A return to Josh Boutwood’s Osteria
Josh Boutwood brings back Osteria for a limited engagement ongoing now at Balmori Suites’ Chef’s Table. This return will give diners another chance to experience his personal take on Italian cuisine.
First introduced in September last year, Osteria by Josh Boutwood was a success. Josh took the heart of traditional Italian cooking and reinterpreted it with a freer, more modern approach. He focused on expressing flavor, technique, and ingredient quality in his own way rather than replicating a recipe.
Josh was born in Bedford, England to a Filipino father and an English mother. He grew up bridging in an English town and the beaches of Boracay. Traveling between Spain and the United Kingdom, he continued his formal education but found greater joy working in his mother’s restaurants. As a dishwasher and prep cook, he discovered the satisfaction of pleasing people through food.
After culinary school and a series of entry-level jobs, his career progressed slowly until an apprenticeship in Sweden, where he became a father. He went back to Boracay in 2010, where he opened his first restaurant, Alchemy. An email from The Bistro Group (which operates Fogo de Chao, Olive Garden, Modern Shanghai, Krazy Garlic, Denny’s, TGI Fridays, Italianni’s, and the steakhouses Longhorn and Morton’s, among others) changed everything. His consulting work for the food group evolved into a full-time role, and in 2012, he became the corporate chef.
By 2017, Josh opened The Test Kitchen, an ingredient-focused tasting concept, followed by Savage in 2018, which emphasized the open flame technique, and Helm, once a 10-seat counter focused on creativity and precision.
Ember brought fire cooking into a refined setting, and Juniper presented elevated casual food. Josh has earned two Michelin stars for Helm, the only two-star restaurant in the Michelin Guide for Manila, its environs, and Cebu.
Josh says, “This return is about bringing people back to that experience. Good food, strong flavors, and a space that feels relaxed and welcoming.”
This stint will feature a mix of returning favorites and new creations, giving both first-time guests and returning diners something to look forward to. With limited seating available, reservations are strongly encouraged.
Osteria by Josh Boutwood will be open until June 28 at the Chef’s Table at Balmori Suites, Rockwell Center, Makati City. Call or message (0945) 516 7151 for reservations.
Omino Wagyu now in the Philippines
Consistent Frozen Solutions, one of the country’s frozen meat suppliers serving the country’s hotels, restaurants, and hospitality establishments, has introduced Omino Wagyu to the Philippine market.
Produced by Harmony Agriculture and Food Company, Omino is the modern Australian embodiment of Omi beef—a prized Japanese Wagyu tradition dating back over 400 years. It is a crossbreed of Japanese Wagyu and Angus beef and comes in MB 6–7 and MB 8–9 marbling grades.
Dale Quimpo, one of the directors of Consistent Frozen Solutions, says, “Omino is building its own identity in the Wagyu world. It is produced in Australia, combining revered Japanese traditions with progressive practices centered on animal care and superior genetics.”
Chefs Edward Bugia and Chris Oronce demonstrated Omino’s versatility with both marbling grades. The Omino brand has earned Gold, Silver, and Bronze awards at the 2021–2026 Wagyu Branded Beef Competitions and Sydney Royal Fine Food Shows. Its cattle are raised in South Australia, free from Hormone Growth Promotants, nourished through a precise 380-day feeding program, and processed at peak quality between 24–28 months of age.
For Consistent Frozen Solutions, the Omino launch signals an expansion into the premium Fine Foods segment that underscores their commitment to elevating the quality of premium ingredients available to the Philippine hospitality industry.
