Daily TribuneFrom Davao to Auckland, a Filipino puts Mindanao on Michelin map through Bar Magda’s bold, unmistakably Filipino cooking.
Carlo Buenaventura (left), Matt Venables (right) and Craig Thompson built Bar Magda on one stubborn idea: Filipino food belonged at Auckland’s top table.
Photograph courtesy of Bar Magda
Bar Magda in Auckland was named a Michelin Selected restaurant in the inaugural Michelin Guide New Zealand.
Bar Magda is a modern Filipino bistro celebrated for its contemporary take on Filipino flavours. It is one of only 60 restaurants included in the Michelin list, out of 110 restaurants recognized across Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and Queenstown.
Bar Magda was founded by best friends Chef Carlo Buenaventura and Bar Man Matt Venables with co-owner Craig Thompson, bringing together a shared focus on thoughtful food, great drinks and genuine hospitality.
Chef Carlo’s menu was conceived to blend his experience of the foods of his homeland, especially those of Mindanao, in the southern Philippines, with the ingredients from New Zealand.
Originally from Davao City, Chef Carlo moved from his native Philippines to Aotearoa in 2010 and worked his way up through acclaimed kitchens in Queenstown, Wellington and Auckland before opening Bar Magda in June 2021.
Since opening, Bar Magda has been named Best New Restaurant by Denizen in 2022, included in Metro Top 50 and Viva Top 50, and has earned a hat in the Cuisine Good Food Awards for three consecutive years.
Bar Magda’s inclusion in the first-ever Michelin Guide for New Zealand is a proud moment for the Filipino community and for Filipino cuisine on the world stage.
Chef Carlo Buenaventura’s story, from Mindanao to Aotearoa, shows how Filipino heritage, creativity and excellence resonate globally.
The inaugural edition marks New Zealand as the first destination in Oceania to receive a dedicated Michelin Guide.
The landmark ceremony was held on 30 June at the New Zealand International Convention Centre, where 15 restaurants earned Michelin Stars, including the country’s only two Michelin Stars awarded to Essence in Queenstown.
