CONTRIBUTORS

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. Her artisanal food line, Taste by Grace Home, has been a hit since it was launched in 2017.

GIGI BAUTISTA

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

STEPHANIE ZUBIRI CRESPI

TV presenter, food writer, blogger, and WSET Level 3-certified wine enthusiast, Stephanie's first and very well-received book, Feast With Me, recently won the National Book Awards in the food category. 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 Jöel 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 prepared with a lot of love. Prior to The Crazy Cook (her catering business) was her first restaurant, Bangkok Wok, in Davao. Today, she owns Minadanao Butchers & Co., which specialises in charcuterie and speciality foods.

STEPHANIE ONG DEL ROSARIO

Stephanie is a freelance writer for various lifestyle publications and is currently working on a series of anthologies when she is not in Yangon for her work as a consultant. During her 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.

JOANNA PREYSLER FRANCISCO

A huge supporter of all things local, Joanna believes that with the proper support and exposure, Filipinos can compete globally, be it for food, the arts, fashion, and design. She certainly loves to wine and dine, most especially when in the company of family and close friends.

CHIT JUAN

Chit is the Slow Food Councilor for Southeast Asia, a coffee advocate, and a champion of sustainability—especially for food. The co-proprietor of the proudly Filipino ECHOstore, Chit enjoys chronicling her journeys and food discoveries from all corners of the globe.

JACLYN CLEMENTE KOPPE

It has been more than a decade since Jaclyn launched her blog— OneBigBite — and has built a reputable career writing about food and the industry that surrounds it. After working as editor of a food magazine, she is currently a regular contributor for various titles, a job that brings her to the finest dining tables in Manila. However, her most satisfying occupation is preparing

meals at home for husband Matthias and daughter Chiara, who claim to be the biggest fans of her cooking.

JOJO MADRID

Jojo Madrid is a Manila and Vancouver-based wine enthusiast. He is a WSET Level 4 student and a French Wine Scholar. He is a partner of Premium Wine Exchange and proprietor of Monopole Wine Bar. Partial to Champagne, Burgundy and northern Rhône, Jojo prefers tasting his wines blind.

JUSTIN PITT

Born in the wine country of South Australia Justin forged an international hotel career based on an early passion of food and wine. Armed with an adventurous spirit and a talent for hospitality, Justin's journey lead him to senior food and beverage roles in hotels such as the Grand Hyatt Hong Kong, Le Meridien Phuket, and Director of F&B at the W Hong Kong. Hotel General Management followed in the UAE, China, and Cambodia with Justin holding the rare distinction of youngest GM of the Anantara Group at the time.

EDWARD NGO

This globetrotter from the Queen City of the South dreams of setting foot in every single country in the planet. Having dined in various top-notch restaurants across the globe, his heart still belongs to sisig, which he considers to be one of the greatest culinary inventions known to man.

WYNN WYNN ONG

An avid cook, a writer, and best known as a designer of jewelled art, Wynn Wynn was born in Rangoon, grew up in Vienna, and has called Manila home for more than 45 years. 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. A retrospective of her work is currently on long-term exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Manila.

LESLEY TAN

Lesley’s life-long passion for food and travel was honed during her 12-year stint at one of the top luxury hospitality brands in the world, having helped launch and rebrand over 10 restaurants and bars in Manila, Cebu, and Singapore. Currently, she is making good use of her corporate communication skills in a freelance capacity. Lesley likes to entertain friends with home-cooked feasts and gin tonics, as well as planning trips, preferably to cities with engaging cuisine.

MAYBELLINE TE

Being in the world of furniture and interior fitouts for hospitality clients, Maybelline is fascinated by how the overall dining experience is enhanced by ambience and service. For her, fine dining is a multi-sensory adventure.

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 Art De Vivre for The Philippine Star.