Kevin Tan Brings Years of Beef Sourcing Expertise to Gyukatsu まつ村’s Manila Debut
Before becoming a restaurateur, Kevin Tan built his career sourcing premium beef for the Philippine market. That expertise became the foundation of Gyukatsu まつ村 Boracay, the Japanese restaurant now expanding to Bonifacio Global City with the opening of Gyukatsu まつ村 BGC.
Long before he opened a restaurant, Kevin Tan spent years understanding the one ingredient that would eventually define it. While many restaurateurs begin with a menu and source ingredients afterward, Tan developed his expertise in premium beef first—an approach that would later shape Gyukatsu まつ村 Boracay.
Representing the second generation of a family involved in the Philippine meat import industry, Tan spent years behind the scenes learning the craftsmanship required to produce exceptional beef. His experience with marbling, breed characteristics, aging techniques, provenance, and the logistics required to preserve quality gave him a perspective more commonly associated with importers and butchers than restaurant operators.
That background continues to shape the philosophy behind Gyukatsu まつ村 Boracay and now its Metro Manila expansion, Gyukatsu まつ村 BGC.
“I believe gyukatsu can become the next major food movement in the Philippines—the way pickleball rapidly emerged as a new lifestyle trend. As the samgyupsal wave begins to mature, Filipino diners are ready for a fresh, interactive Japanese dining experience, and gyukatsu is well positioned to meet that demand. We are not simply in the business of selling dishes. In many ways, we operate like a technology company in the food industry: constantly studying consumer behavior, identifying emerging trends, testing new ideas, improving our systems, and innovating before the market becomes saturated. When a restaurant or food concept in Japan consistently draws one- to two-hour lines, it tells us that demand is greater than supply. We see that as a problem worth solving. Our role is to bring these sought-after Japanese food experiences closer to Filipinos—preserving their authentic foundation while thoughtfully refining them for the Filipino palate. Our vision is to make premium Japanese food more accessible through exceptional products, excellent service, continuous innovation, and fair pricing. We are not merely following trends; we aim to identify, localize, and help shape the next generation of dining experiences in the Philippines.”
Founded under Ikigai International Restaurant OPC, named after the Japanese philosophy of purposeful living, Gyukatsu まつ村 Boracay specializes in gyukatsu, a lightly breaded, deep-fried beef cutlet served rare to medium rare and finished by diners on a hot stone at the table. For Tan, the dish is only as good as the beef beneath its crisp coating. Its simplicity leaves little room to hide imperfections, making sourcing one of the most important elements of the experience.
“Most restaurants buy from a distributor and trust what they receive,” Tan said. “We start with the beef we know is right and build the dish around it.”
Since opening in Boracay, Gyukatsu まつ村 Boracay has become a destination for travelers seeking a Japanese beef dining experience rarely found elsewhere in the Philippines. Visitors who first discovered the restaurant while vacationing on the island have continued to follow the brand long after returning home, with many returning on subsequent trips and introducing friends and family to the restaurant.
Its signature set meals, which pair gyukatsu with carefully selected Japanese accompaniments, have attracted tourists, local residents, and food enthusiasts who appreciate the consistency and quality of the dining experience.
This September, Tan brings that same philosophy to Metro Manila with Gyukatsu まつ村 BGC at Park Triangle Mall in Bonifacio Global City—a dining district known for discerning diners and a constantly evolving culinary landscape.
The new restaurant will operate with the same sourcing network, quality standards, and operational discipline that have defined Gyukatsu まつ村 Boracay since its opening, allowing the team to maintain consistency from ingredient selection through final preparation.
“Growth”, Tan says, “has always been intentional”. Rather than pursuing rapid expansion, Ikigai International Restaurant OPC opens new restaurants only when it can replicate the same sourcing standards, operational discipline, and guest experience that established the Boracay restaurant. In the case of Gyukatsu まつ村 BGC, years of requests from Metro Manila diners made the decision a natural next step.
For Tan, the expansion is not simply about opening another restaurant.
It is about bringing the same commitment to craftsmanship, sourcing, and Japanese hospitality that defined Gyukatsu まつ村 Boracay to a new audience in the country’s capital.
Gyukatsu まつ村 BGC is scheduled to open at Park Triangle Mall in Bonifacio Global City, Taguig, in early September 2026.
