DUBAI: Filipino chef Jovani Manalo’s culinary career began straight out of college, when he got a job as a kitchen steward. It was a call from a friend asking him if he was interested in working abroad that changed his trajectory. He jumped at the opportunity, and within a week he was in Dubai.
“I’ve moved around in Chinese, Korean, Italian restaurants, and even Latin American and Mexican restaurants,” Manalo tells Arab News. But it was his move to 3Fils at Dubai’s Jumeirah Fishing Harbor five years into his Dubai adventure that was the most significant. “It was a deep moment when I found my place in 3Fils,” he says.
The restaurant topped the World 50 Best MENA list in 2022 and remains in its top 10. It was also awarded a Bib Gourmand by Michelin this year. Manalo’s favorite thing about working there, he says, is the “contagious positive mood” of the place.
I think everyone would say that at the beginning of their career, they weren’t sharpening their knives enough. Take your time. The more you rush things, the less likely you are to succeed.
Cooking should be considered a form of therapy; you can do it to relax. Take a step back and enjoy the whole process. Any umami ingredient.
It binds all the flavors together without missing a note. Not really. I don't think that way.
Every time I go out to eat, I take it as a chance to reimagine and understand a dish’s components — think of different ways to innovate it, and try to get the maximum potential out .