In the quiet corners of Makati’s Balmori Suites, where light pools over polished tables and diners lean in with anticipation, a final act unfolds. “Mat Nam by Your Local,” a culinary series that has drawn fire and flavor from Korea’s “Culinary Class Wars,” concludes with a visit from the “Yakitori King” himself, Chef Byung Mook Kim.

The story began with traditional Korean tables and found its way to the open flame. Now it ends with a man who walked away from numbers and office walls to chase the language of smoke and fat. Kim once studied statistics. Now he studies chicken.

At Yakitori Mook in Japan, Kim learned the patience of skewers. His restaurant holds a Bib Gourmand honor, and the reason is simple. Negima Yakitori. Chicken thigh. Leek. A pinch of black squid ink salt and crisp breadcrumbs. It arrives hot. You eat it fast. Nothing more.

But his range extends past the stick. Nanbanzuke, a fried chicken dish soaked in a sweet and sour bath, is crisp despite the sauce. He calls it comfort. He is not wrong. It has been part of his craft for seven years.

Then comes Dewi Galbi Jim, his pork ribs. They rest after long hours in soy. They fall apart when touched. Most in Manila serve it as a stew. Kim serves it on a plate like a feast, the ribs glazed and shining beside okra, carrots, and mushrooms.

One of the surprises lies in a pancake. Its name hides its power. The outside crunches like a breakfast hash. Inside, shredded potatoes hold back the fire of kimchi. Each bite feels balanced, like a dish that knows restraint.

“Mat Nam” translates to a place where flavors cross paths. Here, Korea met Manila. Chef Patrick Go of Your Local brought the other half of the table. He did not try to match Kim’s dishes with more Korean food. Instead, he used Korean ingredients in quiet ways.

He served mantou toast with shiitake and gorgonzola, seasoned with seaweed. His tostada placed samgyupsal-style pork belly on a large, crisp molo wrapper. He pushed flavors without force.

The mains held their own. Halibut arrived dressed in rendang touched with ginamos, a fermented bagoong from the Visayas. Its heat lingered. River prawns roasted in soy brown butter carried shrimp and fish roe. The taste was briny and clean.

Dessert turned the heat down. Choco Na Gatas came cold with milk powder, like the ice cream we ate as children but richer. Yuzumansi Cake was sweet and bright, a last note that did not try to impress but succeeded anyway.

The “Mat Nam” series came together through the Tasteless Food Group. It told stories through dishes. Streaming shows gave these chefs a stage. In Manila, the food did the talking. Chef Kim once thought the silence during tapings meant the show would fail. But the silence came from focus, not boredom.

Now he serves his final dishes in the Philippines before heading home. The tables are still full. The fire still burns.

The last “Mat Nam by Your Local” runs until June 1 at The Chef’s Table in Balmori Suites, Makati. For bookings, guests may contact 0945 427 0054.