Manila via Shanghai, San Francisco & Bali
Chef Anna Bautista arrived at fine dining by way of rigor. Classically trained in French technique with a deep immersion in California-Italian cuisine, she spent years at Michelin-starred Madera in San Francisco, absorbing the discipline and philosophy of a kitchen that demanded both precision and soul. She wasn't chasing titles — she was chasing the perfect bite.
Chef Sean Jorgensen arrived by way of fire. Over two decades in Southern American kitchens, he developed a bone-deep reverence for Cajun and Creole cooking, for soul food's generosity, for the alchemy of low heat and smoke and time. From New Orleans to the legendary Liquid Laundry and The Cannery in Shanghai, to Ku De Ta in Bali — he followed flavor wherever it led.
They met in Shanghai, where they co-founded Blue Plate Consulting, and discovered that their philosophies — seemingly opposed — were actually in conversation. Her precision complemented his boldness. His appetite for smoke matched her hunger for umami. Together, they built menus that moved people.
Oak & Smoke is the culmination of that conversation — the flagship they always planned to bring home. They chose Manila, chose Salcedo Village, and chose binchotan charcoal as the medium. The grill is the grammar; the dishes are the language. When you sit down at Oak & Smoke, you are eating the result of two extraordinary careers and one shared vision.
