CONTRIBUTORS

GRACE BARBERS BAJA

Her passion for all things food inspires Grace to cook, eat, and travel the world in search for the best dining experiences. A wife, a mother of three, and a self-confessed chocoholic, she shares her creativity through her artisanal food line, Taste by Grace Home.

GIGI BAUTISTA

A globetrotter at heart, seasoned events maven Gigi journeys the globe to explore elusive destinations and delights in cuisines from all over. Her crazy schedule with back-to-back projects here and abroad won't stop her from doing so.

BOBBY CUENCA

This real estate, mining, and international commodities business executive clearly knows his food and wine. Bobby has, after all, been in the hospitality industry for a decade.

CARMINA MAPA-DEL ROSARIO

Carmina grew up sharing family meals prepared with love. This and her passion for cooking led her to opening her catering business, The Crazy Cook; her first restaurant in Davao, Bangkok Wok; and, more recently, her charcuterie haven, Mindanao Butchers & Co.

STEPHANIE ONG DEL ROSARIO

Lifestyle writer Stephanie loves to travel with her husband, constantly on the lookout for what's new in the dining scene. Their trips revolve around places of culinary interest.

ALEXANDRA (ALEX) EDUQUE

Alex is the founder and chairperson of the non-profit, MovEd foundation, which brings early childhood care, education, and development programmes to underserved areas around the Philippines. In her spare time, this self-professed foodie can be found dining at home with friends or in friends' homes, trying out the newest dining hotspots in the metro, returning to favourites, and discovering new countries and cities with her nearest and dearest.

JOANNA PREYSLER FRANCISCO

Philippine Tatler's Most Stylish Woman of 2019, Joanna is a purveyor Filipino art, fashion, and design. She loves to wine and dine with friends and family, especially with her husband, Raul, who co- founded Provenance Art Gallery with her.

CHIT JUAN

A sustainability, slow food, and local coffee advocate, Chit enjoys writing about her journeys and dining experiences from all over the world. She promotes natural and organic farming through ECHOfarms and as a co-proprietor of the Filipino ECHOstore.

JACLYN CLEMENTE KOPPE

As a former editor of a food magazine and now a regular contributor to various publications, Jaclyn has seen and experienced most of the metro's best dining offers. But for her, cooking meals for her husband, Matthias, and daughter, Chiara, is the most satisfying among the many hats she wears.

JOJO MADRID

Being a French Wine Scholar and a WSET Level 4 student, Jojo's knowledge of wine makes him one of Manila's most revered oenophiles. He is a partner of Premium Wine Exchange and proprietor of Monopole Wine Bar, and calls both Manila and Vancouver home.

JUSTIN PITT

Having been born and raised in Australia—one of the largest wine producing countries in the world—Justin's penchant for food and wine became an obvious progression. This passion combined with his adventurous spirit led him to senior posts in the hospitality industry in some of the world's biggest hotel brands.

EDWARD NGO

Dreaming of ticking every single country off his bucket list, Edward travels the globe in search of the most delightful, mouth-watering food experiences. While he has had the opportunity to dine on stellar dishes at various award-winning restaurants worldwide, his all-time favourite remains the iconic Filipino dish, sisig, which he considers the greatest culinary gem.

WYNN WYNN ONG

Unbeknownst to many, renowned jeweller and designer Wynn Wynn is also an avid cook and a prolific writer. Born in Rangoon and raised in Vienna, she has been residing in Manila for almost five decades now. Her intercontinental upbringing and travels have formed her distinct aesthetic and eye for details.

LESLEY TAN

From an early age, Lesley has enjoyed exploring and finding food discoveries. She firmly believes a city’s cultural value must be intrinsically connected to its local culinary provisions and markets. Some of her most memorable dishes are fresh lobsters in Boston’s Faneuil market, shrimp gumbo in New Orleans, fish & chips at Watson’s Bay in Sydney, roast goose in Central Hong Kong, the pintxos at San Sebastian’s many bars, and Cocido à la Madrileña in Madrid.

MAYBELLINE TE

Having been in the furniture and interior design industries, Maybelline considers ambience and service as vital parts of the overall dining experience. For her, fine dining is a multi-sensory adventure that should tick all the boxes—from the food all the way to the setting.

KAYE TINGA

As a co-owner of W/17 Home, Kaye travels the world searching for unique finds for the store, seeking new adventures, and discovering all kinds of food from different cultures. She loves to travel with her husband and their four children.

RICKY TOLEDO AND CHITO VIJANDRE

Jetsetting duo, Ricky and Chito, enjoy nothing more than exploring the world’s greatest museums, galleries, shops, venues, and, of course restaurants, which they share in their column, Art De Vivre, in one the country's top broadsheets.