MICHELIN spotlight fuels exclusive chef collaborations with UnionBank

More than a decade ago, chef and television host Andrew Zimmern predicted that Filipino culinary talent would soon gain international recognition. In 2016, the late Anthony Bourdain echoed the same sentiment, pointing to a growing global appetite for Filipino food beyond diaspora communities.

Those predictions gained concrete validation this year with the release of the first MICHELIN Guide Philippines, which recognized 108 local restaurants—marking a milestone in the country’s evolving food scene and placing Filipino chefs more firmly on the global culinary map.

As local kitchens receive international attention, collaborations between Filipino chefs and their counterparts abroad are becoming more frequent. One such initiative is the Star Course Series, a limited dining program developed in partnership with UnionBank and Visa, which brings together chefs from MICHELIN-recognized restaurants for curated, invitation-only dinners.

The series opens on 7 April 2026, with a one-night collaboration at Celera, a MICHELIN-starred restaurant known for its pan-Asian approach. The dinner will be led by Celera chefs Nicco Santos and Quenee Vilar, alongside Chef Zor Tan of Born in Singapore, a one-MICHELIN-star restaurant whose menu draws inspiration from the “Circle of Life” philosophy.

According to the organizers, the menu is designed to reflect shared culinary narratives across Southeast Asia—combining contemporary techniques with regional flavors—rather than focusing on individual restaurant signatures. The event is positioned as a chef-led collaboration rather than a standard promotional tasting.

UnionBank officials said the timing of the series aligns with the growing visibility of Filipino chefs following the MICHELIN Guide’s local debut. While participation in the Star Course Series is limited to select UnionBank Visa credit cardholders through a raffle-based system tied to spending, the broader aim, according to the bank, is to mark what it described as a turning point for Philippine dining on the world stage.

The Star Course Series runs from 18 December 2025, to 14 February 2026, with future dinners expected to feature additional MICHELIN-recognized chefs as the program expands.

The initiative comes as Philippine dining continues to attract international attention not only through awards, but through cross-border collaborations that place Filipino chefs alongside peers from established culinary capitals.