Filipino chef behind viral Dubai chocolate launches limited-edition matcha collab

Chef Nouel Catis, the Filipino patissier behind the viral Dubai chocolate, has teamed up with The Matcha Tokyo Philippines for a limited-edition menu that marries Japanese tea culture with his signature creation.

Chef Nouel’s Dubai chocolate, a decadent blend of chocolate, pistachios, and Middle Eastern pastries like kanafeh or kadayif, took the internet by storm earlier this year due to its unique hard exterior and soft interior texture.

The original Dubai chocolate was made by Chef Nouel for FIX Dessert Chocolatier, based in Dubai. Since it gained fame on social media, especially on TikTok, other chocolate brands have created their own versions of it, including Lindt.

For this special collaboration, Chef Nouel worked with Chef Sonny Mariano, executive Filipino chef of The Matcha Tokyo Philippines, to craft a five-item menu available only until the end of December.

The drinks lineup features two indulgent options and the chefs also introduced three exquisite pastries. 

The limited-edition menu is available in select The Matcha Tokyo Philippines branches, including Mitsukoshi BGC, Gateway Mall 2, and Opus Mall, among others. 

—Hermes Joy Tunac/CDC, GMA Integrated News