About our ChefJosef Teuschler

"The unique experience at Okada Manila is enough to make it stick to your memory. But the essential quality of our chefs is stamina and cooking, and that creates our legacy." - Chef JT, Director of Culinary.

Chef JT’s culinary journey started in Austria; he discovered his passion for the culinary arts at an early age at a local café and bakery. Then, he entered at age 15 for a 4-year formal apprenticeship in culinary arts.

Since then, he had circled the globe while dishing out excellence in prestigious hotels, featured in the Great Chefs of the World Series, and received the Chef of the Year Award at Gourmet Festival. Now, he brings his passion for cooking to Okada Manila.

With his experience and expertise, Chef JT sharpens the skills of his team by sharing his philosophy. He believes a chef must be passionate about food and have the genuine pleasure to complete the whole process from procuring, preparing, cooking, serving food, and designing menus.

What he brings to the table is a work that stands out because he is creating a legacy one dish at a time. After all, he knows guests want something extraordinary made just for them.

And it shows in his work because he genuinely enjoys the whole process of procuring, preparing, cooking, and serving food and designing special menus for guest to savor.

With Chef JT’s expertise, every dish he makes is crafted with passion because guests want something special created just for them. These attract guests to experience a one-of-a-kind treat as they can be fancy and indulgent at the same time.

About our ChefYoshihiro Sugiyama

In 2001, he learned the Japanese haute cuisine kaiseki ryori from scratch in Kyoto, the capital of traditional Japanese food. He subsequently trained at many Japanese restaurants and honed his skills while devoting his heart to the cuisine.

Moreover, he took an apprenticeship at a Michelin-starred restaurant to further cultivate his culinary techniques and eventually became independent as a head chef.

Chef Sugiyama has put his great attention to perfecting dashijiru, a simple yet complex broth plays a crucial role in the success of all Japanese dishes. His passion in dashijiru has led him to bringing authentic Japanese cuisine to Manila. The chef aspires to lead the best Japanese restaurant in the Philippines.

Aside from his commitment to cooking, the chef also puts great value and importance in customer service, as well as creating a welcoming, relaxing ambiance. He also strives to bring a great level of enjoyment and satisfaction to customers through constant review of the dishes and services. 

About our ChefGene del Prado

“Cooking from the heart; it is the gift that I can give in every menu that I create.” - Chef Gene

Chef Gene’s story started in 1975, working in the kitchen of a restaurant with his father. After four years, he went to work in the Middle East and other prestigious hotels in the Philippines.

They say when you cook from the heart, everything follows. And Chef Gene’s career in cooking is a testament to his love for Filipino food that opened doors of opportunity for him to showcase our dishes for the world to taste.

Chef Gene is the perfect ambassador to promote Filipino food and was hand-picked by Shangri-La to go to Jakarta, Indonesia, Taipei, and Sydney, Australia, Abu Dhabi and got invited by the Philippine Embassy in Moscow, Russia.

Having sharpened his skills in cooking Filipino food, he eventually won the Chefs on Parade Competition in the set menu category.

His expertise has found a home at Okada Manila as he specializes in traditional and heritage Filipino food and international cuisine, serving dishes that nourish and delight guests beyond satisfaction.

About our ChefMikiya Imagawa

Chef Mikiya Imagawa, the son of a Chinese restaurant owner, has devoted himself to Chinese cuisine for 35 years. Following his highly regarded stints in famous Chinese restaurants and luxury hotels all over Japan, he joined the KO Dining Group in Hong Kong as the head chef of Yu Lei, a high-end Chinese restaurant, in 2011.

Just a year after holding the said position at Yu Lei, the restaurant received the much-sought-after Michelin star.

Moreover, his achievements include not only getting a Michelin star for Yu Lei, but also having the restaurant included in Hong Kong Tatler’s Best Restaurants and 100 Top Tables, which are among the few select publications that enjoy a loyal following among gourmands in Hong Kong.

While keeping the tradition of Shanghai’s cuisine at its base, Chef Mikiya Imagawa's masterpiece, Yu Lei, eventually opened in Okada Manila to give this side of the world a taste of the finest aspects of Chinese cuisine.

The chef’s exceptional culinary offerings are never an accident, as attested by his strict devotion to using only the finest ingredients, cooking method, arrangement, and other aspects. He creates dishes using unique techniques and talent, constantly striving to achieve culinary perfection.

Chef Imagawa specializes in creating delicate, subtle flavors that delight the palate, served in meticulous, elegant plating. Guests are assured of a memorable experience each time they visit the restaurant.

About our ChefJunji Nagaoka

He has been enthusiastic not only about the culinary art of making sushi but also the in-depth study of Japanese cuisine.

Since 2000, he has worked at various luxury hotels in Tokyo, delighting diners with his specials. He has also obtained a license to handle and prepare blowfish, which is a rare feat even for seasoned sushi chefs.

In 2007, he opened Ginza Sushi Nagaoka with a business partner and subsequently sharpened his skills in making sushi, as well as deepened his understanding of the subtle art of hospitality.

With the chef’s outstanding skills and talent, in 2012, he was highly active in restaurants in Hong Kong and New York, as well as in an affiliate of the KO Dining Group in Hong Kong. In 2016, banking on the strength of his culinary experiences, he took part in the grand opening of Okada Manila with his own signature restaurant, Ginza Nagaoka.

With his passion in using nothing but the freshest Japanese ingredients, he offers truly exceptional sushi and other dishes. As a highly-skilled sushi chef, he has made it his personal mission to always give his customers an unforgettable dining experience in Ginza Nagaoka and enjoy the best nigiri they could ever have.

The chef has consistently delighted his customers with the artful way he meticulously makes nigiri in front of them—a sort of theatrical culinary performance for this one-of-a-kind chef.