Homecomings, Breakfast and Brunch at Maker and Made BGC

When a group of skilled Filipino expats from Singapore's vibrant culinary scene returns home, it's a homecoming of sorts and a celebration guaranteed to warm everyone's hearts. But the story gets even better when these same talented chefs and baristas decide to open their own restaurant bringing with them a modern, refined and conscientious perspective on comforting cuisine adding yet another layer to BGC's bustling culinary landscape. Welcome home to Maker and Made BGC...

In an inspiring story that's still unfolding, Filipino Expat Chef Rue Ribon and her team of baristas and F&B professionals have returned home from Singapore in pursuit of a dream of owning their own restaurant. Mastering western culinary techniques specifically Australian style brunches from their stints abroad, Chef Rue and her culinary partners brings their wealth of experience with popular and hearty western style breakfast and brunch staples infused with creative local touches and a newfound passion for local and sustainable produce to the metro at Maker and Made BGC. Read on for a tasty peek at their wide selection of innovative specialty dishes...

Fresh-baked artisan bread, local single-origin coffee and sumptuous Australian style brunch staples injected with a creative Filipino twist, all the elements for a comforting all-day breakfast makes its way to the The Fort at Maker and Made BGC. Located along 5th Avenue at Milestone at Fifth Avenue, Maker and Made BGC is the newest breakfast and brunch destination in the busy commercial and business district. Open from 7am to 5pm daily, start your day right with Chef Rue's inspired renditions of breakfast and brunch paired with their specialty coffee and beverages at Maker and Made BGC. 

That's right, they close at 5pm. And that's because Chef Rue and her partners believe in giving their staff adequate time to prepare for the next day's service. 

Inside Maker and Made BGC, the modern industrial theme with rustic brick walls, exposed ceilings, warm wood tones, long bar counter, sleek stainless steel and glass windows combine for a casual and laid-back vibe. That's a mandatory prerequisite for a comforting breakfast and brunch, and Maker and Made BGC nails it. But there's another interesting back story behind the newest dining concept in Bonifacio Global City...

The name of the establishment itself tells the story of the cyclical connections from local farming communities and local produce to the kitchen and dish served to your table at Maker and Mark BGC. Chef Rue and her partners are advocates of sustainable local produce and farming communities, and you'll find this uncompromising mission not only in the fresh local ingredients used in the kitchen as well their coffee beans but in their ceramic dinnerware too. Handcrafted with subtle elegance in its imperfection, the plates and cups are uniquely shaped and different adding to the character of Maker and Made BGC. Chef Rue recognizes the role of local producers in the end product or the various dishes served at Maker and Made BGC. For Chef Rue, each dish at Maker and Made BGC is a fruitful collaboration with the local producers and farming communities.

All of Maker and Made BGC's specialties like their fresh-baked bread are tediously made in-house with all-natural ingredients and absolutely no preservatives or any form of industrial intervention to minimize any impact to the environment. Thinking of bringing home some of their fresh-baked treats? Go ahead and have it packed in eco-friendly biodegradable packaging provided by Maker and Made BGC. 

It's these elements that seamlessly ties everything together for a concept that's slowly gaining momentum in the local culinary scene. 

Championing this concept behind Maker and Mark BGC is Chef Rue Ribon, a veteran culinary professional with years of experience in leading dining establishments abroad. Along with Chef Rue, Maker and Made BGC's core partners are all former expats and F&B veterans bringing all the expertise and culinary styles learned in Singapore to BGC's culinary landscape.

Drawing inspiration from Australian style breakfast and brunch staples, Chef Rue includes the all-natural ingredients and made from scratch philosophy into the menu for fresh, bold and real flavors. But Chef Rue goes a step further by infusing distinct local flavors for a playfully inventive spin in many of her dishes.     

At around half an hour past 11am a few weekends back, a long queue outside Maker and Made BGC somehow made me feel that this new establishment is no longer a secret. Fast becoming a popular hangout for residents of the area, Maker and Made BGC is a welcome addition to diverse culinary landscape of the commercial and business district. In the kitchen, Chef Rue and her team expedite orders in a seemingly continuous stream...

...as more guests started to arrive seated at the bar counter waiting for a table. Maker and Made BGC also offers al fresco dining for more seating options. There's just something so comforting about breakfast and brunch, and Maker and Made BGC knows it. And so do the diners waiting outside.

The short preamble at the menu clearly describes Maker and Made BGC's mission. "Your brunch favorites are prepared using fresh fruits and vegetables sourced from family-owned and operated farms just outside of the city. We seek to highlight local produce through wholesome and hearty meals. Everything at Maker and Made BGC is a collaboration with the community - of farmers, growers, and craftsmen to create a truly Australian-style brunch with original Filipino sensibilities."

Chef Rue's previous role abroad as a chef in an Australian-themed brunch establishment exposed her to Australian farmer's markets showcasing a variety of all-natural produce and it's impact both on flavor and the environment. You can find organic and sustainable produce locally, and Chef Rue has made it her personal mission to source the freshest and finest local ingredients. It's this key learning and philosophy Chef Rue and her partners would like to bring to the table here at Maker and Made BGC. 

That day, we sampled some of Maker and Made BGC's Breakfast and Lunch signature dishes starting with the Beef & Marrow Burger (P 530). Imagine not just one but two thick and juicy beef patties slathered with buttery marrow, bacon shallot marmalade, sauerkraut and mayo mustard served with shoestring sweet potato fries and you get the picture. The flavors are unbelievably rich yet clean with the beef patties and marrow draping the palate with that lingering buttery finish perfectly tempered by the bacon shallot marmalade, sauerkraut and mayo mustard. The shoestring sweet potato fries is Chef Rue's creative play on infusing local flavors. And it works.

A meal in itself, the Beef & Marrow Burger is an impressive introduction to Maker and Made BGC's culinary style and easily one of the best new burgers in the metro. Another must-try is their Fried Chicken Sanger (P 470) for an alternative to beef. Part of the Maker and Made BGC's tempting Lunch Menu, other popular items include the Ceviche and Green Beans Salad (P 410), Grilled Seasonal Veggie Salad (P 420) and Portabello & Kale Toastie (P 460). The repertoire of dishes reflect the western and more specifically Australian inspiration with its use of farm-fresh sustainable produce.  

Capping all the flavors are the fresh-baked and buttery brioche bun made in-house and the shoestring sweet potato fries for a flavorful twist. It's easy to see why this is one of their popular dishes on the menu. Burgers for brunch? Absolutely. And make that the Beef & Marrow Burger. At Maker and Made BGC.

From their All-Day Breakfast Menu, the Mushroom Scotch Egg with Eggplant and Mung Bean Hummus (P 410) with puffed black rice, paprika, chili oil and fresh herbs is another winning number from Chef Rue's playbook of flavorful creations. Instead of the traditional ground beef, Chef Rue wraps the Scotch Egg with finely minced mushrooms and puffed black rice for deep, nutty and earthy notes with every bite completed by the richness of the egg. The Mung Bean Hummus adds both textural contrast and flavors to the dish.

The Mushroom Scotch Eggs are ably supported by an equally stellar cast of paprika, chili oil and fresh herbs adding a colorful palette of flavors from subtle smoky hints to minty notes and that finishing touch of soothing heat from the chili oil. And don't forget to mop up the egg with the thin and crisp sourdough pan de sal toast on the side from their own in-house baker.  

When it comes to coffee, be sure to have a chat with Freddie. One of the core members of Chef Rue's team of Filipino expats, Freddie brings years of experience to Maker and Made BGC's own coffee culture. In fact, the cup pictured above is designed by Freddie in collaboration with local artisans allowing you to experience coffee from the fragrant aroma to each satisfying sip.

Using coffee beans locally sourced from coffee farmers in Mt. Apo, Bukidnon and other regions, Maker and Made BGC is equally serious with their coffee. A single origin Filter Coffee (P 180) is the best way to enjoy its pure and soothing notes. 

Maker and Made BGC also offers a wide selection of fresh juices and smoothies like the Red Dragon (P 245) with its blend of avocado, dragon fruit, honey, oat milk and chia seeds...

...and the Super Green (P 245) with pineapple, cucumber, spirulina, moringa and grapes. One sip and the rejuvenating effects are immediately felt with the all-natural blend of fruits and vegetables. Other options include the Dalandan Orange (P 245), Minty Watermelon (P 245), Breakfast Smoothie (P 245) and the playfully inventive Halo-Halo X Pandan Smoothie (P 245).

The Tapa Benedict (P 520) is Chef Rue's cool local spin on a breakfast classic with fork-tender braised beef brisket tapa and poached eggs on fresh-baked sourdough pan de sal toast draped in Béarnaise sprinkled with paprika and topped with fresh herbs. Masterfully executed, it's one more perfect start to your day at Maker and Made BGC.

The comfortingly familiar and distinct notes of beef tapa punches through with each bite, smoothened by the richness of the poached eggs and creamy Béarnaise sauce punctuated by the subtle smoky hints from the paprika. And the sourdough pan de sal does the job in absorbing all the concentrated notes from the different components of the dish. A western style breakfast yet so much close to home, this is "Australian style brunch with original Filipino sensibilities" elegantly plated at Maker and Made BGC.

Other must-try breakfast items from the menu include the Farmer's Breakfast (P 630), Three Cheese Croque (P 430), Maker and Made Granola (P 450), Avocado on Toast (P 410) and House-Made Candy Brisket (P 540).

And Chef Rue and her team has more surprising twists from their kitchen...

That day, Chef Rue shared some of her daily specials dependent on the fresh seasonal harvests of local farmers...

...like the Onion & Chevre Galette, a rustic and delicately crisp pastry topped with onions, onion sauce and goat cheese from Malagos. The bite and sweetness of the caramelized onions are complemented by the creamy goat cheese and buttery flaky pastry for contrasting yet balanced bites...

...while the Oyster Mushrooms and Avocado on Focaccia Toast delivers fresh, clean and even savory notes. Informed by her local farmer of a fresh harvest of mushrooms just recently, Chef Rue conceptualized a dish for the daily specials based on the available ingredient. And that's how it is at Maker and Made BGC, with dishes made based on what's fresh, in season and available so you get to enjoy real flavors. 

The nutty notes of oyster mushrooms and creamy texture and sweetness of avocado combine for comforting flavors with the crisp focaccia as the perfect base.  

From the All-Day Breakfast Menu, Chef Rue served another popular bestseller with the Salmon Stracciatella Toast (P 510) with beet-cured salmon, turmeric onion, red radish, pickled tomatoes and seasonal herbs on country toast. The vibrant colors become a visual cue to the fresh and diverse flavors of the dish.

The melt-in-your-mouth and buttery finish of the premium beet-cured salmon drapes the palate with indulgent notes while the pickled tomatoes add a distinct sharpness to the play on flavors. And don't forget to squeeze some of that chili flake-crusted calamansi for an added layer of flavor and some soothing heat. The freshness of the ingredients and the combination of flavors from the beet-cured salmon to the pickled tomatoes and chili flake-crusted calamansi perfectly captures the mission and advocacy of Chef Rue and her partners for Maker and Made BGC.

Fresh off the kitchen, one more classic breakfast staple is served... 

The Ricotta Banana Hotcake (P 390) with house whipped vanilla ricotta, seasonal fruits, seeds and edible flowers drizzled with house syrup is guaranteed to brighten up your day at Maker and Made BGC.

Soft and fluffy, the sweetness of bananas teases the palate while contrasting textures from the house whipped ricotta, seeds and grapes completes the dish. Like all their dishes served that day, the play on flavors and textures with the freshest ingredients make all the difference in starting your day right.

And there's one more layer to your dining experience at Maker and Made BGC, gently poured to complete your day...

Coffee is an integral part of the breakfast experience, and Freddie is your man at Maker and Made BGC for the perfect brew. A seasoned barista with years of experience abroad, he'll gladly run you through the different brewed options at Maker and Made BGC.

From Filter Coffee to Espresso, Piccolo, Long Black, White Coffee or Flat White and Cappuccino, Mocha and Creamy Affogato, Maker and Made BGC has just the right brew for you.

The summer heat of the early afternoon called for a Cold Brew, and the Nitro White (P 180) with Oat Milk seemed the right choice. One sip, and you know you picked right. Not into coffee? That's sad, but you can go for the Chai Latte, Nitro Iced Tea, Hot Chocolate and Handcrafted Herbal Tea at Maker and Made BGC.

Pair your refreshing Nitro White with the indulgent Sticky Date Pudding (P 190) with almond flakes, vanilla ice cream and whey butterscotch for that perfect sweet ending at Maker and Made BGC. Other dessert options include the Tapioca and Banana Fritters (P 160), Churros (P 150) and Mango Yogurt Panna Cotta (P 210).

Breakfast, brunch or simply just a cup of coffee, Maker and Made BGC is your new spot for some good vibes. 

And don't forget to bring home some of the homemade fresh-baked creations like their specialty Sourdough...

...or their popular Sourdough Pan de Sal, flaky Croissants and Bagels... 

...along with a bag of their local single origin coffee beans and other gourmet products so you can recreate the Maker and Made BGC experience at home.

Less than a year after the long days of the quarantine, it's good to see the culinary scene slowly re-emerging once more from the pandemic experience with new players. In a continuing story with more chapters yet to unfold, Chef Rue and her partners have returned home after years of working abroad and are all set to change the local breakfast and brunch game with a newfound purpose and mission in another new journey. For sure, it's a story that's truly inspiring with so many possibilities to discover and experience. In the meantime, meet me for coffee. And brunch. At Maker and Made BGC...      

Maker and Made BGC is located at the Ground Floor of Milestone at Fifth Avenue, Bonifacio Global City, 1634 Taguig City. You can call +63 928 488 1325 (SMS/WhatsApp) or visit their IG feed at https://www.instagram.com/makerandmadebgc/ for more information and updates.

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