For Josh Boutwood, culture of consistency helped Helm retain its two Michelin stars

TWO MICHELIN STARS. Josh Boutwood's Helm retains its two Michelin stars at the 2027 Michelin Guide ceremony on Thursday, October 29.

Michelin Guide

'Everyone knows their responsibilities. Everyone has the passion. Everyone knows what we want to put onto the table. Sharing this collective culture and sharing it to the world that comes and dines with us is probably the answer that has helped keep us consistent,' he says

AT A GLANCE

• Helm, a restaurant run by chef Josh Boutwood, earned two Michelin stars in the inaugural Michelin Guide ceremony for Manila and Cebu.
• Boutwood emphasizes the importance of a consistent culture in the kitchen, focusing on quality and service to maintain the restaurant's high standards.
• Despite the pressures of retaining Michelin stars, Boutwood finds inspiration by occasionally stepping away from the kitchen to clear his mind and generate new ideas.

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In the inaugural edition of the Michelin Guide ceremony for Manila, its environs, and Cebu, Helm became the lone restaurant to pull off the impressive feat of earning two stars.

Helm is run by Josh Boutwood. The Filipino-British chef attests that throughout the 16-hour work day at Helm, he and his team spend most, if not all, of their time thinking about food, talking about food, and doing what they can to create experiences that their guests can enjoy. 

“The day in the kitchen starts very early. Preparation is a very tedious time for us, where a lot of focus is put into making sure that we treat the ingredients with the utmost respect. We’re able to cook those ingredients to bring out the most flavors possible,” he told Rappler. 

“When it comes to service, it’s a very tranquil experience.” 

Boutwood entered the 2027 ceremony rightfully nervous. This time, he was gunning to retain his dining concept’s two Michelin stars — a completely different feat of its own. 

“My team has been endlessly working day and night just to make sure that our quality, our service, our experience is identical to what it was since day one and trying to make minor improvements every single day. And here I am today, very happy and thrilled,” Boutwood said on stage at the ceremony. 

Two Michelin stars signify “excellent cooking that is worth a detour.” Interestingly, however, Boutwood was puzzled when he was asked to describe what the experience at Helm is like. 

“I don’t really know,” he admitted to Rappler. “I think for us, the experience is very much unique. The whole setup of the restaurant permits us to create an experience that is unlike anything else. We perform at the end of the day, and we’re just so fortunate that in that process of how we do things, the experience of the whole dining moment is really captivated in people’s memories.” 

Boutwood was overcome with relief when he learned that Helm would get to keep its two Michelin stars again. Pulling that off entailed an entire year of fostering a culture of consistency in the kitchen. 

“The culture that we have in the restaurant, it’s the way forward. Everyone knows their responsibilities. Everyone has the passion. Everyone knows what we want to put onto the table. Sharing this collective culture and sharing it to the world that comes and dines with us is probably the answer that has helped keep us consistent,” Boutwood explained. 

But as the creative mind that keeps Helm’s momentum going, Boutwood ironically finds himself stepping away from the kitchen every once in a while to allow himself to come up with even more ideas to push the boundaries his Makati City restaurant operates within. 

“Occasionally, I find myself taking a little bit of a break, traveling somewhere, trying to not think about food, and then my mind is then cleared, and then I can come back to thinking about food,” he shared with Rappler. 

It had come as no surprise, then, that after the 2027 Michelin Guide ceremony, all he could think about was getting back to work. Perhaps it’s that drive that has allowed Helm to retain its two Michelin stars so easily.  – Rappler.com