It’s not often you find yourself veering off Tagaytay’s familiar tourist trail, twisting through winding mountain roads and lush, silent hills, only to emerge before a pristine white structure with warm brown accents, architectural and modern yet unmistakably warm. Perched high above the caldera, 180° by Chef Sau offers a closer, more intimate perspective of Taal Lake—both in its visual majesty and, as we soon discovered, through the soul of the food served within.

This special afternoon, hosted by SM Home at SM Store, celebrated the launch of the Martha Stewart Collection of cookware and dinnerware in the Philippines. To mark the occasion, SM Home collaborated with renowned chef Sau del Rosario, who welcomed guests into his home of hospitality and heritage.

For Chef Sau, entertaining is second nature. More than muscle memory, it’s in his blood. Born and raised in Pampanga, the cradle of Filipino cuisine, Sau grew up in a household where entertaining was both art and ritual. “We hosted everything,” he recalled, eyes twinkling with nostalgia. “My mother was an entertainer. She had Limoges, Noritake, all those fine porcelains. Every meal was a production—from the centerpieces to the cutlery.”

This upbringing shaped Sau’s appreciation not just for food, but for the visual and emotional language that surrounds it. “Food tells a story,” he said. “But so do your plates, your glasses, your table.” It’s this layered storytelling that Chef Sau believes completes the experience.

The endorsement isn’t merely transactional. It’s also personal. Chef Sau met Martha Stewart during her visit to the Philippines, when the culinary community came together to host her. “She wanted to experience planting rice,” he laughed. “So we did that with her. It was such a memorable experience.” His admiration for Martha extends beyond the encounter. “I bought a lot of her books,” he admitted, a fan long before this collaboration. To him, Martha’s aesthetic—classic, refined, practical—mirrors the very same principles that define his food and his spaces.

In the open kitchen on the first floor of 180°, Chef Sau prepared a Mediterranean Seafood Stew, rich with depth, aroma, and story. He used Martha Stewart’s stainless steel cookware, praising its functionality and design. “Good stainless steel is essential—it spreads heat evenly, it doesn’t burn your sauces,” he said. “There’s a reason French chefs insist on the heavy ones.”

Once cooked, the dish transitioned from stovetop to table in a performance as thoughtful as it was beautiful. Sau plated his stew on the olive-toned Gracie Lane dinnerware, a color he noted as soothing and grounded. Matching glasses held ruby negronis and amber-hued amaretto sours. Wine flowed. The table shimmered in the soft afternoon light. It was more than a meal; it was a masterclass in how food and homeware can marry into one seamless expression of hospitality. The Martha Stewart collection of dinnerware played a quiet but powerful role in this harmony—its elegant lines and timeless design elevated the presentation of each dish, enhancing the visual storytelling of Chef Sau’s cooking.

Just as essential was the stainless steel cookware, which helped bring out the depth and clarity of each flavor. Its even heat distribution and precise responsiveness allowed ingredients to cook at their best, preserving textures and aromas that might otherwise be lost. Together, the tools and the tableware became extensions of the chef’s craft, turning a meal into an experience.

While Chef Sau may helm multiple restaurants—from Pampanga to Makati to soon, Bohol—he’s the first to say that the future of dining is personal. “I love the idea of bringing people together again at home,” he said. “Post-pandemic, people realize they miss that—the joy of preparing, setting up, sharing stories around the table.”

That’s why, for him, premium cookware and tableware aren’t luxuries. They are essentials. “People are more aware now. They ask, ‘What pan are you using? What plate is that?’” he said. “Even at home, I make sure everything aligns—the look, the feel, the quality. That’s why the Martha Stewart Collection speaks to me.”

For SM Home, this collaboration with Chef Sau is a way of signaling their intent: to meet the upmarket where they live—at the intersection of form and function, refinement and accessibility. Through trusted names like Martha Stewart and culinary figures like Chef Sau, they’re redefining what it means to set the table well.

Because ultimately, as Chef Sau reminded us that afternoon, it’s not just about the food—it’s about the feeling. The memory. The story. Whether you’re serving adobo with foie gras or a comforting stew in Tagaytay, what you put it on—and how you set the stage—matters just as much.

And with 180° views, seven restaurants under his name, and a heart rooted in Pampanga tradition, Chef Sau shows us what’s possible when food, story, and style come together.

The Martha Stewart Collection is now available at SM Home, located within SM Store. For those who cherish the value of details—and the joy of the table—it’s an invitation worth accepting.