Jordy Navarra makes Filipino food for Filipinos | Fork The System
This Manila restaurant aims to elevate everyday Pinoy dishes.
In 2019, Jordy Navarra became a household name in the Philippines when his Toyo Eatery made it on to the prestigious Asia’s Best Restaurants list, the only Filipino restaurant to make it that year.
In the Tagalog language, Toyo means soy sauce, a condiment widely used in Filipino cuisine. All the dishes that come out of Navarra’s kitchen are modern takes on classic Pinoy dishes, using local ingredients and techniques. By presenting everyday Filipino food in a new and playful way, Navarra hopes to rekindle an appreciation for local food in his fellow countrymen.
“Ages ago, we didn’t even think that people cared about Filipino food,” Navarra said.
In this mini-episode of Fork the System, HyoJin Park and Joi Lee sat down with Chef Jordy Navarra and talked about his passion for reinventing his country’s classics.