The Exact Dishes Margarita Fores Served Phil Rosenthal in "Somebody Feed Phil"

When Somebody Feed Phil landed in the Philippines for its long-awaited Manila episode, it did more than highlight beloved street fare and heritage recipes. It also delivered a moving tribute to the late chef Margarita Forés, one of the country’s most passionate culinary voices.

Toward the end of the episode, viewers are brought to Grace Park Dining, Chef Gaita’s farm-to-table restaurant in Rockwell, where she welcomed Phil Rosenthal and his dining companions for a feast that’s as soulful as it is celebratory. Behind each dish lies the chef’ signature blend of regional Filipino ingredients and Italian sensibility, an approach that has long defined her style.

The exact lineup was later shared by her son, Amado Forés, in an Instagram post. “My mom fed Phil,” he wrote, calling the scene “surreal—completely in her element, doing what she loved most.”

Below, we list the dishes served at that feast—favorites Chef Gaita often prepared for guests from around the world.

A showstopping centerpiece and the highlight of the meal, this lechon was marinated in beer—a nod to Chef Gaita’s playful yet considered touch. Crisp on the outside, juicy within, it represents the robust flavors of Negros, where the chef sourced many of her ingredients.

This earthy, lesser-known specialty features pitaw, a wild rice field bird native to Negros. Fried and served atop brown rice sinangag, it was an homage to rustic provincial cooking—something Chef Gaita championed both in philosophy and on the plate.