Number 1 on my party list: Chele Catering

Chef Chele Gonzalez

The No. 72 restaurant on Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants 2025 has formally announced its entry into the catering market! On a warm but buoyant evening, Chef Chele Gonzalez, who leads the ranked Gallery by Chele at BGC and Asador Alfonso in Cavite, joined his wife, Teri, in welcoming guests to a showcase of Chele Catering.

Teri E. Gonzalez

Treated to a simulation of what could typically occur at an event catered by Chele Catering, Chef Chele and I first conversed, and he reminisced about how he regularly did catering at the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao, so this was something of a flashback to his culinary roots. Informally, they’ve been catering for two years now, but it felt right to make a big splash about it and create this special evening—and special it certainly was.

The Welcome Bites were twofold: a Tomato Bloody Mary served as an amuse-bouche and an unusual Truffle Macaron. The macaron was a curious blend of savory and sweet in one bite. Both were engaging ways to kick off the Chele Catering experience.

Octopus Inasal Yakitori

At the Ore Central Tower patio on the 26th floor, an array of Bespoke Casual Dining options was offered at strategic stations: Octopus Inasal Yakitori, Gambas Ajillo Toast, Beef Tartare with Hollandaise and Mustard Foam, Beef Pastrami with Tomato Marmalade on Sourdough Toast, and Cured and Smoked Salmon Loin on Brioche, with trays of pass-around Cochinillo Tacos, Scallop Tartlets, and Bacalao Fritters with Lemon Mayonnaise in circulation.

Cured and Smoked Salmon Loin

This was Deli by Chele spreading its wings and offering much more than the signature beef pastrami that built its name. I loved the offerings and would pinpoint the Octopus Inasal Yakitori, Cured and Smoked Salmon Loin, and Scallop Tartlet as my immediate favorites. And it’s purely by chance that they’re all seafood-inspired. On one level, it was refreshing to see Deli being so expansive with the ingredients it played with. I could easily see these choices becoming the new go-to dishes for events I’ll be attending in the near future—and trust me, I’ll be happy each time to note it’s Chele doing the catering!

Tuna Kinilaw

Asked to enter the formally set dining area, we were treated to Chele Catering’s Innovative and Refined Dining—a four-course meal approximating how they would handle a sit-down affair. First up was the Tuna Kinilaw with Japanese Uni, Caviar, and Shiso—an innovative way to serve maguro sashimi.
 

Grouper

Next was the Grouper with Beurre Blanc, Citrus Emulsion, and Ikura. A generous slab of lapu-lapu was covered in the butter and citrus emulsion and topped with ikura, resting on a bed of mashed potatoes.

Wagyu A5

The third course was the meat dish: Japanese Wagyu A5 with Cherry, Black Garlic, and Potato Fondant. The cherry slices were a unique choice, used in the manner one might use olives. The beef cut was crusty on the top—an enjoyable contrast in textures.

To close the night on a sweet note, there was Tropical, a concoction of pandan ice cream with coconut and cereal prawn. This was a beautiful finale—delicate and definitely not overly sweet.

Alex Camus and Kerry Tinga

If you asked me for my knee-jerk takeaways from the night, I was most impressed with the casual dining and pass-arounds. Everything served was a credit to Chele’s equity, but there was something extra about the selection of the Bespoke Casual Dining menu. The dishes were suitably bite-sized, worked as pass-arounds that didn’t leave you groping for a napkin or spilling food, and were that perfect combination of being delicious, tasty, and new while being easy to consume.

Congratulations to Teri and Chele! You have my vote, and Chele Catering is No. 1 on my party list!