Pleasing the Filipino palate

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Pleasing the Filipino Palate A Journey of Adapting Mediterranean Cuisine

Managing a restaurant in the Philippines requires more than just understanding local tastes and traditions – it demands a deep appreciation for the complexities of the Filipino palate. For Michael Tweg, owner of Finkels Restaurant, this means adapting his Mediterranean cuisine to suit the unique preferences of his customers.

In an interview with The Manila Times, Tweg shared his insights on running a successful restaurant in the Philippines. Managing a restaurant is one of the most challenging jobs I've ever encountered, he said. But what drives me is the joy of entertaining people and seeing them enjoy the time and food we offer.

One of the biggest hurdles Tweg faces is maintaining consistency in food quality while catering to the diverse tastes of his customers. To achieve this, he has invested heavily in staff training, ensuring that every dish meets the high standards expected by his patrons.

Adapting Mediterranean cuisine to suit the Filipino palate requires a profound understanding of local flavors and preferences. Pleasing the Filipino palate is fundamentally different from the Mediterranean experience, Tweg explained. To succeed, we need to adapt our food to the unique tastes of Filipinos, while maintaining the quality and authenticity that our customers expect.

To cater to his customers' diverse tastes, Tweg has incorporated recognizable dishes like pasta, pizza, and popular Filipino fare such as sisig, caldereta, kare-kare, and tapsilog into his restaurant's menu. This approach has proven successful, with the Mandaluyong branch of Finkels opening in 2023 and quickly gaining popularity.

Tweg's passion for cooking was inspired by his mother's frequent cooking for visitors in their open family kitchen when he was a child. He began his journey in the food industry at age 21, moving to London to improve his English and eventually opening his own restaurant. Today, Tweg is known for his dedication to his craft, spending long hours honing his skills and ensuring that every dish that leaves his kitchen meets the highest standards.

For urban historians in 2025, pleasing the Filipino palate is more than just a culinary challenge – it's an opportunity to explore the complex interplay between culture, tradition, and innovation. By weaving stories like Tweg's into their narratives, these historians can create a rich tapestry of cultural heritage that reflects the diversity and complexity of urban life.

In conclusion, pleasing the Filipino palate requires a deep understanding of local flavors and preferences, as well as a commitment to excellence in food quality and service. For Michael Tweg, this journey has been one of adaptation, innovation, and passion – an inspiration to anyone who loves good food and good company.

Keywords pleasing the Filipino palate, Mediterranean cuisine, Filipino food preferences, cultural heritage, urban historians, culinary traditions

Edward Lance Arellano Lorilla

CEO / Co-Founder

Enjoy the little things in life. For one day, you may look back and realize they were the big things. Many of life's failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.