Josh Boutwood

Josh Boutwood, signature restaurants in the Philippines

Josh Boutwood is a chef and restaurateur born in Bedford, England, on 30 November 1986, to a Filipino father and an English mother. His professional career developed across Spain, the United Kingdom and the Philippines, and he currently brings together several restaurants under his name, as well as a catering service.

Career

His childhood and youth were spent between an English town, the beaches of Boracay and the gastronomic scenes of Northern Europe. He trained between Spain and the United Kingdom, although he preferred working in his mother's restaurants in Spain and Boracay rather than continuing his studies. He started as a dishwasher and kitchen assistant, and in 2010 he opened his first restaurant, Alchemy, in Boracay.

Shortly afterwards he received an offer from The Bistro Group, a food and beverage corporation, which after several menu consultancies brought him on as corporate chef in 2012 at its Manila offices. In that role he gained experience in internal operations, financial management and team leadership.

The restaurants

On 1 February 2017 he opened The Test Kitchen, a small tasting-menu restaurant. The following year he launched two consecutive concepts: Savage, a pre-industrial dining restaurant, in April, and four months later Helm, a new tasting-menu room. In November 2019 The Test Kitchen relocated to Rockwell, Makati, and in 2023 Helm moved to the heart of Makati's financial district. The group also operates Ember and Juniper, and offers catering services.

The chef is currently working on the development of two new concepts planned for 2026.

Services

• Tasting-menu restaurants: The Test Kitchen and Helm.
• Pre-industrial dining: Savage.
• Other venues: Ember and Juniper.
• Catering.

Locations and venues

The Test Kitchen venue: One Rockwell, east tower GF, Rockwell Drive

Savage venue: Arya plaza, GF, McKingly rive. Bonifacio Global City

Helm venue: The Shops at Ayala Triangle Gardens 3F, Makati Avenue

Ember venue: Greenbelt 3, Makati

Juniper venue: Shangrila Plaza GF, StreetScape