Margarita Forés: Her Life in Pictures

(SPOT.ph) Margarita Forés was supposed to open her signature restaurant this year, a two-story affair in the premier location where Paseo de Roxas and Makati Avenue meet. But the noted chef, considered one of the best in Asia, passed away the morning of February 11 in Hong Kong, her death “reported as due to cardiac arrest,” says a statement from the family. She was 65 years old.

News of her passing sparked a tremendous outpouring of love coming from personalities in the food and beverage industry and beyond, in the form of social media messages that paid tribute to her genius and generosity, her hard work and sense of purpose. “My mom touched so many lives. Thank you all for the love and support you have given me and my family during this difficult time,” says Amado Forés, Margarita’s restaurateur son. “Your kindness and the memories you've shared about my mom give me comfort and strength.”

Also read: Chef Margarita Forés Passes Away at 65

Born to one of the most prominent families in the Philippines, Margarita Araneta Forés spent some of her childhood years in Manila before moving with her family to New York. While she studied accountancy, she would later hone her passion for cooking by taking culinary courses in Italy. She felt at home there, fell in love with the country’s culinary traditions, and was transformed. Years later, she would open the Italian restaurant Cibo in the Philippines, and open more restaurants after: Cafe Bola, Pepato, Grace Park, Lusso, and The Loggia in Pasay’s Casa de Memoria.

Along with the message from the family sent to SPOT, and a brief history of the chef's life and career, there were also photographs of Margarita: pictures of her as a child, with her family, as a culinary student in Italy, opening her first restaurant, winning awards and giving back. We are in turn sharing this wealth of images with you, each one of them showing the Margarita we know and love, full of life and curiosity, and an eagerness to share herself with the world.

Also read: Young Margarita Forés in a 1989 Interview with Cheche Lazaro

Margarita Fores' life in pictures:

Young Margarita 

Also read: It All Started with a Panini: How Cibo Introduced Me to a New Way of Eating Out

Learning to cook in Italy

Opening Cibo

Learning to make pizza with Gaetano Fazio 

At the market in Italy

With son Amado

Awards and landmark moments

All photographs from the Margarita Forés Photo Archive.