Alex is — but I enjoy travelling, even just to experience certain restaurants.

So, it grew from a sort of amateur level of love [for F&B] into a business with the right partner, of course. [Just wondering], ‘Can we really pull something off?’

Your background, Alex, is very much in hospitality. How did that background help you when you launched Meraki Hospitality with your sister?

Alex: I think when you’re younger, you have to be a sponge. You take a lot of notes of what's good, what's bad, what you want to keep, and just take a lot of knowledge and experience, mistakes, and learn. But also, sometimes, it’s very important that you bring in your own way of doing [things], and I think that that’s what was very important for my sister and me in Hong Kong then, and now here.

For example, the way we want to manage our people is different. We don’t really look at experience all the time; we look at personality. We encourage making mistakes. While it sounds counterintuitive, we want to build that company culture where you can do something, take action, and be proactive because that’s the only way you can grow. If you make that decision and it doesn’t work, so be it; we move on. But that’s the only way you can learn. If you don’t make mistakes, you don’t learn from it. We’ve got long-term plans, and we want to start building our managers of tomorrow.

Another is this misconception that “Asia” is like one country where everybody thinks or functions the same, and that’s why big brands sometimes fail because they approach each country in the exact same way. But it’s a super diverse continent, so it’s very important to adapt and not come in with a big ego and try to say, ‘Hey, we’re going to impose what we have in Paris in Hong Kong, and you’re going to do it how we say.’ It doesn’t work that way. You need to be humble enough to adapt and listen to the customer. It’s not sustainable if you aren’t able to question yourself in that way. But to a degree, it’s also important to bring in your own take, cause as Michael said, people don’t always realize that they’re missing it [until you give it to them].

Can you tell us more about Meraki's story?

Alex: It started in 2017, with Uma Nota being the first concept in Hong Kong. We grew up in Hong Kong, and I moved [back] in 2000, then studied abroad, then came back. It was kind of a no-brainer for me to start there with one concept, [then] two, and then a third, but COVID [happened] which changed a lot. Obviously, Paris, which is still open, as well. But we actually closed all of our restaurants in Hong Kong in June of this year. Coming into Manila and seeing that there is more than just Hong Kong [changed things]. Sometimes, Hong Kong is a kind of free capital, but lately though, the market has not been the same.

So that’s the thing about business, you’ve got to be able to pivot, and I’m very grateful and lucky in a way to have crossed paths with Michael and clicked very quickly because while we wanted to expand, it’s one thing to want and another to actually do it.

How did the pandemic affect your operations and how you moved forward with your different new concepts?

Alex: COVID is one of those things where, hopefully, it doesn’t happen again, but if it does, you need to strip down everything to what ultimately counts, what doesn’t, what’s extra, and what’s absolutely necessary. In the F&B industry, the lifespan is so short, especially now. You never know what’s coming up, and I think that’s what COVID taught us- finding out what’s absolutely necessary and then, even when we’re going well, [we] still continue pushing.

That’s also what Hong Kong taught me because it’s such a relentless city, such a competitive market. You need to wake up every single day and fight to bring in customers. I’m very lucky to have grown up in that market.

And it’s only going to get more competitive with the MICHELIN Guide now in the Philippines, congratulations as well on Uma Nota's Exceptional Cocktails Award and MICHELIN Selection!

Alex: Absolutely, which is amazing. We need to see it as an opportunity, how do we profit off that because [the MICHELIN Guide] is going to bring in even more travelers here [to the Philippines]. With them coming in, there are going to be a lot more elevated establishments coming in. I mean, even our street food is great, and they can be a Bib Gourmand.

We mentioned Meraki's Hong Kong exit and the city's competitive environment. What led you to this decision?

Alex: There are a lot of different reasons why. I grew up in Hong Kong, but even before we [made that] decision, I kind of wanted to go somewhere else. In a way, I think COVID scarred me way too much. I was thinking, ‘Okay, you’ve worked your butt off for so long, and this is what you [get].’ It was frustrating, and that’s why I’m very grateful to have met Michael. Oftentimes, you’re in this cycle of making sure the company survives and you forget that sometimes the grass is greener elsewhere. And that’s ultimately what I found out the first time I came here to Manila, when we were starting to discuss the possibility [of expanding here].

It opened my eyes: ‘Why am I trying so hard in Hong Kong for very little reward?’ And sometimes, it’s not even financial. I’m very fulfilled with the fact that we’re able to put on these big shows and high-quality collaborations, four hands, and more [in Hong Kong]. It costs a lot of money, but [the problem is] there are a lot of limitations. I just kind of asked myself, ‘Do I want to keep working within these limitations? Or do I want to explore?’

The sky is the limit in Manila; I really believe that. That’s why we’re so bullish on expanding, but at the right pace, because we obviously want to do it right. But coming here really opened my eyes, and I was like, ‘Wait a minute. I think I'd better get on a plane and stay there [in Manila].’

How about you, Michael, what are your thoughts on Hong Kong’s F&B industry?

Michael: It’s definitely a lot more cutthroat. Does that mean the cream rises to the top? Probably, but not always, I think. It ultimately forces the monetization and commercialization of what would otherwise be really nice food concepts because they’re no longer allowed to just think about the food or the service. You now have to incessantly think about the numbers and finances all the time. Your rent is really high, and labor is a big issue. There’s nothing to stop an exact clone opening 30 meters down the road. I think it’s too ruthless, to the point where you can hardly foster or promote independent, maybe chef-driven concepts.

This is just as an observer. For me, it means only the bigger [F&B] groups and those backed by private equity firms, or international brands, are the ones that succeed because they can absorb the losses and then build some market share after the first few years. It doesn’t really give a chance to good chefs or restaurateurs who can build an amazing menu, but they don’t have the backing or resources. I think it’s good that it forces only the strong to survive, but bad in that it will eliminate the potential of many, excellent concepts. It’s not fostering a platform for people to really create and innovate because the inherent risk of innovating is too costly.

Michael, you were with La Picara before and now you’re with Meraki. Does it feel more like a passion project for you now that you’re more involved from the ground up with the Meraki concepts?

Michael: You’re definitely more invested when you see it start from zero. I wasn’t involved so much in the day-to-day for La Picara. I was almost kind of a silent investor. I did learn a few nuances of the industry here and there, but I think it’s a different animal to an extent.

[With Meraki,] I’ve seen these locations [at Shangri-la The Fort] before, and it still baffles me sometimes to see them now with life, and we’ve obviously worked to breathe soul into both spaces. It’s such a big, well-oiled machine now, and we seem to be getting a lot of things right, but there are always obviously things we can do better. It’s definitely more emotional when you see it from the ground up. But there’s also peace of mind cause Alex is the best operator in the country, dare I say, in the region.

"Meraki" means to do something with creativity and love. How does that translate into your concepts?

Alex: Its literal meaning is to put a piece of your soul into whatever you do. Anything we do, we’ve got to do it 100%, if not more. It just dictates our willingness for people to remember us and not cut corners. We don’t want to put something out just for the sake of a new promotion or whatever; it translates to how we treat our people and develop them. Some people in Hong Kong were with us for eight years when we shut down, so I think it’s a big testament.

Our ambition here is the same-some people have been with us for over two years before we started on the pre-opening of Uma Nota, and our Restaurant Manager here, Sam, started as our Assistant Manager. That’s the legacy that we want to have: people who believe in us, and we give that back in development and opportunities that they deserve.

Do you think your deep investment in your people impacts the customer experience as well?

Alex: We hope so! We keep telling the team that our goal is to bring international hospitality to Manila. Not in an arrogant way, just in a way that we know Manila deserves it. Are we there yet? Probably not. But every single day, we’re striving for it. That’s why we’re also not hesitant to hire amazing talent from abroad or talents that worked abroad. Quality talents are also going to pass their experience to the local talents and organically push each other.

How do you feel now that Sabai is open after all of that effort and hard work?

Michael: It feels really good. But there’s always this point with any business. It’s never really at the opening where it hits me that the place is open, and it’s great. [Rather,] it’s the first time I see it’s full — and it’s full of people I don’t know. It’s one thing to make a place busy by inviting all your friends, and I think a lot of businesses do that here naturally. But with Sabai, it’s really a business where anyone off the street can walk in and eat delicious Thai food. When you see a family with a toddler trying Thai food for the first time, serious business meetings, a huge corporate celebration, and all these different aspects of life coming in — that’s when it really hits you. Hopefully, it will continue to exist and make people happy for many years.

On the other end, there’s our team, our staff. Everyone seems really happy with what we’ve offered them here. The chefs we brought in from Thailand are all loving life. I was checking in on them, and I asked what they were eating here, especially coming from Thailand with such a rich cuisine. Arthur, one of our junior chefs, said Mang Inasal. I asked, ‘The chicken place?’ He said, ‘Every day. Extra chicken oil. 2-piece pecho with rice.’ (laughs) And so they’re obviously enjoying the opportunity too. As much as I’m happy for the customers and them trying out our food, I also love the fact that our staff are happy, growing, and for a lot of them, getting this new experience of living abroad for the first time. So, on both ends, it feels very rewarding.

Alex: The opening is always [chaotic]. You run on very little sleep because there are so many moving parts and nothing ever goes to plan. Because I’m more of an operations guy, I’m kind of never satisfied, and it’s very frustrating at times. But we’re definitely happy with the opening. Of course, there are still so many more things to look forward to: our private rooms, delivery, and new tasting menus. Still, there’s always room to improve, whether it’s about the team, quality, or consistency. I [still] think it was very successful, and it was probably the smoothest opening we’ve had in terms of operations.

Plenty of people romanticize starting an F&B business. But what are the misconceptions that you’d like to debunk?

Alex: I think a lot of people start [an F&B business], whether it’s a bar, café, or restaurant, because it’s cool. That only works for so long. Because, ultimately, you need to get into the hospitality industry with the deep understanding that there will be absolutely no work-life balance when you start. [Sabai] is the 10th restaurant I’ve opened, our second here in Manila. It’s a lot of systems, and when it’s your first one, and you don’t have all the resources yet, you have absolutely no work-life balance, and I think a lot of people don’t necessarily understand that.

It's entrepreneurship, in general. You’ve got to be willing to sacrifice a lot of personal time, holidays, etc. A lot of people give up very easily for many different reasons, but [apart from time], you need to build a very tough skin in how you perceive criticism and feedback. I remember having plenty of sleepless nights when I first opened Uma Nota, going through people’s feedback. But you develop a thicker skin and understand what not to keep and just keep going. The consistency of waking up every single day with the same energy is absolutely crucial, and the big misconception is romanticizing that and not the 90% of the ugliness of the business, especially at the beginning.

Are you willing to put that work in, and even when it’s not working, keep waking and showing up? That’s the biggest learning, especially when COVID happened. Even when you don’t really know where you’re going, you just have to keep going. That’s business, in general. A lot of people think entrepreneurs are rockstars, but it’s actually the 1% that you see, and the rest of it is a lot of problems and failures.

A lot of people [would ask], ‘Would you recommend it?’ I absolutely would not recommend it, unless you’re absolutely passionate about what you do. Because passion is what’s going to keep you from giving up. Like, you’re so insanely convinced that it’s going to work, and it’s that insanity that keeps you going.

Michael: Yeah, I also wouldn’t recommend getting into F&B. (laughs) It’s interesting because it does then create this appreciation for other restaurateurs and a sense of gratitude for those that came before you — once you see the madness and chaos that goes behind it, just to get one dish on the table. But regardless of how daunting and tricky the industry can be, I think there are a lot of factors that [make Manila] conducive to newly opened concepts.

There’s still enough “blue ocean” that there’s a lot to explore and try and maybe fail, maybe succeed. The whole point is that it’s a good time [now] to take things to the next level, to be in Manila, to be in F&B, and we get so excited whenever we hear about these new concepts coming in.

What would you say is more important: passion, knowing your market, financial backing, or everything all together?

Alex: Everything. If you have financial backing, great, but that’s not always the solution. Sometimes when you don’t have financial backing, that’s also a good thing, because you have no room for failure. So, you’re stripping down the business to its core, what matters, and putting every single ounce of your energy into it.

It’s also having a deep, sound understanding of the market. At the same time, that passion, wanting to get better every single day and deliver something amazing — hopefully consistently. Showing up every day and demanding the same quality from every person in the company is also absolutely crucial. It ultimately comes down to whoever’s leading the company, the tone you’re setting for the teams, and the standard you’re setting. Motivating the team, pushing everyone even when there are doubts, and the money’s not always coming in.

What’s next for Meraki Hospitality?

Michael: We’ve been thinking a lot about it, and we’ve got two or three concepts lined up, ones that are different from Uma Nota and Sabai. It’s just a matter of the right time and location — where you’re putting it is a big factor. Timing-wise, I think it’d be silly not to open more concepts now in the coming years because we anticipate it’s going to get more competitive.

It seems there’s also a demand for Sabai outside of BGC, such as in Makati, Ortigas, and even in [Quezon City]. We didn’t realize how much Filipinos love Thai food; that was a pleasant discovery, especially since [what we serve] isn’t a sweet, watered-down version. This is real stuff, although we did have to take the spice level down a little bit because if you eat in Bangkok, it’s a whole other level.

So as for the next few years, expect a few more concepts from the group. One or two more branches of Sabai. We’re eventually plotting towards launching a hospitality school. Education, certification, and licensing for certain aspects of hospitality. Between Alex, Laura, and their father, their experiences are up there with the very, very best, and whilst we love bringing OFWs [Overseas Filipino Workers] back and celebrating Filipinos who have made the sacrifice to go abroad and hone their skills, we also want to shift the narrative. ‘Why can’t we produce the best talent here? Why do our best talents have to go abroad?’

We think it really starts with education and formalizing it, bringing it up to a world-class level, and then it could also feed into our future concepts, where they could do training, vocational work, apprenticeships, or internships. It’ll be a full pipeline from A to Z; if there’s another Filipino Alex Offe, or the next Margarita Fores — God rest her soul — they don’t have to travel abroad, they could stay here, close to their family, and get the best education and training. We’ve already had a few very preliminary discussions with some schools here. But that’s our end target and goal. It’s also giving back to the community, which we think is very important.

For more information and updates, check out the websites of Meraki Hospitality, Uma Nota Manila, and Sabai. Follow Uma Nota Manila on Facebook and Instagram, and follow Sabai on Facebook and Instagram.