Award-winning chef and restaurateur Antonio “Tony Boy" Escalante shares the secrets to his culinary success, and gives us a glimpse of what a top chef’s kitchen looks like.
A striking marble island greets guests entering Chef Tony Boy’s new kitchen. You can imagine it stood witness to many hearty feasts, with the home’s resident master chef being an effervescent host. He shares that many of his friends regularly get to enjoy flavourful dishes that pay homage to his roots, and that are testament to his ever-evolving creativity. “My grandparents were responsible for honing my affinity to good food,” he shares. “But my constant travels expose me to different flavours that also influence my art."
Unlike other restaurateurs who started their careers when they were young, Chef Tony Boy began his at the age of 33 when he took up culinary arts in Australia. Fuelled by his appetite for perfection, he soon reaped the rewards of his labour. In 2015, Antonio’s Tagaytay debuted on Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants —the first time the country ever made the list. Furthermore, T.Dining by Philippine Tatler awarded the same restaurant the "Hall of Fame" for consistently being part of the Top 20 Best Restaurants for the past decade—a first across all Tatler regions in Asia. Of course he was happy to have made culinary history, but he was quick to dismiss the idea that the success was his alone. He says having the right team and the right equipment accounted greatly for his accomplishments. “It is important to partner with people who believe in the same things, and who exemplify the same values that you have. The same thing also applies with the appliances that you use,” he continues.
See also: An Idyllic Lunch at Antonio's