Chinese food has long become a go-to favorite here in the Philippines. It’s comforting, communal, and rich with history. At King Chef, this legacy is honored and reimagined by owner Marites Ang and head chef Joel Arroy, who put a creative spin on well-loved classics, while staying true to tradition.

Whether it’s their premium Hong Kong roasts or their wide selection of dim sum, each dish is crafted to bring people together with bold, authentic flavors and nostalgic warmth—embodying the true spirit of Chinese cuisine.

“King Chef is a premiere authentic Chinese restaurant in the Philippines that specializes in Cantonese cuisine, and is well-known for its dim sum and lauriat,” Ang begins. “We are inspired by the elegance and grandeur of kings and queens in their palace. And that is how we want our customers to feel when they are dining with us—hence, our tagline ‘Chef of Kings, King of Chefs.’”

Where elegance meets warmth

King Chef’s first branch opened in Banawe—a bustling district known for its vibrant Filipino Chinese community of businessmen, families, and friends. “We call them ‘tao-ke’ or ‘boss,’” Ang recalls fondly. “They are successful, discerning, and demanding. They know what they want from an authentic Chinese restaurant.”

“We designed our space with their favorite color: gold,” she continues. “Gold symbolizes success and wealth. We also used dark wood accents that look rich and elegant, and red accents [that are very] Chinese. Every decoration serves a function first, and creates an overall vibe and atmosphere suitable for any and all kinds of dining events our guests have in mind.”

Taking this to heart, King Chef’s interiors in their Lucky Chinatown branch mirror that very same understated elegance that creates a warm and inviting atmosphere for family gatherings and celebrations.

“The personality of our brand would be the image of a king with the demeanor of a tito,” owner Marites Ang says with a laugh. “While we go about our service in a professional and elegant way, we also want our customers to enjoy themselves”

“The personality of our brand would be the image of a king with the demeanor of a tito,” Ang says with a laugh. “While we go about our service in a professional and elegant way, we also want our customers to enjoy themselves. We don’t want them to feel stiff and formal—we want them relaxed, smiling, and comfortable.”

Personalized service is another thing that diners can expect from King Chef. “[Our staff] would learn the names of our guests, know the temperature of water they like, and even know their favorite orders, and usual customizations for their dishes. It is not unusual to see our staff peeling suahe (shrimp) for our guests, or dividing a pot of glass noodles into bowls for big groups.”

“Sa King Chef kami ay masayang nagtatrabaho kaya kahit maraming guests, kayang kaya namin. Kami ay nagtutulungan, kami ay may teamwork,” Arroy chimes in.

Elevated dining, rooted in family traditions

Since its beginnings in 2010, King Chef has made a name for itself by serving authentic Cantonese cuisine. With bestsellers like their King’s Style Fried Chicken, Hong Kong-style roasts like roast duck and asado, and well-loved dim sum staples like siomai and hakaw, the restaurant has built a loyal following who are drawn to both flavor and familiarity.

This all stems from Ang’s Chinese roots—inspired by her mom, who is from China’s Fujian province. “She’s a great cook,” Ang recalls fondly. “I was trained from as early as 11 years old, [both] inside and outside her kitchen. The basic things that I apply in our dishes—for instance, the use of fried shallots, and how to make it perfectly each time, draws straight from my memory of my mom’s cooking.”

“While we serve traditional Cantonese dishes, which are still bestsellers until today, we’ve also curated new and exciting dishes for the more adventurous regular customers, who constantly need variety”

“Other than my mom’s kitchen, I also had more than 10 years of experience going back and forth to the Cantonese cities of China, sourcing for my other businesses. This was prior to opening King Chef. I never imagined opening a restaurant, but I was quite a foodie from the beginning.”

But in the face of an evolving market with ever-changing tastes and preferences, Ang knew it was time to branch out.

“While we serve traditional Cantonese dishes, which are still bestsellers until today, we’ve also curated new and exciting dishes for the more adventurous regular customers, who constantly need variety,” she explains. “We started with our chef’s specialties, then built on with our customers’ requests as well as the food trends in our industry.”

True to her culinary philosophy, however, Ang is not one to forget her roots, as she “would always try to find balance between innovation and cultural preservation.”

“When we innovate, we often still build on familiar tastes and flavors, which are comforting for our guests,” she emphasizes. “It’s something new yet also familiar to the tastebuds. On the other hand, when we serve our traditional dishes, we also make sure there is something [in it] to elevate the dish.”

“We are not the kind of brand that would boast too much on modernity, because Chinese food is strongly tied to its tradition and authenticity. Instead, we want every bite to evoke nostalgia”

“We are not the kind of brand that would boast too much on modernity, because Chinese food is strongly tied to its tradition and authenticity. Instead, we want every bite to evoke nostalgia—memorable moments that are meaningful to them. We do not want to lose that connection as we innovate,” the restaurateur adds.

At King Chef, heritage flavors are reimagined

King Chef continuously steps up its game by immersing its chefs in hands-on training and hosting the annual King Chef Challenge, where they can showcase their culinary prowess. This gives their dishes a chance to earn a spot on the regular menu.

“’Yung mga nasa Chef’s Recommendations… ’yun ’yung mga winning dishes mula sa aming internal competition sa King Chef Challenge. Ngayon, inilalabas na namin sila sa menu para ma-experience din ng guests,” Arroy says proudly. “Ang special sa King Chef ay ang pagkakaroon namin ng dedicated R&D team. Sila ang laging nag-de-develop ng bagong dishes at mga seasonal items na nilalabas namin quarterly—kaya may bago lagi ang guests na aabangan.”

“Our last round of King Chef Challenge focused on the 8 Regional Cuisines of China, so our theme for Chef’s Recommendations this year are also based on the different culinary influences from Sichuan, Shandong, Jiangsu, Fujian, among others,” Ang explains.

Among the many new dishes that King Chef has rolled out, a must-try is the hearty wintermelon soup—served right in the gourd for extra flair. Unlike the younger, sweeter version used in milk tea, mature wintermelon is used here for its subtle flavor and unique texture—somewhere between cucumber and radish. Generous chunks of the gourd are simmered in a clear, savory broth with seafood and mushrooms, creating what Ang calls “a surprise in every bite because you don’t know what you’re going to get.”

Among the many new dishes that King Chef has rolled out, a must-try is the hearty wintermelon soup—served right in the gourd for extra flair

Other standouts include the chicken fortune bag—a dumpling generously stuffed with ground chicken, mushrooms, and aromatics, served in a savory sauce alongside broccoli florets. There’s also the showstopping whole deep-fried lapu-lapu served with a sweet and spicy mango sauce with just the right amount of heat. Meanwhile, seafood fans can indulge in their freshly cooked suahe shrimp, which comes with a sticky glaze and tea leaves—served in a woven basket for that rustic touch.

And of course, no Chinese feast would be complete without cold cuts—a festive platter of asado, roast duck, soy chicken, jellyfish, and century egg.

“Sa aming Chef’s Recommendations ngayong taon, nag-feature kami ng mga flavors mula sa iba’t ibang provinces ng China, kaya parang nabisita mo na rin ang iba’t-ibang parte ng China sa bawat kain mo,” the head chef says about the new dishes.

Bringing a taste of China to the Philippines

While Ang champions authenticity in King Chef’s many dishes, she is proud to say they have defied the traditional restaurants’ success formula of Chinese restaurants.

“Most assume that authentic Chinese cuisine can only be pulled off by Chinese chefs,” Ang says. “But we built an authentic Chinese restaurant and have even grown it with an entirely Filipino team who knows the Chinese palate well and also knows the local business landscape well.”

“We never pretended to have [a Chinese chef],” she says, plain and simple. “Our first manager used to even joke with guests, ‘bo ho chia, bo pa la,’ meaning, he would challenge customers that if they don’t find the food delicious, they don’t need to pay. That’s how confident he was in our dishes.”

“Most assume that authentic Chinese cuisine can only be pulled off by Chinese chefs,” Ang says. “But we built an authentic Chinese restaurant and have even grown it with an entirely Filipino team who knows the Chinese palate well and also knows the local business landscape well”

In fact, Ang shares how first-time diners are often surprised to learn that King Chef’s kitchen is fully Filipino—with some even saying the food tastes better than their favorite traditional Chinese spots.

“We’ve elevated traditional Chinese flavors with new techniques and ingredients,” Ang explains, “all while giving aspiring local chefs the opportunity to showcase their own take on modern Chinese cuisine.

“Different regional cuisines have different cooking techniques, and sometimes we discover that new Cantonese dishes are even better [when we use] these techniques,” the restaurateur shares. “For instance ‘men’ (焖) or slow braising in a covered clay pot, is a Fujian cooking technique, while ‘bao’ (爆), which means quick frying, is used for our suahe with tea leaves.”

Insights from customers are just as important, according to the owner. “We would listen to guest feedback, and also tune in to our frontliners,” she says. “Guests would usually be the first ones to tell us what they are picking up from the market, what they like and dislike. Sometimes, our order takers would suggest certain dishes that can further improve our lauriat.”

King Chef’s recipe for longevity

From its first branch in Banawe to multiple thriving locations across the metro, King Chef has grown into a household name.

“When you are in this business for a while, all ingredients are available to you. They are also available to our competitors. So what really makes our dishes stand out is the craft of our people,” says Ang. “And what makes a big difference is when they do their job with heart.”

“Ang mga pagkain ay laging fresh,” head chef Joel Arroy says. “Hindi namin dinadaya ang timbang at ang mga customer. Hindi rin namin tinitipid ang mga ingredients kaya nananatiling tinatangkilik ng mga guests ang aming restaurant”

“I think the key to our success and sustainability is our single-minded focus on food quality, good service, and also our focus on making our customers feel at home,” she adds.

What’s more, their guests can expect to get more than their money’s worth when they dine in King Chef. “Ang mga pagkain ay laging fresh,” the head chef says. “Hindi namin dinadaya ang timbang at ang mga customer. Hindi rin namin tinitipid ang mga ingredients kaya nananatiling tinatangkilik ng mga guests ang aming restaurant.”

Another key factor? Location. Having opened in Lucky Chinatown, King Chef has been able to cater to the Filipino Chinese market there—a community that knows its Chinese food and won’t settle for anything less than the real deal. More than that, however, it takes a good partner to steer them to success.

“Megaworld Lifestyle Malls is supportive as a lessor, both in marketing and daily operations,” she says. “They run the mall operations professionally, but at the same time, their people are well delegated with authority to help us handle unforeseen situations with effective solutions. It means a lot for the success of our restaurant in the mall.”

But above all, King Chef would not be where it is today without the help of their people. And Ang knows that for a fact.

“Start with a strong, compelling vision, but do not forget that a vision without a team to make it happen is just a dream,” she advises. “A restaurant is a very labor-intensive business, and handling people can be tricky. Whether starting a small or a big restaurant, your people would be your first and most important investment—not the building, not the marketing, but the people.”

“Whether starting a small or a big restaurant, your people would be your first and most important investment—not the building, not the marketing, but the people”

As for being hands-on? Definitely a must. “This not only pertains to me but also to my team. Most of our branches do not have an office. We want our officers and leaders to be on the floor so they can see and attend to the needs of our guests.”

Another longevity secret, she adds, is maintaining a discerning eye on what they serve—while keeping their guests’ health in mind. Trends, after all, come and go, but quality and care should stay.

One example of this includes their milk tea, which remains pearl-free by design. “Even before the milk tea craze started, we were already serving our milk tea in the stores,” she recalls. “When the bubble tea trend began, some customers would ask for the black pearls or bubbles. But when I checked the ingredients, I didn’t find it that healthy. I also personally do not digest these pearls very well. So we decided not to follow the trend but to continue serving our milk tea the classic way.”

Even so, it remains one of their bestsellers today.

“We’re always grounded in what our brand represents: authentic, and a taste of tradition in a modern city—[with] elevated Chinese food at discounted prices,” the restaurateur opines. “We ask [ourselves], ‘What value does this add to our menu and to our guest experience?’ If it doesn’t add any value, we will not pursue the trend.”

“We heard more than a few times that we are already becoming the benchmark for Chinese food. This propels us to continue our efforts and do better than how we did yesterday.”

Megaworld Lifestyle Malls’ World of Flavors celebrates the artistry, passion, and compelling stories of culinary visionaries and restaurateurs.