JAAN’s Kirk Westaway joins Josh Boutwood in Manila for a one-night-only tasting menu combining their British influences, Southeast Asian flavors, and shared ingredient-led approach.
Kirk Westaway is coming to Helm in Manila this August for a one-night-only collaboration with Josh Boutwood. The executive chef of Singapore’s two-Michelin-starred JAAN by Kirk Westaway will cook alongside Boutwood for an exclusive four-hands dinner on August 25, 2026. Created specifically for the evening, the tasting menu will bring together the chefs’ distinct culinary perspectives through a shared connection to British cuisine, its influences running throughout the menu and interpreted through the ingredients, flavors, and traditions of Southeast Asia.
“Whenever we host an international chef, the goal is never to present two separate styles on the same menu,” Boutwood says. “We want the dishes to work in harmony, with each course building on the last. It’s about creating something that could only happen on that one night, a menu that celebrates both our individual identities while offering guests a truly memorable experience.”
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Kirk Westaway At Helm: What To Know About The Dinner
Originally from Devon, England, Westaway has led JAAN since 2015, developing his interpretation of Modern British cuisine around seasonal produce and refined technique. The Singapore restaurant earned its first Michelin star in 2016 and has held two Michelin stars for five consecutive years from 2021 to 2025. JAAN has also consistently appeared on Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants and is a member of Les Grandes Tables du Monde.
Westaway and Boutwood first met several years ago during the Asia Culinary Exchange, when Westaway visited the Philippines, and have remained friends since. While their cooking has developed along different paths, both chefs share an ingredient-led approach grounded in seasonality, restraint, and technique.
“Although our food is different, we have a very similar philosophy,” Westaway says. “We both like to let great ingredients do the talking without overcomplicating the food. I think that’s why we’ll work so well together.”
For Westaway, the dinner will also be an opportunity to introduce his Modern British cuisine to diners in the Philippines for the first time. “Every country has its own food cultureCultureshared traditions, beliefs, values, customs, arts, and social practices that define the identity and way of life of a community, society, or nation. and expectations, so it’s exciting to introduce my interpretation of Modern British cuisine to a new audience,” he says. “I’ve heard wonderful things about Manila’s dining scene, and I’m looking forward to being part of it.”
The four-hands event is in partnership with Evian, the official water partner, and The Peninsula Manila, the official hotel partner.
JAAN x Helm with Kirk Westaway and Josh Boutwood will be held on Tuesday, August 25, 2026, at Helm by Josh Boutwood. There will be two dinner seatings at 6 PM and 830 PM. Helm is located on the third floor of Tower 2, The Shops, Ayala Triangle Gardens, Makati. Reservations are available on their website www.joshboutwood.com.
Photography courtesy of Helm
Frequently Asked Questions
Kirk Westaway is the executive chef of JAAN by Kirk Westaway in Singapore. Originally from Devon, England, he is known for his interpretation of Modern British cuisine. Under his leadership, JAAN has held two Michelin stars for five consecutive years from 2021 to 2025.
The JAAN x Helm four-hands dinner will take place on Tuesday, August 25, 2026, with two seatings at 6:00 PM and 8:30 PM.
The dinner will be held at Helm by Josh Boutwood, located on the third floor of The Shops at Ayala Triangle Gardens in Makati City.
Kirk Westaway and Josh Boutwood will create a tasting menu exclusively for the evening. British influences will serve as a common thread, interpreted through the ingredients, flavors, and traditions of Southeast Asia.
Reservations for the JAAN x Helm dinner can be made through Josh Boutwood’s website or through Helm’s reservation number at +63 0915 909 8647. The dinner is a one-night-only event with two seatings.
