During our Manila Bulletin The Sit Down podcast with Department of Tourism (DOT) Secretary Dita Angara-Mathay, she confirmed that they had signed up with the Michelin Guide (MG) for at least two more years – meaning that this end-October, the 2027 Guide will be unveiled, and there will be a 2028 iteration. Without a doubt, this is something that most in the food and restaurant industry will be rejoicing about.

I was fortunate to be invited to that inaugural Michelin Guide event last year; and many of the chefs and resto owners were recounting how their emailed invites to attend went to Spam, and had them considering the invites might be mere pranks. But as the names of their establishments were called by host Issa Litton, with appropriate flair and drama; you couldn’t help but notice the deep glint of pride in their eyes, and the strong sense of redemption – that finally, all their efforts and toil were being given recognition on a stage that had a global pedigree. And I’ve written in the past about how so many of the smaller, less marketed players had their fortunes literally turned around, by the MG citation. Plus I’m happy to report that for a number of the ones I’ve kept tabs on, this sharp increase in business and popularity has been sustained to this day.

The relationship between the Michelin Guide people stationed in Asia, our DOT, and the local restaurant industry, has only flowered and gotten stronger after that first engagement. So much so, that the DOT is confident that a broader, bigger, and far brighter Michelin Guide 2027 is a foregone conclusion; with new players, surprises, and popular twist and turns, part of the impending scenario.

Just last week, we saw a glimpse of how fostering this relationship with the Michelin Guide goes beyond the Awarding Night. A Destination Masterclass Chef to Chef, entitled Roots and Refinement, was held in partnership with the Center for Culinary Arts (CCA Manila) at the Henry Sy Sr. Hall at UP BGC. Chef Jun Lee of the two-starred Soigné, a much-celebrated fine dining restaurant in Seoul, South Korea, flew in to conduct this Masterclass. Several of our top chefs had been selected by the Guide to participate in the kitchen hands-on class. Speaking to a number of our chefs, they were ready to say it was a rewarding experience, and that the exchange of ideas and practical tips would be well remembered.

Speaking to DOT’s Paolo Tugbang, I loved when he explained that the “big idea” is to replicate this Masterclass concept, but using the local chefs as the mentors, and conducting it with chefs from the provinces as the “enrollees.” It’s about best practices, transfer of technology, and imbibing this spirit of sharing. I can just imagine how excited the chefs from the different regions will be to interact with these “stars” of our culinary landscape. It’s a great example of how this relationship with Michelin extends, and can be passed forward.

For any watch lover or collector, the mecca of the world of horology would be the annual Watches and Wonders Geneva (WWG). Held at the Palexpo exhibition center in Geneva, Switzerland; this is the world’s premier luxury watchmaking event in the year’s calendar. Top brands gather to showcase their newest timepieces, and their latest innovations.

On their third edition, the Lucerne Watch Week is the closest thing to the WWG, that one can experience locally. It was held at the Ayala Museum from July 1 to 7; and I can say that it was a rewarding opportunity to see firsthand what’s currently happening in the world of watches, and to touch base with several prestige brands. Design, innovation, technology, aesthetics, and status are on display, and it makes for a heady mix.

Norqain was my personal “discovery” of this Lucerne Watch Week. An independent, family owned luxury sports watch brand, Norqain was founded in 2018 by Ben Küffer. The Küffers have over four decades of watch manufacturing experience, and with the backing of the former Hublot CEO Jean-Claude Biver, and the Schneider family that formerly owned Breitling, Norqain was born.

The brand has three main families – Adventure, Freedom, and Independence, and the high performance Wild ONE line. The brand is popular among sports figures, with ambassadors such as Stan Wawrinka from tennis, Gianluigi Buffon from football, and Sidney Crosby from ice hockey. I really liked how they’re whimsical and playful, while still about performance.

And if we’re talking of a 66-year heritage, Grand Seiko is truly the pride of Japanese watchmaking and craftsmanship. Got to attend their Watchmaker Presentation, and I was observing the watch aficionados who were glued to the demonstration. With Grand Seiko, it’s always been timepieces that honor Japan, are driven by precision, and celebrate ‘Takumi’ (artisanal expertise).

Enjoyed my Lucerne Watch Week 2026 encounter.