Chef Kevin Uy goes with the flow
Kevin Uy grew up in a household whose members loved to cook. He went to Spain to study at the Basque Culinary Center in San Sebastian and spent five under the tutelage of Chef Virgilio Martínez and his wife Pia Leon (world’s Best Female Chef 2021) at the multi-awarded Central in Lima, Peru — the top ranked restaurant in the world by The World’s 50 Best Restaurants in 2023.
One of Kevin’s greatest takeaways was the way Virgilio and Pia valued ecosystems; where every ingredient — shell, skin, or stem — was part of a grander environment waiting to be used.
Kevin explored places beyond Lima, venturing into the Andean mountains to discover the natural landscape. He studied grains, met local cultivators, and fell in love with the diversity of this new world saying, “The whole experience was an eye-opener. Peruvian and Filipino cultures aren’t too far apart. It’s interesting to see where and how different worlds intersect.”
After five years in Peru, he returned to the Philippines to open Restaurant FLOW, a fine dining restaurant that bridges cultures, landscapes, and his personal experiences. He works alongside his childhood friend at Xavier School (my alma mater) and block mate at the École Ducasse Manila at Enderun College, executive chef Gabriel Ong. Gato, as he is called, has worked at Alain Ducasse at Morpheus in the City of Dreams, Macau and Amber at The Landmark Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong — a two and three-Michelin-Starred restaurant, respectively.
Gato flew back to Manila to become the head chef at the Tasteless Food Group Manila. Now, the two work in tandem to personify the creative and operational aspects in FLOW.
Kevin was inspired to begin a new chapter at his restaurant FLOW — where the chef bridges conversations, experiences and landscapes across the globe and reinvents them through his creations dubbed as “culinary biomes.”
FLOW celebrates biodiversity in the ecosystem where geographical boundaries don’t exist; everything thrives and flows in one environment.
Kevin shares, “In Latin-American vernacular, the word flow is synonymous with rhythm [and] continuity.” He reflects on what this means as a restaurant saying, “It isn’t necessarily perfection. It’s realness: real worlds, real connections. When a real thing comes in, we interpret it to come out artistically. What flows in must flow out.”
Designed by siblings Anthony and Rita Nazareno of Nazareno Architecture + Design, the restaurant is made to reflect that synergy. The restaurant has brick wall paneling, woven overhead lighting, and upholstered bamboo chairs. Diners can also spot the chef’s own playful touch on the walls, where glass cloche lamps are filled with ingredients he uses in the kitchen.
FLOW offers a nine-course tasting menu. In harmony with their “what flows in must flow out” mantra, the chef points out that there is no fixed cuisine for the restaurant, as he welcomes future and revisited experiences to inspire the next lineup. The maiden tasting menu is fashioned to introduce Kevin’s culinary biomes and embark diners on a gastronomic voyage — where the heart of Peru and the soul of the Philippines move interchangeably.
The journey begins with Coastline — a three-piece dish that showcases seaweed in its different habitats. Manila is a dish of delicate scallops and crisp cassava in a briny sea urchin emulsion and topped with a bright spirulina granita (Italian shaved ice). The third dish is River, a trio that includes the river prawn, tamarillo, and holy basil stack; a creamy Chupe de Camaron (Peruvian shrimp chowder) with soft local river prawn (ulang); and toasted bread to soak up the rest of the silky chowder.
Amazon is an herb-infused dish with a tender piece of pork, cut to a balanced fat and lean ratio served with palm heart rolls and slivers of palm and banana, seasoned to complement the pork. The fifth dish is Lima — ceviche composed of a fresh catch of the day and guyabano (soursop) mixture topped with crisp sweet potato and fish scales. The last savory dish is Mountain — beef cheek cooked in burnt coconut. Cacao is the first dessert — sweet fudge poured over a spongy base and topped with a slightly tangy sorbet and candied cacao nibs also add a nutty crunch.
The journey ends with Yacon (an Andean root vegetable), reinventing what it means to use every part of an ingredient. From the skin of the yacon to its core, this dish is an ensemble of sweet and sour, crispy and creamy, spongy and crunchy profiles — all made with different techniques to bring out each desired flavor.
Guests may also elevate the experience with an optional cocktail pairing, “mocktail” menu, a coffee menu, or a wine menu — highlighting exclusively natural wines curated by Justin Apolonio of Some Love Wine Store and Bibio.
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(Restaurant FLOW is located on the Ground Floor of Green Sun Hotel, 2285 Chino Roces Avenue, Makati City. Reservations accepted at restaurantflow.ph or by calling (0920) 9043569.)
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