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With the passing of restaurateur Margarita Forés, we remember a culinary icon who proudly promoted Filipino cuisine to the world, and filled every table with warmth, passion, and flavor
Today, the country grieves the untimely demise of Filipina chef and restaurateur Margarita Forés, the woman who sought to modernize Filipino cuisine and share it with the rest of the world. A pioneer, a tastemaker, and an undeniable force in the culinary world, she turned her passion for food into a legacy that shaped the way Filipinos dine. Her passing was announced by her son Amado Forés earlier today.
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Margarita Forés was a woman ahead of her time. In an industry dominated by men, she built something perennial—an empire of taste, grounded in passion and her relentless pursuit of good taste. Her name became synonymous with Cibo, the Italian restaurant chain that introduced Filipino tastebuds to authentic Italian cuisine. She put quality at the forefront, but pretense had no place at her table. Dining, to her, was an experience—one she so generously shared with her countrymen.
She carried this ethos through Grace Park, Pepato, Lusso, and Alta, each restaurant a testament to her expertise. Her work earned her the title of Asia’s Best Female Chef in 2016, the Order of the Star of Italy, and the leadership of a dining experience for world leaders at the 2015 APEC Summit. And, in 2024, she was awarded Pinoy Pride Awardee at the MEGA Fashion + Food Ball as one of the visionaries shaping Manila’s food scene.
A tastemaker in every sense of the word, Forés was not just a key player in the industry—she was the standard—whose legacy is now carried on by her son and rising restaurateur Amado Forés, the name behind booming Italian restaurant A Mano.
Beyond the accolades and the empire she’s built, Forés always brought it back to something deeper: she cooked like our very own mother. Warm, generous, and always wanting to feed you well, the food she served carried the same purpose, regardless if it was for a table full of world leaders or for the family she held dear. Today, we mourn her passing but celebrate the wonderful life and legacy she’s lived—served in every plate, shared in every memory, and felt in every bite that tastes just like home.
Featured Image and Photos: MEGA ARCHIVES
