Vlad Bunoan

Dubai Chocolate Cookie with Matcha Soft Serve

Article (news)

Leah C. Salterio

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1759824124743IMG_1519.jpeg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Chef Nouel Catis. Handout"/><span class="fr-inner">Chef Nouel Catis. <em>Handout</em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA — Dubai-based Filipino pastry chef Nouel Catis is giving matcha a luxurious makeover in the Philippines. </p><p>Partnering with The Matcha Tokyo, Catis introduced a limited-edition menu, “A Taste of Tokyo, A Touch of Dubai,” that blends Japanese tea traditions with his signature Dubai chocolate creations, offering Filipino dessert lovers a bold and innovative experience.</p><p>Catis continues to redefine premium indulgence on a global scale. He has been in Dubai for 17 years now and has been known for his viral dessert sensations and luxury confections. His philosophy centers on creating instant joy through nostalgic flavors and bold culinary exploration, with an unwavering commitment to ethical sourcing and sustainable gastronomy.</p><p>“It’s funny because every Filipino dreams of going to the US, the American dream,” Catis told ABS-CBN News. “But for me, it’s the Dubai dream. My first job was at the Burj Al Arab as an OFW at the pastry section. I was the first Filipino member of the hotel’s pastry team.” </p><p>Born and raised in Dipolog, Zamboanga del Norte, Catis came to Manila when he took up Hotel and Restaurant Management in UP Diliman. </p><p>After college, he returned to Dipolog to re-establish his family’s bakery business that his mom, also a baker, started. Then he returned to Manila to work at the old Hyatt Regency Hotel. He also went to Beijing, Fiji Islands, Maldives, Jordan and worked as head pastry chef. </p><p>In 2004, Catis flew to Dubai after he was offered to work at the Burj Al Arab for only a year, then started to be “poached” or pirated. “People know you’re the cream of the crop when you’re able to work there,” he said. “That’s a passport to other opportunities.” </p><div><br/></div><div><strong>Viral Dubai chocolate</strong></div><p>He started his much talked about Dubai chocolate in 2022. Today, it has been copied and replicated, much to his pride. “I’m really, really proud to be part of the journey that inspired and changed the world,” said Catis, who owns a retail outlet in Dubai for his chocolate brand called Snaap. </p><p>His Dubai chocolate fame has brought Catis back to Manila. </p><p>“When people realized that I was behind the recipe, everybody comes together as a community and they want to support me with my collaboration,” said Catis, who met Charlie Paw, franchise owner of The Tokyo Matcha in the Philippines, in Dubai. “He talked to me many, many months ago and he said, ‘Let’s do a collaboration.’” </p><p>That meeting led to Khaiba, their first pop-up collaboration at Balmori Suites at Rockwell Makati&#x27;s Powerplant Mall, which featured Filipino dishes with a Dubai twist.</p><p>After the success of that partnership, Catis entered into another collaboration with The Matcha Tokyo, this time for a limited-edition menu.</p><p> “A little bit of Dubai chocolate spin, with the kataifi [Middle Easter pastry dough],” he said of his latest collab. “Mostly, it’s my self-expression as a pastry chef. I want to reinterpret matcha. I enjoy coming back here to the Philippines to reconnect with my roots.”</p><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1759824361405IMG_1522.jpeg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Chef Nouel Catis with Sonny Mariano, The Matcha Tokyo Philippines executive chef. Handout"/><span class="fr-inner">Chef Nouel Catis with Sonny Mariano, The Matcha Tokyo Philippines executive chef. <em>Handout</em></span></span></span>Catis is paired anew with Sonny Mariano, executive chef of The Matcha Tokyo Philippines, for another round of mouthwatering creations that blend tradition with innovation.  </div><p>“Working with Chef Sonny and The Matcha Tokyo is always an inspiring journey,” Catis said. “Matcha embodies heritage, mindfulness and artistry, while my desserts carry stories of innovation and culture.</p><p>“Together, we’re creating something that not only excites the palate but also bridges worlds --Japanese tea traditions with the vibrant creativity of modern pastry. This collaboration is for those who crave authenticity while embracing new experiences.”</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>Matcha x Dubai Chocolate</strong></div><p>The limited-edition offerings, launched on October 4, include Hojicha with langue de chat highlights the tradition of hojicha milk tea, infused with the warm, aromatic flavors of South Indian cardamom and cinnamon.</p><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1759824509447â  â  Iced Matcha Dubai Chocolate Latte and Hojichai with Langue de Chat.png" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Iced Matcha Dubai Chocolate Latte and Hojicha with Langue de Chat. Handout"/><span class="fr-inner">Iced Matcha Dubai Chocolate Latte and Hojicha with Langue de Chat. <em>Handout</em></span></span></span>The Iced Matcha Dubai Chocolate Latte reimagines matcha as a chilled, creamy beverage infused with Chef Nouel Catis’ signature Dubai chocolate. In the Matcha Butter Mochi, East meets Middle East with a pistachio-kunafa filling that delights the palate.</div><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1759824582306Dubai Chocolate Cookie with Matcha Soft Serve.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Dubai Chocolate Cookie with Matcha Soft Serve. Handout"/><span class="fr-inner">Dubai Chocolate Cookie with Matcha Soft Serve. <em>Handout</em></span></span></span>The Dubai Chocolate Cookie with Matcha Soft Serve features The Matcha Tokyo’s signature molten chocolate cookie, stuffed with Dubai chocolate spread and crowned with velvety matcha soft serve.</div><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1759824620526__Habibi Matcha Cake.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Habibi Matcha Cake. Handout"/><span class="fr-inner">Habibi Matcha Cake. <em>Handout</em></span></span></span>Finally, the Habibi Matcha Cake, topped with pistachio, transforms the beloved chocolate cake from the celebrated Khaiba pop-up into a matcha-infused delight, available in both slices and whole cakes.</div><p>“We stay in tune with the constantly shifting tastes of the market and always strive to bring innovation and creativity to The Matcha Tokyo,” shared Anna Yap Paw, vice president of the Tasteless Food Group, which owns and manages The Matcha Tokyo Philippines. </p><p>“Collaborating with chef Nouel Catis is a great opportunity to showcase how The Matcha Tokyo’s premium matcha and hojicha marry with the widely popular Dubai chocolates –- a first.” </p><p>The Matcha Tokyo Philippines team also developed two new chocolate bars with Catis to be launched at a later date. The Matcha Dubai chocolate bar is a Dubai-inspired matcha kataifi chocolate bar with hints of lychee and raspberry, while the Hojicha Dubai chocolate bar is the flavor of fall blended with roasted kataifi, cashew nuts and silky, creamy hojicha. </p><p>Catis will return to the Philippines for two more events this year -- towards the last week of October and the first week of November.</p>

<p>Matcha like you’ve never tasted before! ✨ Dubai-based Filipino pastry chef Nouel Catis teams up with The Matcha Tokyo Philippines for a limited menu, blending Japanese tea traditions with his signature Dubai chocolate.</p>

Matcha like you’ve never tasted before! ✨ Dubai-based Filipino pastry chef Nouel Catis teams up with The Matcha Tokyo Philippines for a limited menu, blending Japanese tea traditions with his signature Dubai chocolate.

Pastry maestro Nouel Catis redefines matcha with Dubai chocolate collab

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Pastry maestro Nouel Catis redefines matcha with Dubai chocolate collab

Leah C. Salterio

Published Oct 07, 2025 04:14 PM PHT

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Updated Oct 07, 2025 05:12 PM PHT

Read More:

The Matcha Tokyo

Nouel Catis

Dubai chocolate

Khaiba

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