Filipino chef crowned as Young Chef England 2026

Filipino chef Stephen Raymundo crowned as Young Chef England 2026

Jude Cartalaba
ABS-CBN News
June 26, 2026 

In the high-stakes, pressure-cooker world of global gastronomy, the Philippines has found its newest torchbearer in Stephen Raymundo.

The young Filipino chef, currently part of the team at Claridge's in London, was recently crowned Young Chef England 2026. 

While the accolade places him among the country's most promising culinary talents, his path to the award began far from professional kitchens. He did not study in an elite culinary institute or undergo traditional culinary training. Instead, his passion for cooking started at home at the tender age of 13.

“My mum was the first person who taught me how to cook, and the first dish I ever made was adobo, a Filipino classic,” Raymundo shared, looking back with a smile. 

“From that moment, it became something special between us. Whenever she was not home or was on her way back, she would text me and say, ‘Cook me adobo!’ Looking back now, that was the beginning of my connection with food.”

Today, while he spends his days mastering the rigorous, meticulous techniques of British and French haute cuisine at Claridge’s, his heart remains anchored to his roots. For Raymundo, the ultimate goal is to weave his heritage into his cooking, serving up world-class dishes inflected with a distinct Filipino twist.

Flavor and emotion

For this young chef, cooking is far more than a display of technical skill — it is an exercise in empathy and human connection.

“My philosophy as a chef is to make a memory for the guest,” he explained. “I want my food to be something people remember, not only because of how it tasted, but because of how it made them feel.”

“I love seeing people react to something I have cooked, especially friends and family who do not know I am a chef. Seeing their faces light up and hearing them say, ‘Wow, this is nice’—is one of the most rewarding feelings. Food has the ability to bring back memories, create new ones, and connect people through flavour, smell, and presentation,” Raymundo said.

It is this profound understanding of individuality that sets him apart in a sea of talent.

“You could give three chefs the exact same ingredients, garnish, and brief, and each one would create something completely different,” he noted. “That is what makes food so exciting. Every plate carries the personality, creativity, and perspective of the chef behind it.”

Working in Claridge’s

Raymundo attributed the sharp trajectory of his growth to the unforgiving, elite standard of his current culinary home.

“Much of my development has come through real kitchen experience, especially through the daily trials and standards at Claridge’s. Working there has taught me discipline, consistency, speed, flavour, presentation, and respect for ingredients,” he said.

That rigorous discipline was put to the test at the World Young Chef Young Waiter (YYY) England Finals 2026. Facing down an esteemed, eagle-eyed panel of industry titans — including celebrity chef Calum Franklin, Simon Attridge of Claridge's, Mario Perera of Jumeirah Carlton Tower, Tom Booton, and Roy Ner — Raymundo excelled under immense live pressure.

The competition goes far beyond the plate, evaluating emerging professionals on technical prowess, organization, creativity, teamwork, and mental fortitude.

Established in the UK in 1979, the YYY competition is an internationally revered platform celebrating the finest hospitality talent aged 28 and under. Designed to champion hospitality as a noble vocation, it fosters mentorship and opens global doors for the industry’s future leaders.

Raymundo shared the 2026 England podium with two equally formidable peers: Alex Coward from London's Hide, who claimed Young Waiter of the Year; and Juni Guthrie from Sexy Fish, who secured Young Mixologist of the Year.

Together, this trio will proudly represent England at the upcoming World Finals, where they will face off against the absolute best young hospitality talent on the planet.

As Raymundo prepares to take his place on the global stage, he carries with him the discipline of Claridge's, the prestige of England's culinary elite, and the unforgettable aroma of a mother's home-cooked adobo.

That fascination with the emotional resonance of food drives his daily hustle.

Thailand to partner with PH on food tourism promotion

Thailand wants PH as partner on food tourism promotion

By Joyce Ann L. Rocamora
Philippine News Agency
June 27, 2024

MACTAN – The government of Thailand is looking to partner with the Philippines in spurring two-way tourism between the two states, specifically through the promotion of Thai and Filipino food.

During the inaugural United Nations (UN) Tourism Regional Forum on Gastronomy Tourism for Asia and the Pacific in Cebu on June 26, Thailand Vice Minister for Tourism and Sports Jakkaphon Tangsutthitham highlighted the similarity of food, culture, and lifestyle between the two countries.

Citing this, he said Manila could look into an “upgrade” of Thailand-Philippines relations in the area of food and beverage (F&B) tourism and “about everything we have similarity in”.

“So, that can be the new project that we can do. Our relationship has been 75 years already, we need something to tighten our relationship and we will really love and (we are) looking forward to have further improvements in our tourism,” he said.

In a separate interview, Thailand Ambassador to the Philippines Tull Traisorat said the two nations can also utilize their spots as prime diving destinations to position Thai and Philippine cuisines as another attraction to tourists.

“The Philippines has a variety of food from different regions, such as sinigang, bagoong, chicharon, lechon and many others, and we have also a variety of food from other regions in Thailand,” he said.

“So, we can work together and share experiences and attract tourists who like to come here diving and enjoy seafood as well after diving,” he added.

Thailand is already a known gastronomy destination, especially for tourists in the region. Prior to this success, Tangsutthitham said Thailand made efforts to strengthen all its key players at the grassroots level, especially in the agriculture sector.

“If we look at the agriculture history, we have been like focusing on that, not about only the type of what we grow, or location or the atmosphere but we really focus down the grassroots,” he shared.

He said Thailand implemented an all-encompassing plan from making a new market down to upskilling the stakeholders, including the farmers as the producers of local ingredients.

“First of all, we respect them and then we give love and care to them— that's the bottom line of everything that’s why we have come this far,” he said.

“So, from now on we even put more security, more markets, and a lot of matching company to make them even more powerful,” he added.

Boosting arrivals

On top of gastronomy, Thailand is pushing for the “two-country-one-destination” concept with the Philippines as a way to boost both nations’ arrivals.

It has also long proposed for a direct flight between Phuket and Cebu to maximize the two states’ scuba diving tourism and have foreign tourists visiting either of the two states to consider Cebu or Phuket as their next stop.

In 2023 alone, Thailand received about 28 million international travelers, eight to 10 million visited Phuket via the more than 100 weekly direct flights from Europe, Japan, Hong Kong, South Korea, and China.

According to Traisorat, the shortage of aircrafts is one of the key challenges airlines in the Philippines are facing to establish this new route.

“After the Covid, airlines still suffer and also the shortage of aircraft is the key that I've heard from the airlines so they cannot start a new route straightaway, they need more aircraft,” he said.

“So, hopefully they could do it within this year or at least at the beginning part of next year,” he added.

Pending this, the Thai vice minister floated the possibility of sister city relationship between Cebu and Phuket, as well as Baguio and Chiang Mai to sustain exchanges on tourism. (PNA)