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Chef Tatung at his restaurant Lore in BGC

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ABS-CBN Lifestyle

<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1762515230912IMG_1473.jpg" style="width:950px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Chef Tatung at his restaurant Lore in BGC. Jeeves de Veyra"/>Chef Tatung at his restaurant Lore in BGC. Jeeves de Veyra</div>MANILA — Filipino chef and author Myke “Tatung” Sarthou said being included in the Michelin Guide Philippines 2026 is a reminder that recognition should be used to elevate others and to represent Filipino cuisine with sincerity.Sarthou’s restaurant, Lore, was named among the <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/lifestyle/food-travel/2025/10/30/9-ph-restaurants-earn-country-s-first-michelin-stars-1916">Michelin-Selected restaurants in the guide’s inaugural Philippine edition</a>. In an <a href="https://www.simpol.ph/beyond-the-michelin-guide-philippines-2025/">essay published on his website</a>, the chef said the recognition “is never the end — it’s a call to keep cooking with sincerity, to lift others with every plate, and to prove that true excellence is never elitist, only shared.”Sarthou, known for his Simpol brand and award-winning cookbooks, said the acknowledgment affirms his long-standing goal to make Filipino food “visible and respected — not only for its flavors, but for its intelligence, dignity, and soul.”“I didn’t expect to be Michelin Selected at all,” he wrote. “My food has always been accessible, my voice grounded in the kitchens of home. That’s why this recognition means more than it seems. It tells me that sincerity and rootedness matter — and can hold their own on a global stage.”He dedicated the recognition to the broader community behind Philippine cuisine — “the cooks, farmers, and artisans who feed families daily without applause” — adding that excellence should be “generous,” meant to lift the entire culinary community rather than a few names.Sarthou also congratulated fellow Filipino chefs whose restaurants earned Michelin stars or selections, including Helm, Toyo Eatery, Gallery by Chele, Hapag, Inatô, Asador Alfonso, Celera, and Linamnam.The chef said his current work centers on mentorship and documentation through his upcoming trilogy, beginning with &quot;Pinas Simpol,&quot; which aims to codify Filipino cuisine using what he calls the “four legs of the table” — being rooted, resilient, respectful, and responsive.<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1762515338016lore flatlay.jpg" style="width:950px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Some of the dishes at the Michelin-Selected Lore. Jeeves de Veyra"/>Some of the dishes at the Michelin-Selected Lore. Jeeves de Veyra</div>According to Sarthou, Lore represents the refinement of simplicity: “kinilaw that teaches restraint, adobo that honors thrift, and soups that echo home.”While he welcomed Michelin’s arrival, he also cautioned against letting external validation define Filipino culinary identity.“The perfect meal isn’t the one that meets a checklist — it’s the one that remembers: the taste of a grandmother’s kitchen, a seaside afternoon, a life once simpler,” he wrote.Sarthou said true recognition lies in preserving memory and community. “At the end of the day, the real Michelin star is the shared table,” he said. “We cook not to prove, but to preserve. Not to impress, but to nourish.”

After Lore was named among the Michelin-Selected restaurants in the first Michelin Guide Philippines, Chef Myke “Tatung” Sarthou reflects on what global recognition truly means for Filipino cuisine.

After Lore was named among the Michelin-Selected restaurants in the first Michelin Guide Philippines , Chef Myke “Tatung” Sarthou reflects on what global recognition truly means for Filipino cuisine.

Chef Tatung reflects on Michelin recognition, calls for ‘excellence without elitism’

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Chef Tatung reflects on Michelin recognition, calls for ‘excellence without elitism’

ABS-CBN Lifestyle

Published November 08, 2025 11:00 AM PHT

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