THIS IS LIQUID CUISINE

Argentinian beverage consultant Marina Wilkis proves that drinks can participate in the culinary conversation with the same precision, technique, and respect as what's on the plate.

- BEA TRINIDAD

A line I read in a bar stuck with me: “Cocktails are liquid cuisine.” It sounded clever at the time, until I saw it brought to life at Gallery by Chele.

Chef Chele Gonzalez has been running his coconut-focused “Tree of Life” menu since February. But what's happening in his test kitchen Stvdio Lab today pushes things even further. With Marina Wilkis, an Argentine beverage consultant, Gallery by Chele is proving that drinks are no longer just pairings. They can be their own cuisine.

MEET THE ALCHEMIST

“My journey began at the age of 17, inspired by my father—a winemaker and farmer,” Wilkis reflects. “I started as a waitress, discovering a deep passion for hospitality, service, and the art of creating authentic, memorable guest experiences.”

Her curiosity has taken her across the world. At Central in Lima, she learned from indigenous knowledge systems. At Mirazur in France, she developed zero-waste nonalcoholic beverages using ingredients from the garden. At Locavore NXT in Bali, she focused on creating a beverage program highlighting local ingredients and producers.

But it’s her understanding of fermentation — how soil, climate, and fermentation shape the quality of wine —that makes her work in Manila stand out. Now, she’s applying two decades of expertise to transform Filipino ingredients most people take for granted.

THE PROCESS BEHIND THE INNOVATION

In Gallery’s test kitchen, Wilkis creates ingredients that didn’t exist before. Coconut sap ferments for months. Tuba (traditionally consumed fresh) undergoes controlled fermentation. Local ingredients like kamias and batuan are distilled, aged, and transformed into complex flavor profiles that redefine what Filipino ingredients can become.

This isn’t mixing spirits with juice. This is creating new ingredients from scratch.

The Lambanog Sour with kamias and