Eclectic & effervescent • Stephanie Zubiri

MANILA, Philippines - There is a palpable vibrancy in Stephanie Nathalie Zubiri. One may hastily associate this vitality with her being a brand-new bride. She, however, brushes this off. “There has been no change at all,” she clarifies. After all, she and her husband Jonathan Crespi have been together for several years already.

“The marriage is just like sealing the deal. Everything is the same but different in a good way,” shares Stephanie, who studied at Université Paris-Sorbonne and London School of Economics and Political Science. She went to Le Cordon Bleu in Paris to take up basic cuisine.

The effervescence that Stephanie exudes may be attributed to her new baby — Atelier 317. This full-service restaurant situated at Backwell (the back of Rockwell) is a priority. “My restaurant is my personal life,” claims Stephanie, who writes a weekly food column for The Philippine Star.

In fact, her decision to situate her restaurant at the Poblacion neighborhood of Makati echoes her brand of decision-making. For one, the location allows her to invite friends to visit over lunch or let guests be delighted by an array of choices from modern Filipino to Sri Lankan dishes without being bothered by a lot of pedestrians. The music in the restaurant can be as diverse as jazz to lounge, too.

In a sense, Stephanie is eclectic. From her decision-making to design maxim, one cannot box her free spirit. She reveals that she has always been this diverse in perspectives. “If you go to my restaurant, even the decorations don’t seem to make sense but they do,” she adds. Her menu also reflects her varied mindset. “I do not have a cuisine in the restaurant,” she mentioned. She reveals that she cooks what she craves for at the moment. Her dishes replicate what she is. “I am a traveler so my dishes reflect the comforts and memories of my journeys here and abroad,” she says.    

Stephanie’s diverse nature is also articulated by the food she enjoys. “I am like the Vietnamese Cha Ca La Vong — a hit in my restaurant’s menu,” she exclaims. This dish — cooked by simply sautéing dory fillet in turmeric and lemongrass and resting it on rice noodles, while capping the whole entree with fresh cilantro, mint and crusty shallots — creates a representation of Stephanie’s way of life. “Just like that dish, I ensure that my life is simple, fresh and hearty,” she says.

Stephanie says she is into inventing idea that resonates culture and creativity. What keeps her exciting is that she never runs out of passionate endeavors. “I want to have my own cooking show and write a book and travel some more,” she adds. At the end of it all, Stephanie imparts that it is not legacy that matters to her; it is how one has happily lived life by the assortment of adventures in one’s lifetime.

Photography by RITA MARIE ABIOG • Creative direction by LUIS ESPIRITU JR. • Styling by MIKKA VELASQUEZ • Makeup by BOBBY CARLOS, national makeup artist for Max Factor Philippines • Hairstyling by JIM GUERRERO of L’Oréal Professionel • Jewelry by MILADAY JEWELS • Shot on location at the FAIRMONT POOL AREA