QUEZON CITY, Philippines — A new culinary chapter is unfolding at Novotel Manila Araneta City, where a team of chefs is reshaping the hotel’s dining experience with a mix of global flavors, Filipino-inspired creations, plant-forward cuisine and more inclusive food options.
The hotel’s latest culinary transformation brings together four major developments: Freshfinity, a new buffet concept at Food Exchange Manila; the reopening of Indulge Gelato & Bakery; a new plant-forward menu at Gourmet Bar by Novotel; and the Halal certification of the hotel’s banquet kitchen.
The initiatives arrive as Novotel Manila Araneta City moves into its next chapter following its 10th year, with the hotel positioning food not simply as a service but as part of a broader experience centered on discovery, connection and responsible dining.
Freshfinity Puts a New Spin on the Buffet
At the heart of the transformation is Freshfinity, the new buffet concept at Food Exchange Manila.
Rather than treating a buffet as simply a large spread of dishes, Freshfinity is designed around six distinct culinary concepts, taking diners from Japanese specialties and Asian favorites to Indian cuisine, Italian dishes, premium meats and seafood, and made-to-order grilled selections.
Novotel’s official dining information describes Freshfinity as a chef-driven journey through Asia and beyond, with six interactive culinary concepts designed around freshness, flavor and discovery. The concept officially launched on August 14, 2026.
Among the featured stations are Maharaja for Indian cuisine, Flavors of Asia for dim sum and regional dishes, Sakura Sumi for Japanese specialties, Cucina Italiana for pasta and pizza, Brasserie Maison for premium meats and seafood, and Butcher’s Block for chef-selected cuts.
The concept also incorporates more deliberate portioning, allowing food to remain fresh while helping reduce unnecessary waste.
A Pastry Comeback With a Filipino Twist
The culinary makeover extends beyond the buffet.
Indulge Gelato & Bakery has reopened with refreshed interiors and a wider selection of pastries, desserts and savory bakery creations under Cluster Executive Pastry Chef Angelique “Angel” Llantanda.
The refreshed pastry lineup includes creations such as Matcha Croissant, Strawberry Ribbon, Pain au Chocolat and Ube Cheese Croissant.
Dessert offerings include Mango Shortcake, Matcha Biscoff Cheesecake and Triple Chocolate Mousse, while savory choices bring Filipino flavors into contemporary bakery formats, including Chicken Adobo Pocket and Longganisa Egg Danish.
The approach reflects a growing interest in combining international pastry techniques with flavors that are familiar to Filipino diners.
Plant-Forward Dining Takes Center Stage
Another major change is taking place at Gourmet Bar by Novotel, where Cluster Executive Chef for Banquet Michael Ramos has introduced a plant-forward menu.
The menu focuses on vegetables, grains, legumes and other plant-based ingredients without positioning the dishes simply as alternatives to meat.
Among the featured creations is Seared Cabbage Steak with miso cream, furikake and crisp nori.
The menu also includes Cauliflower Bibimbap, featuring vegetables, edamame, crispy tofu and sesame gochujang, as well as a Brown Lentils and Sweet Potato Buddha Bowl with fresh vegetables, avocado and miso-turmeric dressing.
The initiative forms part of Novotel’s broader Four Pillars of Life approach—Eat, Sleep, Move and Meet—linking food with everyday wellbeing.
A More Inclusive Banquet Experience
The hotel’s culinary transformation also extends to events.
Novotel Manila Araneta City’s banquet kitchen has received Halal certification, expanding its ability to accommodate guests and organizations seeking Halal-compliant food for meetings, conferences, weddings and other events.
The banquet operation offers international culinary options, including Indian and Chinese cuisine.
The certification is significant for the hotel’s events business because it gives organizers another option when planning gatherings involving guests with specific dietary requirements.
Three Chefs Behind the Transformation
The new culinary direction is being shaped by three members of Novotel Manila Araneta City’s culinary leadership team:
- Chef Athena Tuble, Cluster Executive Chef for Outlets
- Chef Angelique “Angel” Llantanda, Cluster Executive Pastry Chef
- Chef Michael Ramos, Cluster Executive Chef for Banquet
Each brings a different focus to the hotel’s culinary program.
Tuble leads the Freshfinity concept, emphasizing international flavors and culinary discovery. Llantanda oversees the revitalized pastry and bakery program, while Ramos spearheads the plant-forward menu and contributes to the hotel’s broader banquet offerings.
Together, their work reflects a shift from a conventional hotel dining model toward experiences that are more varied, interactive and conscious of changing diner preferences.
Why This Matters for Manila’s Dining Scene
The changes at Novotel Manila Araneta City arrive as diners increasingly look for more than quantity when choosing buffet and hotel dining experiences.
Fresh ingredients, global cuisines, local flavors, healthier choices and dietary inclusivity are becoming increasingly important parts of the modern dining conversation.
Novotel’s approach combines those trends under one roof while maintaining the hotel’s international identity.
Food Exchange Manila already operates as an interactive culinary theater with six cooking stations, offering Japanese, Asian, Indian, grill, international and dessert selections.
The hotel’s wider restaurant portfolio also includes Gourmet Bar, Indulge Gelato and Prana Indian Cuisine, giving the property multiple dining formats rather than a single signature concept.
More Than a Buffet Makeover
What makes the transformation notable is that Freshfinity is only one part of the story.
The reopened bakery, plant-forward menu and Halal-certified banquet kitchen point to a broader strategy: make the dining experience more diverse while responding to changing expectations around food, wellness and inclusivity.
That could give Novotel Manila Araneta City a stronger position in an increasingly competitive Metro Manila dining market.
For diners, the result is a hotel experience that is becoming less about simply filling a plate—and more about discovering something new every time they sit down.
And with Freshfinity already serving guests at Food Exchange Manila, the bigger question may now be:
How far will Novotel Manila take this culinary reinvention—and what will its chefs create next?
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