26 May 2016 – Philippine Ambassador to the United Kingdom Evan P. Garcia received Chef Tim dela Cruz at the Philippine Embassy on Suffolk Street, London before the Manila-born Masterchef contestant headed off to the Philippines as head chef of Jason Atherton’s soon-to-open Pig and Palm restaurant in Cebu.

Atherton is set to open his first restaurant in the Philippines at Cebu’s MSY Tower as a “love letter” to his wife Irha. Chef dela Cruz collaborated with Atherton to come up with a menu featuring European gastropub fare “with a Filipino twist”.

“Of course there will also be lechon, after all it is Cebu,” dela Cruz told Ambassador Garcia. But it will be finished with something special that is characteristic of the Michelin-starred chef’s creations, dela Cruz added.

Ambassador Garcia extended the Embassy’s best wishes to dela Cruz for the success of this venture. The ambassador also thanked the chef for taking time to drop by the Embassy before his journey home.

“My dream is to be able to pass on my knowledge and skills to aspiring Filipino chefs while I am in Cebu,” said dela Cruz.

Dela Cruz was a contestant on BBC’s Masterchef: The Professionals in 2015. He was also sous chef at Bonnie Gull, a seafood restaurant in London’s Fitzrovia district. END