Filipino chef Margarita Fores named Asia's Best Female Chef

Filipino chef-owner Margarita Fores from Manila was named Asia's Best Female Chef today, as part of the Asia's 50 Best Restaurants awards.

Fores, who specialises in Italian cuisine after a trip to Italy in 1986, runs a successful catering business called Cibo Di M and restaurant chain Cibo, which has 10 outlets in Manila.

The savvy restaurateur also owns luxe champagne and gastrobar Lusso, and Grace Park, an ingredient-driven Italian restaurant which specialises in farm-to-table cuisine.

Fores is also keen on training the next generation of chefs. In 2013, she partnered with Casa Artusi, a historic culinary institution in Forlimpopoli, Northern Italy, to open Casa Artusi Philippines.

The institution in Manila - its first campus outside of Italy - teaches students the traditional techniques of Italian cooking.

She still remains an advocate for Filipino cuisine, and is the co-author of Kulinarya, a book featuring popular regional dishes from the Philippines.

Fores will receive her award at the annual Asia's 50 Best Restaurants event, to be held on Feb 29 at the W Hotel in Bangkok, Thailand. The list - organised by William Reed Business Media - is an offshoot of The World's 50 Best Restaurants.

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