Celebrity chef and restaurateur Margarita Forés has died at the age of 65.
Award-winning Forés was found unresponsive in her Hong Kong hotel room after missing a lunch meeting, according to Manila Standard.
Her son Amado confirmed her passing in a post to his social media, writing: ‘Dear Friends and Family, It is with a heavy heart that I share the sudden passing of my Mom, Margarita A. Forés.
‘Our family is mourning this unexpected loss, and we kindly ask for your prayers during this time. We will be able to share more in due time. With gratitude Amado.’
Forés was named Asia‘s Best Female Chef of 2016 after deciding on a career in the culinary world despite originally training as a public accountant.
She opened her first restaurant in 1997, Cibo, which serves Italian food. It now boasts over 20 different locations in the Philippines.
She had developed her love for Italian food while working in New York, going on to train in Italy before launching Cibo.
Recent posts to her Instagram, which has 90,00 followers, show her pictured with fellow celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay – and on the front cover of magazine Tatler Asia.
Forés was found unresponsive in her Hong Kong hotel room after missing a lunch meeting, according to Manila Standard
Her son Amado confirmed her passing in a post to his social media. She is seen here with Gordon Ramsay
In the interview, which hit newsstands just last week, the culinary genuis spoke of how she was planning to ‘wind down’ and retire as she turned 65.
She told the magazine: ‘At 65, I have realized I have worked so hard already. So, what I really want to do is wind down a little bit.’
Forés said in the February 2025 edition that she was desperate to travel more once her busy chef and business schedule died down.
The cooking legend started her studies in America – where she attended the Marymount School and Mount Holyoke College in New York. But she returned to the Philippines to finish her degree in accountancy.
After dabbling in the financial world, she returned to New York City where she is said to have rubbed shoulders with the likes of John F. Kennedy Jr, according to Pep.
Pushed by the death of her grandfather in 1985, she sought a career change, telling Rogue in 2016: ‘They say when major changes happen in a family, it’s an opportunity for other members to also make changes in their lives.’
The following year she set off for Italy to hone her craft in Italian cooking. Returning to the Philippines with her newfound skills and immediately opened a catering business.
In 1997 she launched Cibo, telling Esquire that she wanted to give the likes of TGIFriday’s and Hard Rock Cafe a run for their money.
She told the outlet in 2016: ‘I remember when I started Cibo in 1997, putting the concept together, I was very clear: I wanted it to be in a mall setting.
‘I wanted it to offer value for money and I wanted the food to be really authentic—the way they do it in Italy.
‘At the same time, I also wanted it to be able to offer a concept that was homegrown, created by a Filipino.
In New York, she had attended the Marymount School and Mount Holyoke College but returned to the Philippines to finish her degree in accountancy
She opened her first restaurant in 1997, Cibo, which serves Italian food. It now boasts over 20 different locations in the Philippines. She is seen here with Anthony Bourdain
Since her son shared details of her passing to social media, users have flocked to the comments to pay their respects
She told the outlet in 2016: ‘I remember when I started Cibo in 1997, putting the concept together, I was very clear: I wanted it to be in a mall setting.
‘I wanted it to offer value for money and I wanted the food to be really authentic—the way they do it in Italy.
‘At the same time, I also wanted it to be able to offer a concept that was homegrown, created by a Filipino.
‘Because at that time, in 1997, the TGIFriday’s and the Hard Rock Cafés were making a killing, and people were paying a premium for these businesses that were making money in the Philippines but basically sending out their franchise fees abroad. So I wanted to be able to give them a run for their money at that time.’
Since her son shared details of her passing to social media, users have flocked to the comments to pay their respects.
One person said: ‘I am deeply sorry for your loss. Your mother’s warmth and the love she poured into her cooking touched so many lives.
‘Her incredible talent as a chef, and the meals she shared, will always be remembered with fondness and appreciation. May her memory bring you comfort in this difficult time.’
Another added: ‘I’m at such a loss for words. My deepest condolences to you and your family, Amado. I am so sorry.’
Amado also followed in his culinary mother’s footsteps, getting a job at Filipino restaurant Jeepney in New York City after he graduated college.
Being interviewed for the February 2025 version of Tatler Asia, he said that one of his biggest dreams was to ‘translate my mom more, to slowly take over her restaurants but keeping her identity, or rather the soul of what she does but adding my touch.’
