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Chef Margarita Fores in a photo in Italy she posted on Instagram in November 2024.
Margarita Fores via Instagram
MANILA, Philippines — Chefs Jacqueline "Jac" Laudico and Abi Balingit shared kind words for their late fellow Filipina chef Margarita "Gaita" Fores, who for many was a trailblazer in the local culinary scene.
The two chefs collaborated for "Taste of the Philippines," where three of Abi's desserts will be included in the famous Guevarra's restaurant in San Juan. Jac with her husband, chef Rolando Laudico, are behind Guevarra's.
In an exclusive interview with Philstar.com, both chefs talked about the importance of Gaita's influence to Filipinos, especially when it came to the love of food.
Jac noted that she knew Gaita for several years, having worked together in the past, and that they are both Ilongga caterers.
"I love her passion, I love her way of telling stories. We're both Ilonggos and I can relate to the type of food that she serves, especially when she's paying homage to the flavors of our region," Jac said, adding Gaita' contributions went beyond making Italian food accessible in malls through Cibo.
Related: Chef Margarita Forés, Filipino culinary icon, passes away at 65
She described Gaita as someone "manner born" but loved being in the kitchen doing the hard work, eager to share tastes of the world from her travels back to the Philippines.
"I think that's her biggest contribution to this industry — that it's possible. It's something that people can love, make a business out of, and share to a wider market," Jac told Philstar.com.
Abi, winner of the 2024 James Beard Emerging Voice Award who is now based in New York, found it wild that memorials for Gaita would reach her on social media, seeing people paying their respects.
"I think that's very humbling, the way that social media bridges gaps so that everyone can mourn together and also honor her legacy," Abi ended. "And so even as a Filipino-American, I see so much that she has contributed to Filipino food, so I'm very grateful for that."
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