Old Manila has a new chef

Young French chef de cuisine Gaël Kubler is bringing excitement, sustainability, and his very own ‘French touch’ to The Peninsula Manila’s iconic signature restaurant

A young French chef has taken over the reins of The Peninsula Manila’s signature restaurant Old Manila, and is bringing excitement, sustainability, and his very own “French touch” to the venerable icon.

Chef Gaël Kubler has only been in the country for four months, yet has seen and done more than many locals (including going to a sabong) and explored areas beyond farmer’s markets in search of the best produce for his kitchen. “At the beginning, it was almost 80% imported and 20% local,” he says of Old Manila’s ingredients. “Now it’s 70% local and 30% imported, and for the new menu in January, I want to push, like, 80% local and 20% imported.”

The 32-year-old chef hails from Alsace, a region in northeastern France that borders Germany and so has a distinct German influence in its food, like choucroute (sauerkraut with sausages and potatoes), which happens to be the handsome and charming chef’s comfort food and how he would characterize himself on a plate.

It was his grandmother who inspired him to become a chef, when the young Gaël would rather have become a rugby player like his childhood hero, New Zealand superstar Jonah Lomu. “I remember making brioche with her,” Kubler recalls about his grandmother. “It was also because of a promise I’d made to her that I decided to pursue a career as a chef.”

He went to culinary school for formal training and in his rise from commis to chef de cuisine, was mentored by three-Michelin-star chefs Marc Haeberlin at Auberge de L’Ill in Alsace and Michael Nizzero at The Ritz London. “Monsieur Haeberlin taught me two things that have never failed me in my career,” Kubler says. “First, that I am only as good as my team. I must show them the same care and respect that I do our guests. Second, respect for the produce and simplicity, flavor, and honesty in my dishes.”

We tasted all those qualities in chef Kubler’s dishes at Old Manila. Therese loved the amuse bouche with prawns that were flown in fresh from Cebu, with mango relish and French caviar on top.

Scott