A taste of magic • Malu Gamboa

MANILA, Philippines - There is no argument to the way Malu Gamboa has achieved her stature as a restaurateur. In this profession, she is success personified. She and her brother J, a chef, are the owners of four well-established and delectable restaurants in the metro: Milky Way, Tsukiji, Cirkulo and Azuthai.

Malu has a magnetic smile that draws one to her. Her blend of charm and confidence is also compelling.

The restaurants she manages and owns are a testament not only to this captivating charm but also to Malu’s drive. She believes that her recipe for being captivating does not come from the new and the now. She gets her magic from the tried and the tested.

“I always believe that the most important thing is to make people come back and be drawn to what is the best,” she energetically shares. She adds that her restaurants have staying power not because they offer new dishes but because they have the ambience of home and happiness. “People eat in our restaurants because they want to taste the way we offer our food, to see familiar faces, and to be served with the same excellent way they have always been served,” she adds.

“We keep the restaurants as fresh as possible,” she explains. Malu also likes to personalize her service to her patrons as she looks forward to seeing the guests, hearing their stories, and watching their kids grow up.

In fact, Malu isn’t only alluring to her clients but also to her staff. “I trust and empower them,” she shares. She is known to give her employees the leeway to make decisions. Malu thinks that this kind of management style is appreciated and respected. “I don’t watch over my team like a hawk,” she adds.

“My mom taught me to work and how to love it,” she says. “Dad, on the other hand, showed me that with hard work and diligence, one can achieve success,” she happily recounts. Malu adds that a great part of her success can be attributed to her brother J, too. “I am in charge of the front of the house, like guest relations; he takes care of the back part, like cooking.”

She aims to give more than just an eating experience to her loyal diners. “I brought in a clubhouse feel where people feel so comfortable coming to the restaurants,” she says.

“At the end of it all, I want our clients to remember not only the food they eat but also the happy feeling they experience while we serve them,” Malu concludes.

 Photography by SHAIRA LUNA • Creative direction by LUIS ESPIRITU JR. • Styling by RUDOLPH LEONOR • Makeup by RIA AQUINO • Hairstyling by AVRIL SEGUIN • Both dresses by RAJO LAUREL • Jewelry by MILADAY JEWELS • Shot on location at the FAIRMONT POOL AREA