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| Gaita Fores, 1959-2025 |
Renowned Filipino chef Margarita “Gaita” Fores, named Asia’s Best Female Chef in 2016, was found dead in her hotel room in Hong Kong Tuesday. She was 65.
A post by her son, Amado, on Instagram, announced
Fores’ passing, calling it “sudden” and “unexpected.” He gave no further
details but said their family would be able to give more information in due
time.
Another relative told The SUN that Fores was in high
spirits shortly before she died inside her room at The Upper House in Pacific
Place, Admiralty.
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| Basahin ang detalye! |
“She had been travelling to Morocco where she went
up a big (hot air) balloon for the first time, then Madrid, and decided to pass
by Hong Kong before finally flying back home to Manila,” said the source.
As soon as she got to Hong Kong, she had reportedly
posted on social media about the harbor view from her hotel room, and the food
she ate at Prince and the Peacock restaurant at nearby Arbuthnot Road, where the
Michelin-starred chef was her good friend.
That was apparently the last meal she had, as she
was found unresponsive in her hotel room the next day after missing a lunch
appointment.
Fores was a two-time cancer survivor, but was not
known to have any apparent health problems.
In an article about her and her fellow restaurateur son Amado earlier this month, Fores even mentioned about how she was looking forward to
being at her son’s wedding this year.
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| Gaita and son Amado's culinary journeys were featured in Tatler magazine early this month |
Born in March 1959, Fores was a descendant of two wealthy and influential clans, the Aranetas on her mother’s side and the Fores’ on her father’s. Her maternal grandfather, Don J. Amado Araneta, built the Araneta Center complex in Cubao, while her paternal grandfather, Dr. Jose Fores, was one of the founders of the Makati Medical Center.
She started her cooking career in 1986 when she
traveled to Italy for four months to learn the country’s language and cuisine.
On her return to the Philippines she started a personal catering business until
she decided to open her first restaurant Cibo, in 1997. It now has branches all
over the Philippines.
Cibo’s success insired Fores to open three more
restaurants, Lusso, Grace Park and Alta.
Her biggest accomplishment to date was her being
named Asia’s
Best Female Chef by the World’s 50 Best Restaurants in December 2016.
The Philippine Consulate in Hong Kong says it is now
working on shipping Fores’ remains as soon as possible, in accordance with her
family’s wishes.
