Competition takes us farther

Your Local chef-owner Patrick M. Go recalls what it was like eating out in the past as he lifts his toque off for Manila Bulletin’s 125th anniversary

Imagine having to think of what to eat, where to eat 30 years ago. We all would probably be needing a newspaper or magazine, or a phone directory, or wait for TV commercials to come up. I remember when I was a kid, we would always go to the same restaurants every week or every month. The only eat all-you-can restaurant that I remember we would always go to was Saisaki and Dad’s. Now, it’s whole different story. 

The accessibility of food establishments today has definitely changed in the recent years. Variety of cuisines, types of restaurants, and a wide range of prices have increased exponentially. It made everything easy for us. People now have several means of accessing these food establishments. 

This convenience we have nowadays can also be a burden to businesses.

The internet changed everything, which is good for the customer side and business side as well. As a chef and restaurant owner, it’s so easy to spread the word about our restaurant nowadays. It’s very efficient for us, especially with the technology we have today. We can provide different services to customers easily, whether at our restaurants or in the comfort of their own homes. 

But this convenience we have nowadays can also be a burden to businesses. Competition is at its highest now. We are all competing with each other since customers now have an unlimited number of establishments to choose from. Still, I would choose this convenience that we have now. Competition may be tough, but it definitely made businesses more creative and more flexible. 

I am very excited about the future of our country’s cuisine and culinary landscape.