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Textures by Tamayo’s

<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1780397367069IMG_1334.JPG" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/>Handout</div>Chef Christopher Tamayo had to leave to find his way back.“I had an identity crisis where everywhere I go, ‘Uy, anak ‘yan ni Tamayo’s Catering.’ So, I’m like, ‘Am I being respected because of my skills or my last name?’ It made me doubt my skills, so I left,” he said. He studied at the Culinary Institute of America, became a chef for NBA players, and then made a decision. “It’s time to go home. I have proven [my skills]. So here I am,” he said.And home is exactly what he built. “This is our house, [so] let’s just project it as a house. And let’s welcome our clients as kapamilyas.” This was the vision of Tamayo, president of Feast Gastronomy Group and executive chef of Textures by Tamayo’s, for their vacation house-turned-upscale restaurant in Tagaytay.<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1780397398530IMG_1493.JPG" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/>Handout</div>Stepping inside the place is like visiting a family member or a friend’s home. You are greeted by a lawn with surrounding plants and trees, and a porch swing, reminding you of front yards where families gather on weekends to grill barbecue. The dining area is very Filipino, especially with the wooden chairs and round, rotating tables found in many Pinoy dining rooms. And there’s also the al fresco dining area with a view of nature, reminiscent of old houses where families share meals on verandas while breathing in the cool Tagaytay breeze.<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1780397415675IMG_1561.JPG" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/>Handout</div>Chef Tamayo was very clear in what he wanted guests to experience. “I want it to be just like a home. So that’s why our tagline is ‘Welcome home.’ As a chef, it’s more fulfilling to see families enjoy your food. This is Tagaytay, it’s a weekend trip for families,” he said.That warmth extends to the menu, which he describes as “finesse, but relatable.” The dishes are rooted in Californian cuisine — a melting pot of cultures — infused with Filipino favorites, each one carrying a personal memory. He named the restaurant Textures, he explains, “because of the different play on different textures of each ingredient.”The standout was the Chicken Truffle Havarti, a reimagined version of the fiesta staple chicken cordon bleu. “Tamayo’s Catering was really famous for our chicken cordon bleu, so I really wanted to make a finesse dish out of it. And the California roasted chicken is there because it’s a no-brainer. Everyone loves chicken in the Philippines, especially roasted chicken,” he said.<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/17803974410101111 (2).jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/>Handout</div>Equally memorable were the Bao-cos, tacos served in bao buns. “Since I’m from California, Mexican cuisine is super famous. But I also love Binondo. So instead of serving traditional tacos and tortillas, I serve it in bao buns. It’s a mixture of Binondo and California-Mexican,” he said. And then there’s his Cebu lechon express, served with Bicol express sauce and cilantro oil. It was so tender it almost melted in my mouth, the result of 18 hours of preparation. The tomahawk steak, which requires at least four hours&#x27; notice, offers a consistently quiet dedication in every bite.The feeling of home doesn’t end with the food. A glass kitchen lets guests watch their meals being prepared, much like peering into a home kitchen. Tamayo is meticulous about cleanliness — “dirty kitchen, dirty food” — and equally meticulous about freshness. Guests can see the restaurant’s replanting area, where ingredients are grown and harvested daily. “We like to be as sustainable as possible. We just cut what we need for the day,” he said.<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/178039745763122.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/>Handout</div>Aside from the herb garden, a working farm on the property yields dragonfruit, pineapples, coconuts, and calamansi, all of which go directly into the dishes.The home Tamayo has built, however, is still growing. He envisions creating a small village within the one-hectare property, a weekend market that puts local farmers front and center. “Magkakaroon dito ng weekend market where farmers could sell directly to our clients,” he shared, inspired by the community markets he experienced living in Napa Valley. “I want our local community to gather where everyone knows everyone.”<div> </div><div>Textures at Tamayo’s is located at 1975 Maglabe Drive, Barangay Asisan, Tagaytay City. Reservations are accepted <a href="http://bit.ly/texturestagayta">online</a>. For inquiries, follow them on Facebook and Instagram.</div>

Chef Christopher Tamayo turned a family vacation home into Textures by Tamayo’s in Tagaytay, an upscale dining space with Californian-Filipino dishes, farm-to-table ingredients, and a warm, home-style experience.

Chef Christopher Tamayo turned a family vacation home into Textures by Tamayo’s in Tagaytay, an upscale dining space with Californian-Filipino dishes, farm-to-table ingredients, and a warm, home-style experience.

Tagaytay eats: Textures by Tamayo’s turns a family home into a dining destination

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Tagaytay eats: Textures by Tamayo’s turns a family home into a dining destination

Anne Kristhine P. Aga

Published June 03, 2026 11:25 AM PHT

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Textures at Tamayo’s

Tagaytay

Chris Tamayo

restaurant

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