MAKATI CITY — Some restaurants instantly create a sense of comfort, almost like being welcomed into the kitchen of a close friend. Guests experienced exactly that atmosphere during a recent media preview at Flow by Chef Kevin Uy in Makati. The intimate lighting, inviting interiors, and relaxed setting brought together chefs, media personalities, and longtime colleagues eager to witness Uy’s newest venture after his return to Manila. As the evening unfolded, the formal tasting gradually felt less like an event and more like a shared meal among newfound friends.
A Nine-Course Experience Inspired by Different Culinary Landscapes
Flow presents a nine-course tasting menu priced at 5,500 pesos, with an optional cocktail pairing available for guests. Instead of focusing on just one culinary identity, the restaurant explores what Uy describes as “culinary biomes,” where Filipino and Peruvian influences intersect. The experience opens with “Coastline,” a trio of creative bites featuring seaweed prepared in varying textures to resemble elements of the shore such as sand, stone, and water. The menu then transitions into “Manila,” combining scallops and cassava with uni emulsion and spirulina granita, accompanied by “Tropics,” a pisco-based cocktail that continues the ocean-inspired narrative.
Bringing Global Fine-Dining Experience Back to Manila
Before launching Flow, Uy spent five influential years at Central in Peru, which earned the top spot on The World’s 50 Best Restaurants list in 2023. During his time there, he trained under acclaimed chefs Virgilio Martínez and Pía León, gaining a perspective that viewed ingredients as reflections of culture, geography, and environment rather than standalone components. Returning to Manila, he partnered with co-executive chef Gabriel Ong, whose culinary background includes Michelin-starred restaurants such as Alain Ducasse at Morpheus in Macau and Amber in Hong Kong. Together, the two chefs shaped Flow around storytelling, thoughtful cooking, and cultural discovery.
A Restaurant Built Around Purposeful Ingredients and Local Narratives
Drawing inspiration from Peru and the Philippines, both recognized as megadiverse ecosystems, Flow reinterprets native ingredients through the concept of landscapes and regional narratives. Every component on the plate is carefully chosen, from locally sourced produce cultivated by farmers to seafood gathered by dedicated fishers. The restaurant also collaborates with local artisans who create custom dinnerware designed to reflect the stories, environments, and cultural influences behind each course.
Celebrating the Way Food Connects Cultures
At the heart of Flow is the belief that food has the power to unite people, traditions, and places. Ingredients move across borders, culinary practices evolve over time, and every flavor carries traces of its origin and future journey. Flow is located at Green Sun Hotel, 2285 Chino Roces Avenue, Makati City. Reservations may be made through restaurantflow.ph or by calling (0920) 9043569. Guests can also follow @restaurantflow.mnl on Instagram and Facebook for updates.
