Editors' Note

GRACE BARBERS BAJA

A wife, a mother of three, a passionate cook and an avid traveller, Grace is in constant search for the best dining experiences here and abroad. She shares her musings and cravings through her blog, The Spoiled Mummy (www.thespoiledmummy.com).

GIGI BAUTISTA

Despite her hectic schedule helming a full-service international event management company, Gigi continuously explores exotic destinations and delights epicurean discoveries.

STEPHANIE ZUBIRI CRESPI

TV presenter, food writer, blogger, and wine enthusiast Stephanie recently published her first and very well-received book, Feast With Me. She also completed her WSET level 3 last year and launched her wine blog, wine-lips.com. Crazy about ethnic and world cuisine, she can enjoy a cheap and cheerful pho ga in Ho Chi Minh’s Ben Tanh market just as much as a perfectly cooked baby lamb chop at Joel Robuchon.

BOBBY CUENCA

A business executive with several years in the real estate, mining, and international commodities business and not to mention his decade-long stint in the hotel industry, Bobby sure knows his food and pours well.

CARMINA MAPA-DEL ROSARIO

Carmina's food-centric career and love for cooking stems from a childhood of enjoying family meals around the table with great food and love. Before her catering business, The Crazy Cook, she opened her first restaurant , Bangkok Wok, in Davao. Today, she travels around the Philippines and beyond with her family to experience the best of both worlds.

JOANNA PREYSLER FRANCISCO

A huge supporter of all things local, Joanna believes that with ample support and exposure, Filipinos can compete in the global arena, be it for food, the arts, design, and a lot more. Add to that, she certainly loves to wine and dine.

CHIT JUAN

A coffee advocate and a champion of sustainability especially for food, the co-proprietor of the proudly Filipino ECHOstore, Chit makes sure to chronicle her journeys and food discoveries from all corners of the globe.

RICHIE LERMA

Richie's well-rounded taste in food and wine was honed through his many years spent in various fields, the arts, and advertising worlds included.

EDWARD NGO

A globetrotter at heart, Edward dreams of visiting every single country on earth. He considers sisig to be one of the greatest culinary inventions known to man.

STEPHANIE ONG

Stephanie is a consultant and freelance writer for various lifestyle publications and she is currently working on a series of anthologies. After studying Design Marketing at Parsons School of Design in Paris, she has most recently gotten involved with the internationally acclaimed jewellery brand, Artisanal Works, by her mother, Wynn Wynn Ong, as marketing director. During her personal and work travels, Stephanie and her husband love to sample new facets to both traditional and contemporary international cuisine, and often plan their vacations around areas of culinary interest.

WYNN WYNN ONG

Wynn Wynn Ong was born in Rangoon, grew up in Vienna, and has called Manila home for more than 45 years. She is known for her unique jewelled designs that are collected by a select group of clients worldwide. She taught Asian Studies and Humanities, and has a Masters in Education and Curriculum Development. A member of the Asia Society, she was also a co-founder of Hands On Manila and chaired it from 2009-2012. Each collection she created was for the benefit of a designated foundation. As much as Wynn Wynn loves to create, equal enjoyment is found in wining and dining.

JUSTIN PITT

Born in the wine country around Adelaide, South Australia, Justin developed a passion for food and wine at an early age. Starting his hospitality career both in Adelaide and Sydney further fuelled his desire for the industry. From holding top executive positions in flagship properties in Hong Kong, Thailand, the U.A.E., and Cambodia, Justin now helms Vagabond Properties, an Asian-based hospitality and consultancy group and brokerage house he established.

GUENTER TAUS

As the president of the European Chamber of Commerce and managing director of JEC Philippines, Guenter travels extensively and as such, dines at some of the world's finest restaurants and hole-in-the-walls. For him, eating is an inspiration to explore, learn more, and refine his palate.

MAYBELLINE TE

Being in the world of interior design, Maybelline is fascinated by how the overall dining experience is enhanced by ambience and service. It is, after all, not only about the flavours that land on one's plate that completes the dining experience.

RICKY TOLEDO AND CHITO VIJANDRE

Both inveterate travellers, Ricky and Chito enjoy nothing more than visiting the world’s greatest museums, galleries, shops, restaurants, and venues for visual and performing arts, which they write about in their column ArtDeVivre for The Philippine Star. Their second and third homes, Firma and AC+632, showcase their well-curated finds from around the world as well as pieces from Manila’s leading jewellery and accessory designers and their own one-off creations.