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Idalia in Balmori Suites Chef's Table

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="display:block"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1784782721196First Photo Idalia.jpg" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner"><em>Restaurant Idalia featuring Chef Kevin David&#x27;s menu takes over The Balmori Suites Chef&#x27;s Table until July 31</em></span></span></span>“We honor where food begins and how it evolves. Proof that when you cook with purpose and a fearless kind of heart, something new happens. We hope you feel the warmth, the grit, and the edge in every bite. That is the spirit that anchors us. Ingredients are treated with respect, but never played safe. At Idalia, we cook with intention and a bit of rebellion.”<br/><br/>That same philosophy now takes center stage at Balmori Suites Chef’s Table, where <a href="https://www.instagram.com/restaurantidalia/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Restaurant Idalia</a> is presenting a limited three-week residency from July 10 to 31.<br/><br/><strong>A restaurant built around people first</strong><br/><br/>For owner <a href="https://www.instagram.com/ferdisalvador/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Ferdi Salvador</a>, Idalia has always been about much more than what arrives at the table. “We are trying to foster a culinary family that is based on both traditions and values,” he says. “Simple things like mandatory ‘family’ meals foster a closeness that we want our team members to carry on in and out of work.” That spirit extends into the creative process as well.<br/><br/>“We also have a close collaboration when it comes to culinary ideas so that everyone has a chance to put their ideas on the table. More eyes, more ideas, more wins.” The same collaborative philosophy finds its way into the dining experience, creating a restaurant where food becomes an expression of the people behind it.<br/><br/><strong>Why Balmori Suites?<br/></strong><br/>The invitation to take over Balmori Suites Chef’s Table represented an opportunity to bring Idalia’s philosophy to a wider audience. “Balmori has always been a showcase for the best and we want to be part of that,” Ferdi says. “We want to share our food beyond our home base so that those who haven’t experienced Idalia Salcedo have a chance to do so through Balmori chef’s table.”<br/><br/>Chef Kevin David saw the residency as an opportunity not only for the restaurant, but for the entire team. “I feel like Balmori is actually a good way to jumpstart anyone’s visibility in the Metro, so I feel like when we got the call that we were going to be part of it, I feel like it’s going to be helping not just the brand, but our identity as chefs and as cooks, so everyone or some people could find us in our main branch in Makati, Salcedo.”</div><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:555px;display:block" width="555"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1784789314056Idalia 12.jpg" class="fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:555px;display:block;height:auto" width="555"/><span class="fr-inner"><em>Limoncella Bluepea with blue ternate, rosemary cordial, cava, soda water</em></span></span></span></div><p>He adds that the location also introduces Idalia to a new community of diners. “Also, I feel like the amount of network this area has generally for business is actually good to maintain, so we try our best to make sure that we could have recurring guests and give them an experience that we would even though we’re not in our flagship restaurant.”</p><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:730px;display:block" width="730"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1784789447073Idalia 16.jpg" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="730" style="width:730px"/><span class="fr-inner"><em>Behold the Sun: Whisky, fermented miso cordial, lacto fermented tomato acid, hazelnut in house whey foam</em></span></span></span>Ferdi narrates that for the residency, Chef Kevin developed an exclusive menu that reflects Idalia’s approach. “Chef Kevin came up with an exclusive menu for our pop that’s simple and hearty. We have a small menu and we just want our food to speak rather than an overture of a fine dining experience. We want it casual and friendly that adds to our diners core memories. Both outlets offer that and we are greatly proud of it.”</div><p><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/lifestyle/food-travel/2026/7/20/kowloon-station-a-taste-of-hong-kong-makati-2320" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: A Taste of Hong Kong in Makati</a><br/><strong><br/>Cooking from the heart</strong><br/><br/>If there is one idea that consistently surfaces in conversations about Idalia, it is cooking with sincerity. “The philosophy that Idalia always strived for is just cooking from the heart and doing good food the right way, and how we were taught to cook as cooks,” Chef Kevin says.</p><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:958px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1784782864655Idalia Start.jpg" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner"><em>START: Sourdough Focaccia with whipped anchovy butter; Hummus; Calamari, basil aioli, hijo fresh lettuce, soft poached egg  </em></span></span></span>“So what does that mean? It’s sourcing properly, using, utilizing the whole vegetable or animal, and making sure that it’s all present in the menu. It doesn’t have to be in the same menu, but the zero waste program should be always in effect.”<br/><br/>He continues, “These are the things I teach my cooks, I teach myself, and it’s something that most restaurants in the world should be doing, not just here in the Philippines, but when there’s a scarcity of stuff that we could get, let’s say we’re in a remote island, we should be taught how to utilize the whole thing to give us more than less. I feel like it shaped the restaurant I wanted to build by using the mentality of less is more...just using what we have around us, and we don’t have to try too hard.”</div><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:958px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1784782910395Idalia Pasta.jpg" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner"><em>PASTA: Rigatoni, anchovy, black garlic, brown butter; Amatriciana, guanciale, pomodoro, fermented chili </em></span></span></span>The philosophy is reflected in the restaurant’s own words: “With fermentation it adds our signature flavors to the dishes that are moody and complex. Our pasta and sourdough bread aremade by hand every day. Simple, yes, but utterly satisfying. At the center of our kitchen is the hearth: flame, smoke, instinct. Primal, deliberate, unapologetic. Here is where comfort meets edge.”<br/><strong><br/>Intention with a bit of rebellion</strong><br/><br/>Idalia often describes its food as being guided by intention while embracing a quiet sense of rebellion.<br/><br/>For Ferdi, those ideas begin with respect. “For us, intention, rebellion, and respecting ingredients are the basis of an amazing palate experience. We try to innovate with respect, such as fermenting our own ingredients and never throwing away essential parts of our produce and proteins. Rebellion comes in the form of a non-conforming menu.” </div><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:958px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1784782959613Idalia 0.jpg" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner"><em>SHARE: Halibut en papillote, shiitake, bok choy, dashi </em></span></span></span></div><p>Chef Kevin approaches menu development through three guiding principles: “So, the prerequisite when I put things on our menu is it has to have a food memory, second, it needs to have a story, and third, it has to taste delicious.” He believes that with these three elements, the creativity naturally flows. </p><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:958px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1784782983595Idalia Share.jpg" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner"><em>SHARE: KFC (Kevin’s Fried Chicken) Whole fried chicken, hot honey, chicken fat gravy; Eggplant parm, basil, tomato, mozzarella </em></span></span></span></div><p>His approach also favors restraint over excess. He reiterates, “Lastly, something I teach is we always have to cook from the heart. I don’t like doing too much where the quality of the food is jeopardized, and it’s okay for me to put three or four, even five ingredients on the plate, as long as every one of them shines. That’s how we approach food in Restaurant Idalia.” </p><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:958px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1784783013155Idalia Dessert.jpg" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner"><em>SWEET: Bread pudding, burnt honey cream, coconut anglaise; Panna cotta, jackfruit, coconut, ube </em></span></span></span></div><div><strong>Respecting the people behind the ingredients: The unsung heroes</strong></div><p>The restaurant’s philosophy includes the people who make every dish possible. “We make an effort to keep a positive relationship with our farmers and ensure the best food is available to our visitors,” the restaurant states. Ferdi says those relationships are fundamental to Idalia’s identity. “Our suppliers like our pork farmer, lettuce greens supplier, and even our wood supplier have a very close daily working relationship with us. They are essential to our quality and growth, and we are always greatly appreciative of their craft. This gives our circular economy significant identity as a restaurant.” </p><p>Chef Kevin hopes to deepen those partnerships even further. “We don’t have a vast relationship with a lot of people in terms of farming. We probably have less than five or probably not more than 10, not like the other restaurants in the metro, but we want to work more with people around us, like the SMEs, the small farms, the unsung heroes that bring food to our restaurant and that gives us an opportunity to cook for people.” </p><p>“So we definitely want to work closer to farms. We definitely want to work closer with fishermen. We definitely want to work closer with vegetable and fruit purveyors that are locally grown here in the Philippines, but it’s very important for us that we use what we have.” </p><p>“So not just to say we’re hyper-local...why order something outside of this country if we have it? We just have to find a way to manipulate it to make it better as needed.”</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/lifestyle/food-travel/2026/7/21/samira-by-chele-gonzalez-presents-refreshed-menu-anya-resort-tagaytay-1422" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: Samira by Chele Gonzalez presents a refreshed menu at Anya Resort Tagaytay</a></div><div><strong>Creating core memory moments</strong> </div><p>More than showcasing technique, Idalia hopes every meal becomes something diners remember long after the experience. </p><p>“We want them to have a core memory moment with the ones they love during their dining experience,” Ferdi says. “The kind that you recall when you see fried chicken or pasta and you remember us. That’s success to us.” </p><p>Chef Kevin echoes a similar sentiment. “I wish they could remember just the three things. The food and how it made them feel when they were eating it, the hospitality that we provided, and the overall experience that they’re here throughout entering the door and leaving the door at the same time. Enough for them to be able to talk about and come back or tell someone about our restaurant.” </p><div><strong>Being its own flagship </strong></div><p>Although diners may wonder whether Idalia will continue to expand, Chef Kevin says preserving the restaurant’s identity remains the priority. While people often ask if expansion is in the works, Chef Kevin believes that Idalia is going to be its own flagship restaurant. “If we have to relocate, we would, but it’s not going to be two or three branches of the same type. It’s unique on its own so we’re going to keep it that way.”</p><p>On the philosophy that has guided Idalia from the beginning: “Non-negotiable...what I teach my team is, cooking from the heart and doing our absolute best to work as a unit to deliver good food and good service. These are the things that are asked of us in the service industry so we’re just trying to concentrate on these things...food, hospitality, ambiance, and maybe the emotional connection that we can build through food or through interacting with our guests.” </p><div><em>For three weeks at Balmori Suites Chef’s Table, diners are invited to experience that philosophy firsthand: one built on tradition without limitation, thoughtful craftsmanship, and food created with purpose, heart, and just enough rebellion. &quot;A menu built from everything we believe in and everything we’re trying to become.&quot; Call 0998 864 2525 for reservations.</em></div><div><em>Food photos courtesy of Restaurant Idalia.</em></div>

<p>For just three weeks until July 31, Idalia steps beyond its home in Salcedo to take over the Balmori Suites Chef’s Table, offering diners an intimate introduction to the restaurant’s philosophy of cooking with intention, heart, and quiet rebellion.</p>

For just three weeks until July 31, Idalia steps beyond its home in Salcedo to take over the Balmori Suites Chef’s Table, offering diners an intimate introduction to the restaurant’s philosophy of cooking with intention, heart, and quiet rebellion.

Cooking with intention and a bit of rebellion: Idalia arrives at Balmori Suites Chef's Table

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Cooking with intention and a bit of rebellion: Idalia arrives at Balmori Suites Chef's Table

Mawi Fojas De Ocampo

Published July 23, 2026 01:19 PM PHT

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Updated July 23, 2026 02:54 PM PHT

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Restaurant Idalia

Idalia

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Chef's Table at Balmori Suites

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