Chef Frances Tariga on overcoming setbacks and finding Michelin success in Manila: 'I think I have a lot to offer'
Heartbreak after heartbreak in the kitchen never stopped Pinay chef Frances Tariga from pursuing her dreams. Just one year after returning home, her relentless work paid off: she earned a Michelin award, while her restaurant, Tadhana, landed a coveted Michelin-Selected recognition.
Tariga honed her craft for 23 years across the United States and Dubai, building an impressive resume in the Middle East’s ultra-luxury hospitality scene. Her experience includes working at a seven-star hotel, serving as executive chef for a Dubai restaurant and the Abu Dhabi Ladies' Club, and cooking as a private chef for the UAE royal family and Dubai's royal ambassador to the United Nations.
In 2024, she brought contemporary Filipino fine dining to New York City with the launch of Tadhana. But just a year later, she shuttered the restaurant and packed her bags to return home.
Her turning point came in December 2025, when Eric Teng, president emeritus of Resto PH, introduced Tariga to David Sison of, president of Resto PH—and the rest is history.
"We didn't want to open another restaurant," Sison wrote on Threads. "We wanted to build one worthy of a Michelin. A tasting menu that treats Filipino food as world-class, because it is. Eric made the introduction. Donn Ang built Levanto,the space that fit this vision perfectly."
"Everything after that was Frances," he noted.
Sison revealed that their first five months were "anything but glamorous," but Tariga "never made it anyone's problem but hers."
"Equipment failed in the middle of service. A power outage wiped out a shipment of truffles overnight," Sison said. "She was back in the kitchen the next morning, every time."
"At the end of every service, she calls the whole team out to the dining room and introduces them, one by one, to the guests. The cooks. The servers. Everyone who made the night happen gets a name and a face," he continued.
Five months after opening, the restaurant earned a Michelin-Selected award alongside the Philippines' inaugural "Opening of the Year" award.
"Working abroad for 23 years, it led me all to this. I would say all the hard work and dedication over the years, it all paid off today," Tariga told PhilSTAR L!fe after the 2027 Michelin Guide Philippines awarding ceremony held on Oct. 29 at the Manila Marriott Hotel at Newport World Resorts.
@philstarlife Upon winning the Michelin Opening of the Year Award, Chef Frances Tariga of Tadhana, took the opportunity to talk about LGBTQ+ representation in prestigious award ceremonies for culinary workers.
♬ original sound - philstarlife
Tariga reflected on her journey back home and how staying true to herself led to this milestone.
"I haven't worked in the Philippines. [I] came back home, opened my restaurants, and then here we are right now, Opening of the Year award and Michelin-Selected. I'm grateful, very grateful. If you asked me 10 years ago if I'm going to do Filipino cuisine, I'm going to say probably not. But again being sturdy with yourself, knowing what you really love, that's what led me all to this," she said.
She added that the recognition carries profound significance for LGBTQIA+ representation in the country's culinary scene.
"What a time to be a lesbian right now," she said. "In 2026, in a predominantly Catholic country, being on a stage representing the LGBTQIA+ community, it's an honor."
"The gender norm in the Philippines is very different from around the world," Tariga added, noting that members of the community are often reduced to comedic stereotypes and not taken seriously.
"Us being clowns...not a lot of people take us seriously. I think right now, we all deserve a spot in this world," she added.
The Sampaloc, Manila-native said that she is grateful that she came from a "very humble beginning" and a "beaming hope for the masa."
Looking ahead, Tariga hopes to open more restaurants and share even more of her talents.
"I think I have a lot to offer for Filipino audiences," she told L!fe. (with reports from Melanie Uson)