From family table to fine dining: Chef Cristina Santiago continues father's legacy at this Makati steakhouse

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Chef Cristina Santiago is keeping the memories of her late father alive at the new location of Carmelo's Steakhouse in Makati City.

The Filipina restaurateur is the daughter of the late Carmelo "Melo" Santiago, a name that became synonymous with premium steak in Manila.

In 1987, Melo's Steakhouse, a restaurant founded by Carmelo, broke ground as the first restaurant to offer Certified Angus Beef in the Philippines.

Decades later, his legacy lives on, this time through Cristina's vision of a modern steakhouse rooted in family, nostalgia, and elevated dining.

Cristina retained her father's recipe for the steak for Carmelo's, but her love for food presentation elevates the dishes. It's her way of injecting her personality into her dad's food legacy.

"When I opened Carmelo's, I had to cook whatever my dad was cooking because these are all his recipes," Cristina told GMA News Online.

"I don't want to touch anything that's already good," she added. "I'm just lucky because I have his taste buds."

The main highlight of Carmelo's is, of course, the steak selection. True to her father's standards, Cristina ensures top-tier quality, sourcing Certified Angus Beef and Australian Wagyu and offering a range of cuts.

Whether it's a solo lunch or a celebratory feast, there's a steak for every appetite, from personal-sized portions to shareable centerpieces like the Grilled Wagyu Ribeye (P609/oz.), Tomahawk (P329/oz.), and Tenderloin (P4,220).

Cristina also added dishes inspired by her travels into the menu, like the Moules Marinieres (P850) inspired by Parisian meals with her dad, the Octopus Ala Plancha (P850) over cauliflower purée and gremolata, and the Tuna Tataki (P400) with homemade white miso. 

For pastsa, there's the Spinach Spaghetti Alle Vongole (P1,200), which features a briny depth with green noodles, and the Truffle Burrata Pasta (P1,200).

Carmelo's Steakhouse is located at 2/F, Retail Row Proscenium Residences, Rockwell, Makati City. 

—CDC, GMA Integrated News