Regina Troy Barrios

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Johanne Siy

<p>Just before the weekend, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/johanne_siy/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>Johanne Siy</strong></a>—head chef of the <a href="https://www.instagram.com/lollasg/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Michelin-listed restaurant Lolla in Singapore</a>—announced her departure from the acclaimed restaurant she helped shape into an international culinary destination. The <a href="https://www.theworlds50best.com/asia/en/awards/best-female-chef.html" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">second Filipino to be named Asia’s Best Female Chef, a title she earned in 2023</a>, Siy has been a steady force in championing Filipino culture on the global stage. The news arrived without fanfare, delivered through an Instagram post. “The more I cook, the more I realize there is so much I have yet to learn,” she wrote. “The more stories I tell, the more it dawns on me that there are so many other stories that remain untold.”</p><div><iframe class="instagram-media instagram-media-rendered" id="instagram-embed-0" src="https://www.instagram.com/p/DLrHyd6yDiP/embed/captioned/?cr=1&amp;v=14&amp;wp=1080&amp;rd=https%3A%2F%2Fod2-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com&amp;rp=%2F#%7B%22ci%22%3A0%2C%22os%22%3A324764%2C%22ls%22%3A324603%2C%22le%22%3A324745%7D" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="" frameBorder="0" height="1105" data-instgrm-payload-id="instagram-media-payload-0" scrolling="no" style="background:white;max-width:540px;width:calc(100% - 2px);border-radius:3px;border:1px solid rgb(219, 219, 219);box-shadow:none;display:block;margin:0px 0px 12px;min-width:326px;padding:0px"></iframe></div><script async="" src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script><div><br/></div><p>The post caught many off guard. Over the past five years, Siy evolved Lolla from a modest counter-style restaurant into one of Southeast Asia’s most respected dining destinations. Her cooking is rooted in modern European technique and guided by Nordic precision, but layered with Southeast Asian warmth and restraint, all anchored by a quiet yet unmistakably Filipino sensibility. In 2023, she became the first Singapore-based chef and only <a href="https://www.theworlds50best.com/stories/News/philippine-chef-margarita-fores-is-named-asias-best-female-chef-2016.html" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">the second Filipino, after Margarita Forés, to be named Asia’s Best Female Chef</a> by the <a href="https://www.theworlds50best.com/stories/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">World’s 50 Best Restaurants</a>. Despite the acclaim, Siy remained grounded. Her food has never been about spectacle—it’s about discipline, clarity, and the stories her dishes tell.</p><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:900px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/17516864352447.jpg" style="width:900px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner">Johanne Siy as Asias Best Female Chef in 2023 | <em>Photo: The World&#x27;s 50 Best </em></span></span></span></div><p>“It is with this desire for growth and evolution that I close this chapter with Lolla Singapore,” she writes. “It has always been my vision to build a deeply personal and meaningful space, and the time has come to finally work towards that dream.”</p><p>Her decision marks a turning point—not only for Lolla, but for Siy’s own journey. She has long used her platform to champion Filipino heritage in subtle but consistent ways, whether through ingredients, relationships, or collaborations. One defining moment came in 2023, when she hosted <strong><em>Filipinas</em>, a six-hands dinner with chefs Miko Calo and the late Margarita Forés</strong>, held in celebration of Philippine Independence Day. “A very meaningful collaboration where we showcased our unique culinary identities and the heritage that ties our cuisines together,” Siy wrote afterward. “Lots of good vibes and smiles all around.”</p><div><iframe class="instagram-media instagram-media-rendered" id="instagram-embed-2" src="https://www.instagram.com/p/Ctg6ZjwPXxd/embed/captioned/?cr=1&amp;v=14&amp;wp=1080&amp;rd=https%3A%2F%2Fod2-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com&amp;rp=%2F#%7B%22ci%22%3A2%2C%22os%22%3A581782%2C%22ls%22%3A324603%2C%22le%22%3A324745%7D" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="" frameBorder="0" height="1293" data-instgrm-payload-id="instagram-media-payload-2" scrolling="no" style="background:white;max-width:540px;width:calc(100% - 2px);border-radius:3px;border:1px solid rgb(219, 219, 219);box-shadow:none;display:block;margin:0px 0px 12px;min-width:326px;padding:0px"></iframe></div><script async="" src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script><p>It was a rare moment of visibility for Filipina chefs on the international stage—and a deeply personal one. Siy’s relationships with Calo and Forés were rooted in mutual respect and shared purpose. Forés, who passed away suddenly earlier this year, had long been a mentor and guiding light. Siy’s tribute was poignant: “To me you were not only just a friend, a role model and an inspiration, you were a sister-in-arms and a constant source of encouragement. Your presence made every moment shine.”</p><div><iframe class="instagram-media instagram-media-rendered" id="instagram-embed-4" src="https://www.instagram.com/p/DF8e58BTos8/embed/captioned/?cr=1&amp;v=14&amp;wp=1080&amp;rd=https%3A%2F%2Fod2-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com&amp;rp=%2F#%7B%22ci%22%3A4%2C%22os%22%3A628761%2C%22ls%22%3A324603%2C%22le%22%3A324745%7D" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="" frameBorder="0" height="1473" data-instgrm-payload-id="instagram-media-payload-4" scrolling="no" style="background:white;max-width:540px;width:calc(100% - 2px);border-radius:3px;border:1px solid rgb(219, 219, 219);box-shadow:none;display:block;margin:0px 0px 12px;min-width:326px;padding:0px"></iframe></div><script async="" src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script><p>At the time of Forés’ passing, Siy was in Negros—where they had planned to meet. The timing gave the loss a kind of quiet gravity. “Even before we heard the tragic news, we had been talking about the pivotal role you played in establishing the slow food movement in the country and your work in sustaining local communities here,” she wrote. “You were a force of nature. You had an optimism and energy that was contagious. Your generosity was boundless.”</p><p>In many ways, Siy carries that legacy forward. Her identity as a Filipina is never overt in branding, but it runs deep in her work—whether in championing ingredients like Philippine cacao and native vinegars, or in telling stories rooted in memory and culture. Her heritage isn’t a statement—it’s a thread, consistently woven.</p><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:900px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/17516866583085.jpg" style="width:900px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner">Siy redefined kitchen leadership with care, mentorship, and a culture of respect | Photo: Johanne Siy</span></span></span></div><p>She also helped reshape what leadership can look like in a professional kitchen. At Lolla, Siy built a team culture grounded in mentorship, respect, and care. She often referred to her team as “my kids,” not out of sentimentality but as a reflection of how invested she was in their growth. Her belief was clear: food is only as good as the people behind it, and the environment they’re given to thrive in.</p><p>Her farewell to Lolla reads less like an exit and more like an inflection point. “The past five years have been nothing short of incredible,” she wrote. “Together, we turned a small, humble restaurant into something that defied expectations.” She ended her post with gratitude—for her team, peers, producers, writers, and the diners who showed up. “Thank you for showing me the beauty and generosity of the human spirit in gastronomy.”</p><p>She’s shared no details about what comes next. No name, no opening, no teaser. Just a quiet signal: “Something new is taking shape. I can’t wait to share more with you as this chapter unfolds.”</p><p>Whatever that something is, it will carry the same clarity, care, and conviction that have come to define Johanne Siy. And it will be worth the wait.</p>

<p>Asia’s Best Female Chef Johanne Siy leaves Lolla after five acclaimed years to pursue a more personal culinary vision rooted in growth, identity, and storytelling.</p>

Asia’s Best Female Chef Johanne Siy leaves Lolla after five acclaimed years to pursue a more personal culinary vision rooted in growth, identity, and storytelling.

Asia’s Best Female Chef Leaves Lolla, What’s Next for Johanne Siy?

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Asia’s Best Female Chef Leaves Lolla, What’s Next for Johanne Siy?

Troy Barrios

Published Jul 05, 2025 11:40 AM PHT

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Updated Jul 05, 2025 11:46 AM PHT

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filipino chef

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margarita fores

miko calo

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