MANILA, Philippines – Filipino culinary icon Margarita Forés, the founder of CIBO restaurant and known for being among Asia's best, has passed away. She was 65.
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| Photo courtesy: Instagram/Margarita Forés |
The sad news was confirmed by her son Amado in a social media post on Tuesday, February 11.
"It is with a heavy heart that I share the sudden passing of my Mom, Margarita A. Forés," he wrote on Instagram.
"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," he added.
No cause of death was mentioned in Amado’s Instagram post.
Forés ran restaurants that serve varieties of Italian cuisine.
She initially worked in catering, before launching the chain Cibo, as well as several individual restaurants.
We honor the life and legacy of our founder and guiding light, Chef Margarita Forés. Her warmth, creativity, and...
Posted by CIBO on Tuesday, February 11, 2025
In 2016, she was named Asia's Best Female Chef as part of The World’s 50 Best Restaurants.
Born on March 23, 1959, to Raul Forés and María Lourdes Araneta, Gaita, as she is fondly known, was a granddaughter of the tycoon J. Amado Araneta who developed the 35-hectare Araneta Center in Cubao, Quezon City, and eminent surgeon Dr. Jose Y. Forés, one of the founders of the Makati Medical Center.
She pursued a degree in Accountancy but her move to Hong Kong in the early ‘80s inspired her to experiment with cooking.
Gaita studied Italian cuisine in Italy and when she went back to the Philippines, kicked off her culinary adventures initially as a caterer. She then opened her first Cibo restaurant in 1997.
— The Summit Express
