In the open kitchen of Celera, chefs move in perfect harmony, like the well-calibrated gears of a beautiful timepiece.
We stand in the open kitchen of Celera, the new restaurant by chefs Nicco Santos and Quenee Vilar, as its team moves in perfect sync—each chef at their station, working like the calibrated gears of an automatic timepiece. One stirs sauces, another plates dessert, while a third sears protein with focus, flames flaring. There’s no need for words. Just tick, tick, tick; they know exactly what to do.
An open kitchen like this is a bold move for any restaurant, especially one serving dishes as intricate as Celera’s. It speaks volumes about the confidence and command of the chefs at the helm. Each cook a cog in a mechanism of discipline and grace—precise, poised, and exacting. “It was really to put some focus on creating a welcoming environment, like being invited to a friend’s home,” Chef Nicco explains. “Guests are free to gather around the kitchen to chat and watch food being meticulously prepared by the team.”
It’s an open layout that invites not just observation, but also conversation. One of the chefs shares a personal story: “I used to smoke a lot. But Chef Nicco told me that if I really wanted to taste food, I needed to stop. So I did.” He was referring to how smoking dulls your taste buds, preventing you from creating the best possible dish.
Just then, Chef Nicco walks in. “Did you tell him you quit smoking?” he says with a grin. I laugh, guessing this is probably a running joke in their kitchen.
Asking someone to quit smoking might seem like a stretch, but Chef Nicco has the talent to back it up. Alongside Chef Quenee, he’s one half of the duo behind the flavors of some of Manila’s most beloved Asian-inspired restaurants, past and present, like Hey, Handsome (god, I miss it so much) and Your Local, which changed management when they moved on. More recently, they helmed Aurora until they decided to take the leap and open Celera—a new concept that, as Nicco explains, is his way of returning to his roots: delicious Asian cooking and a culmination of what he’s learned from two decades of experience.
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In Sync At Celera
Celera, a play on the Malay word selera (meaning “appetite”), showcases the very best of what Chef Nicco and Chef Quenee can do. Their early restaurants revealed a flair for reinventing classic Asian cuisine and bringing it firmly into the modern age. With their new restaurant, they take that vision further, transforming Asian food into something nearly majestic. Each plate is a work of fine art, yet never strays from the rich, deep flavors that have become their signature.
They nurture their craft in a beautiful space within Comuna, a vibrant community hub at 238 Pablo Ocampo St. in Makati. The area features hip restaurants, art galleries, and design studios; it’s a spot made for bright, young creatives, and Celera fits right in.
“Comuna is such a curious spot,” Chef Nicco shares. “We knew early on that we wanted a unique spot that is off-grid, but at the same time accessible. Our good friend and incredibly talented [artist] Dan Matutina was the one who introduced us to Comuna. I fell in love with the neighborhood and its quiet potential to turn into a thriving community. Just like when I first chose to open Your Local in a quiet corner in Legaspi Village.”
The restaurant is decorated in a modern industrial style, tables and chairs lending accents of black and brown. Designed by JJ Acuña, it’s refreshingly unfussy, allowing the food to take center stage without any frou-frou interiors tempting influencers to pose at every wall. Chef Nicco explains, “JJ’s vision was to let the design and space disappear as soon as you sit. Our goal is for our guests to be completely engaged with their company and just enjoy the evening with minimal distractions.”
The focal point of the entire space is the vibrant open kitchen, where Chef Nicco, Chef Quenee, and their talented team can be seen in action. During service, they remain calm and composed—never shouting. I comment on this, telling him I’m surprised it’s nothing like The Bear. “That’s just TV,” he says. Instead, dinner service at Celera moves at a brisk pace with little visible stress. Maybe it’s because everyone can see them work, so they keep their composure. But honestly, none of that matters when the lamb is cooked this perfectly.
The First Tick: Beginning The Discovery Menu
Tasting menus can often feel either overwhelming or underwhelming. Sometimes, the food arrives in hordes, making it a challenge to keep everything down without unbuttoning your pants. Other times, while the food is delicious, the portions are so small that diners leave either hungry or wondering about the value of their peso. Celera strikes the perfect balance—serving high-quality dishes in just the right portions (though I still unbuttoned my pants afterward) without ever making you feel like the meal was too simple or light.
The Discovery Menu distills two decades of Asian cooking experience into a breezy 10-course dinner, paired with thoughtfully selected wine varietals by the restaurant’s in-house sommelier. It opens with brodo—a vibrant, delicate broth made by simmering fish bones for hours. Light yet deeply flavorful, it’s unlike anything you’ll find on most Manila menus today.
Next is a tartare that’s almost too beautiful to eat. Double gold beef is mixed with herbs and fermented Byadgi chili, set atop a buckwheat-beetroot tart, and finished with bright orange edible flowers. It tastes as stunning as it looks.
Then comes the BBQ course, made from hand-ground white Pekin duck and chicken, unusually paired with Baguio strawberries and served on a crisp rempeyek pancake. This is where Celera’s creativity shines: in unexpected pairings that deliver depth and clarity of flavor.
Nothing captures that inventiveness more than what the chefs jokingly call “an adult Oreo”: duck liver mousse and local goat cheese sandwiched between layers of Baeri caviar. It looks like an Oreo—and is just as addictive, if not more.
Midway through the meal, a bread course is served, perhaps their way of ensuring diners don’t fill up too early, as is often the case when free bread is served first at other establishments. It’s worth the wait. Celera has partnered with Scratch, a local bakery also based in Comuna, to create a fluffy, flavorful focaccia served with a side of kesong puti.
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Keeping Time With Celera’s Efficient Kitchen
Five courses down, five more to go—surprisingly, at such a brisk pace. I glance over at the kitchen. Between the food and conversations with my companions, I’d almost forgotten about the open kitchen just a few feet away. The Celera team continues to produce dishes in near silence—just a few ticks here, a few tocks there, the hiss of flame, the shuffling of aprons. They’re keeping time like pros.
We didn’t have to wait long for the lobster course: a giant Maine lobster tail on a skewer, served with fish head noodles and chilled laksa bisque. It’s bright and fresh, punching my taste buds straight to heaven. Next is a dish that’s anything but wasteful—an entire quail, served pan-seared and paired with a smoky sauce made from its own bones. I’m amazed at how perfectly the small, delicate bird was cooked: pink, tender, melt-in- your-mouth.
Afterwards, two dishes inside deep white bowls arrive at the table. The first is a wonderful and creamy arborio rice dish, paired with smoked fish head brodo, whey, and pickled mushroom. Similar in appearance but completely different in flavor is what they call Ais, a play on the Malaysian shaved ice dessert, composed of soy sauce caramel cream, amazake granita, and white sesame. The flavor profiles of both dishes are complex and carefully balanced, demonstrating Chef Nicco and Chef Quenee’s creativity.
For dessert, we’re given two kinds of “sweetmeats,” the server explaining that these are far from typical confections, as they feature the meat of fruit. The first is a delicate pineapple bonbon infused with the intense flavors of black garlic, aged and fermented to develop a deep umami richness. Lastly are the tien ohb smoked donuts, which carry the subtle Thai flavors of coconut.
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The Clock Strikes Finish And We Reach The End Of The Meal
No one welcomes the final chime of a wonderful meal, yet inevitably, our time at Celera draws to a close. The last course is laid to rest; I savor my final sip of wine, the hands of my watch moving steadily forward—tick, tick, tick—marking the late hour. But even as I step away, the precision of the kitchen and its talented artists, the grace of the front of house, and the measured accuracy of the servers echo like the steady heartbeat of a finely crafted timepiece—resonating long after the moment has passed.
Chef Nicco and Chef Quenee share the same attention to detail, artistry, and rhythm as master watchmakers, running a restaurant truly worth experiencing. Every element of their dinner clicked seamlessly into place, proving that gastronomy, like a fine watch, is crafted with passion, creativity, and exacting precision.
Celera is located at Comuna, 238 Pablo Ocampo Sr. Extension, Makati 1203. For reservations visit their website www.restaurantcelera.com or send them a DM on Instagram @restaurantcelera.
This article originally appeared in our June 2025 issue.
Photography by JV Rabano
