Philippine House of Representatives adopts a resolution congratulates the Chicago restaurant-bakery hybrid on its achievement

‘Kasama is a representation of how both traditional and modern elements of Filipino cuisine, through its ingredients, flavors, and cooking techniques can be harmonized to create dishes which are representative of Filipino culture and heritage.’

Food is profoundly a social urge. In the Philippines, meals are meant to be shared and glue friends, families, even strangers together. The first Michelin-starred Filipino restaurant, Kasama, banks on this very concept.

First created in 1926, the Michelin star has been shining the light on the best food establishments all over the world for almost a century to date. But it was only 96 years later that a Filipino restaurant was conferred with the prestigious honor.

The modern Filipino fine dining restaurant, in the East Ukrainian Village in Chicago, Illinois, has achieved a one-Michelin star status on April 7, 2022. Owned by husband-and-wife, chefs Timothy “Tim” Flores and Genie Kwon, Kasama is known for its tasting menu described as traditional Filipino cooking with a creative, contemporary spin.

“The dinner tasting, an evolution of their wildly popular café, reflects their training, experience, and heritage,” wrote the Michelin Guide. A 13-course degustation is featured from Thursday to Saturday every week.

As per the website, a one-star rating indicates that a restaurant has high quality cooking, making it worth a stop.

The restaurant-bakery hybrid was conceived during the pandemic in 2020 in pursuit of the goal to make Filipino food more accessible to those who had never tried it before.

“We wanted to do Filipino food, and she wanted to do French pastries… It was just fitting, and it made so much sense to use the word ,” says Filipino Chef Tim.

The term kasama is the Filipino word for partner or companion. The restaurant’s name is likewise a reflection of the five years Genie and Tim have been together. “We’re here at Kasama 24/7, and we balance each other out for sure. Tim’s an idealist, an optimistic person, whereas I am a catastrophist,” says Genie in an interview with Michelin Guide Asia. She further describes her lifetime partner as detail-oriented as opposed to herself being a “bigger picture” kind of person.

Tim grew up in Chicago while Genie, a Korean-American, was born in New Orleans. The two met at GT Fish & Oyster, also in Chicago, and the rest as they say is history.

“The rise of Filipino food is really beginning. You're seeing a lot of chefs across the United States and all over the world just doing modern takes on some Filipino dishes. I believe it’s an outcome of the generation,” says Tim in a tête-à-tête with the digital editor of the Michelin Guide Singapore, Mikka Wee.

It is Tim’s personal mission to change the stigma on Filipino fare being cheap and overwhelming as well as highlight how food brings people together. “I want to see more Filipino food. I really do want to see more of it. I want to see more people doing what we are trying to do at Kasama. With hope, what we do leaves an impression,” ends Tim.

Among the restaurant’s offerings are the kare-kare where they put peanut purée on top of protein such as lamb belly, a maitake mushroom adobo with mussel emulsion, pansit with jamon Serrano, ube Basque cake, and even the classic halo-halo, but with Asian pear granita, pandan ice cream, leche flan, and freeze-dried mandarin, to name a few.

‘Kasama is a representation of how both traditional and modern elements of Filipino cuisine, through its ingredients, flavors, and cooking techniques can be harmonized to create dishes which are representative of Filipino culture and heritage.’

In a statement on Instagram, the Kasama team wrote, “It is still hard to believe what this industry has been through since the beginning of 2020. To make it here and to be recognised by the Michelin Guide is truly beyond anything we could have ever imagined. Thank you to our team, past and present. Thank you to our wonderful patrons. Cheers to you all.”

The Philippine House of Representatives has adopted a resolution congratulating the Filipino restaurant for attaining the Michelin star. Authored by a number of lawmakers led by House Speaker Lord Allan Jay Velasco, House Resolution 2573 reads: “Kasama is a representation of how both traditional and modern elements of Filipino cuisine, through its ingredients, flavors, and cooking techniques can be harmonized to create dishes which are representative of Filipino culture and heritage. Kasama’s Michelin star serves as an example of the high-caliber creativity of the Filipino and is an inspiration to many Filipino restaurateurs and gastronomes.”

Apart from the recent distinction Kasama was previously included in the New York Times’ 2021 “The Restaurant Lists,” which featured the top 50 most vibrant and delicious restaurants in the US. Kasama also made it in the “Best New Restaurants list for 202” by Eater’s and Chicago Magazine.

Last month, Kasama had also won the Jean Banchet for best pastry program.

Kasama is at 1001 N Winchester Ave, Chicago, IL 60622, US. kasamachicago.com