It may be the most obvious similarity, but having two Michelin stars isn’t the only thing Manila’s Helm and Singapore’s JAAN have in common.
“Kirk and I go back a few years. We first met during the Asian Culinary Exchange when he was visiting the Philippines, and we immediately got along,” Boutwood recalls.
“We’ve stayed in touch ever since, and this year the opportunity to cook together finally came together.”
Finding Common Ground
Beyond friendship, one that started in 2019 when Westaway visited the Philippines for a conference and a collab, there’s an obvious culinary connection.
Boutwood, who draws from his Filipino-British heritage and culinary experience in Europe, built Helm around the principles of ingredient-led cooking married with memory, history and culture. Westaway, on the other hand, is known for his interpretation of modern British cuisine at JAAN, taking inspiration from his upbringing in Devon and putting seasonal produce front and center.
“I’ve always admired Kirk’s creations and saw similarities in the way we both focus on bringing out the best in an ingredient,” Boutwood says.
The feeling is mutual.
“Josh and I have become good friends over the years, and we share many of the same values,” Westaway says. “We both believe in amazing ingredients, warm hospitality, and creating restaurants that people genuinely enjoy spending time in.”
“If we’re inviting someone into Helm, it has to be someone whose cooking we genuinely admire and whose philosophy aligns with ours,” Boutwood says. “Kirk is exactly that kind of chef.”
Given these similarities, a collaboration between the two was bound to happen. The idea and initiative were hatched years back. And it finally came to fruition just recently.
What Happens When Two Two-Star Chefs Cook Together?
Last August 25, the two celebrated chefs held an exclusive four-hands dinner in Manila where they got to immortalize the things they have in common—British roots, meticulous technique, exceptional ingredients, and a philosophy that good food doesn’t need to be loud and extravagant.
Their food may be different, but their styles weave the same thread, which made the tasting menu almost seamless. “We both like to let great ingredients do the talking without overcomplicating the food,” says Westaway. “I think that’s why we work so well together.”
The meal started with two snacks each—lamb tartare with carrot and beetroot on a crispy tart, trout and roe hidden within a stark black squid ink shell shaped by a timbale iron, a smooth goose moose and thin discs of black truffle cradled on a thin tart, and fish with Oscietra caviar nestled on a striped potato chip. These appetizers worked like a rev of the engine that fired up my appetite and geared me up for the courses to come.
The heftier repertoire began with something light and refreshing. Pickled king crab and tangy yogurt sorbet were enveloped tableside as the server poured what bound the dish together, summer tomato soup. It was succeeded by something that had more body, but still ate light—an abalone chawanmushi studded with tender asparagus.
Pickled king crab and tangy yogurt sorbet [PHOTO: Dre Ferrer]
Then came plate after plate of dramatically composed dishes that shared the same sense of grace and restraint, making it difficult to tell which chef was behind which course—something that hardly mattered.
The combinations made sense in print—poached tooth fish, scallop and girolle mushroom; duck, raisin and black pepper; Wagyu, ox tongue, celeriac; white strawberry, clotted cream, honey; and caramelized white chocolate and hazelnut coffee.
By memory, the flavors work. But they delivered much more than what I expected. After tasting the dishes, I realized exactly what role each ingredient played. Their presence made sense.
The menu was split between Helm and JAAN. The two chefs didn’t have the luxury of time to put their creative minds together on a single plate, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they didn’t collaborate as the meal ate as if two distinct culinary voices found enough common ground to speak as one.
And for a four-hands dinner, perhaps that’s the best outcome anyone could ask for.
Frequently Asked Questions
Helm by Josh Boutwood is an intimate restaurant, housing only 24 seats. According to the Michelin Guide, the menu reflects chef Josh Boutwood’s half-Filipino and half-British roots and his Spanish influences.
It is located at 3/F Ayala Triangle Gardens, Makati Avenue, Makati City.
JAAN by Kirk Westaway is a 2 Michelin Star restaurant based in Singapore, offering refined modern British cuisine.
It is located at Level 70, Swissotel The Stamford, 2 Stamford Road, Singapore.
They first met in 2019 during the Asia Culinary Exchange and have stayed friends over the years.
It was a collaboration between JAAN’s chef Kirk Westaway and Helm’s chef Josh Boutwood. They prepared a four-hands dinner that took place last August 25, 2026.
