Jordy Navarra worked at former World’s Best Restaurant The Fat Duck in Southeast England, and Asia’s 50 Best regular Bo Innovation in Hong Kong, before opening Toyo Eatery in 2016 with his wife, May. He developed the concept and menu around his own memories and heritage, as well as that of the Filipino people.

Chef Jordy Navarra and his team have built a business around forming and maintaining relationships with those who have a positive impact on the Philippines, be they indigenous craftspeople or heritage suppliers. While sourcing local, organic and traceable ingredients, Toyo Eatery aims to strengthen communities and in 2022 it helped raise vital funds for Good Food Co., a female farmers’ cooperative, to build crop rain shelters and pay for research. The restaurant also works with local community organisations to educate young people in hospitality careers, and supports its own young employees while they continue their education.

With both à la carte and tasting options, Toyo Eatery presents Filipino ingredients in modern ways, playing with fermentation and preservation techniques to create the boldest flavours. The signature dish is a collection of 18 vegetables in a unique salad, named Bahay Kubo after a popular Tagalog children’s folk song. Other highlights include an adaptation of a popular street food pork barbecue dish, served three ways, and the Tortang Talong eggplant omelette with banana catsup.  

As for the environment, Toyo Eatery is constantly implementing new measures to minimise its carbon footprint, working with pandan farmers and weavers to create woven boxes for packaging, and partnering with local communities to dispose of waste as responsibly as possible. By the end of 2024, the restaurant aims to have zero food waste, and is working on cutting energy and water consumption by 25% in 2025.

According to theworlds50best.com