Experience exquisite Kingsford Hotel Halal dining, where culinary excellence meets traditional standards.
Before the pandemic, I hosted Let’s Eat, a television show and magazine that came with the Philippine Star. Across 88 issues, I met some of the most important names in Philippine culinary, creating friendships I still treasure today.
One of the events that stayed with me was LuzViMinda, F1 Hotel’s festival of Filipino food. That was where I first met Chef Angelo “Chubby” Timban, who presented Luzon’s cuisine with remarkable creativity. He had a gift for transforming local plants and spices into dishes that felt both new and deeply rooted.
Chef Chubby at Kingsford
Chef Chubby’s career spans three decades in hotels like Shangri-La Boracay, Manila Pavilion, and Resorts World. While he mastered international cuisines, his true passion has always been Filipino food—cooked the authentic way, with native ingredients and a patient hand at the stove.
At Kingsford Hotel, he met Art Boncato, a former Department of Tourism official now with Megaworld Hotels and Resorts. Alongside Cleofe Albiso, Megaworld’s Managing Director, they pursued a bold idea: make Kingsford Hotel Halal dining a reality.
“Halal dining here isn’t just about compliance. It’s about respect, culture, and making more people feel welcome at the table.”
A Halal First for Megaworld
Halal goes beyond avoiding pork or alcohol. It is a system of compassion and reverence, where animals are treated humanely and God’s name is invoked at slaughter. Certification in the Philippines is strict and renewed every two years.
In September 2023, Kingsford became Megaworld’s first Halal-certified property. Today, six of the group’s thirteen hotels have followed suit. Each offers Halal menus, prayer rooms, and dedicated accommodations—making travel easier and more inclusive for Muslim guests.
What’s on the Menu
The Kingsford Café menu runs more than twenty pages, but the Halal section shines brightest. The international offerings—Chicken Tandoori, Chana Masala, Beef Rogan Josh—bring bold flavors from India and the Middle East.
Yet it’s the Filipino Halal dishes that truly stand out. The Pianggang Chicken, braised with turmeric, lemongrass, ginger, siling haba, and coconut milk, then finished with burnt coconut, is a house favorite. Served with turmeric rice, it instantly transported me back to my travels across Mindanao.
The Beef Rendang, slow-cooked with chili, coconut cream, and toasted coconut, was rich and layered. And then came the showstopper—Tiyula Itum, the iconic black soup of the South, with Halal-certified U.S. beef belly in a ginger-lemongrass broth darkened by burnt coconut. It was daring, soulful, and unforgettable.
“Every dish is cooked with affection by a proud kitchen led by a veteran chef.”
The meal closed with a playful Kare-Kareng Bagnet and Sisig Itum made with activated coconut coal. Both inventive, both deeply Filipino.
More Than a Meal
Kingsford Café proves that Halal dining in the Philippines is not a niche—it’s an experience for everyone. For Muslim travelers, it is a long-awaited milestone. For diners like me, it’s both an adventure and a comfort.
Chef Chubby shows that thirty years in the kitchen only sharpen passion. With every dish, he affirms that Filipino heirloom cooking and global flavors can belong together—and that respect at the table makes the meal even richer.
Would you try Pianggang Chicken or Tiyula Itum first? Share your pick in the comments and explore more Filipino food stories on Simpol.ph.
