Filipino Culinary Excellence: Five Chefs Recognized at The Best Chef Awards 2025
Achievement of Filipino chefs at a marquee global culinary event and what it means for Philippine gastronomy.
From October 1 to 2, 2025, Milan hosted The Best Chef Awards, a global gathering of culinary leaders. Five Filipino chefs earned international recognition during the event - a performance that signals the Philippines’ growing presence in the worldwide gastronomic conversation.
Highlights from Milan
The Best Chef Awards uses a "knife" tier system (Three Knives, Two Knives, One Knife) to recognize chefs across levels of influence and achievement. In 2025, nearly a thousand industry professionals participated in the vote, making the awards a meaningful barometer of global culinary opinion.
The Filipino Honorees
Five Filipino chefs were acknowledged in this year’s awards. Media reports and official announcements list the following names among the Philippines’ honorees:
Jordy Navarra
Toyo Eatery - Two Knives (World Class)
Chele González
Gallery by Chele - Two Knives (World Class)
Aaron Isip
Kasa Palma - One Knife (Excellent)
Bruce Ricketts
iai - One Knife (Excellent)
John Kevin Navoa
Hapag - One Knife (Excellent)
Official event commentary and press materials framed the awards as recognition of leadership, creativity, and team effort. Rasmus Munk, who kept the top position in 2025, emphasized the role of teamwork and the societal impact of food:
“Winning this award for the second year is not just a personal honour, it’s a recognition of the entire team … Food can be a powerful medium, one that sparks conversations, raises questions, and inspires change.”
Cristian Gadau, co‑founder and CEO of The Best Chef Awards, reflected on the broader participation in 2025:
“With nearly double the number of voters this year, we see the global appetite for innovation, diversity and collaboration in gastronomy stronger than ever … our mission has always been to honour chefs not only for their skill, but also for their vision and impact.”
Why This Matters
This recognition does more than decorate individual résumés. It helps amplify Philippine culinary identity on the international stage, strengthens food tourism narratives, and motivates young chefs to pursue ambitious, globally relevant projects. It also opens doors for collaborations, exchange, and sustained investment in culinary training and infrastructure back home.