A boundary-breaking dinner celebrating Filipina excellence—James Beard nominees Tara Monsod (Animae, San Diego) and Melissa Miranda (Musang, Seattle) bring their Filipino vision to the table. Influenced from Italian and French culinary backgrounds, expect bold flavors, confident plating, and a West Coast lens on heritage cuisine.
Tara Monsod brings over a decade of kitchen experience, a lifetime of passion, and a culinary perspective shaped by her upbringing as a Filipino-American to her role as Executive Chef of Puffer Malarkey Collective’s ANIMAE and Le Coq in San Diego. Monsod’s culinary journey includes positions at San Diego’s most prominent restaurants, including a stint on the opening kitchen team at Richard Blais’ Juniper & Ivy, where she learned the importance of utilizing all parts of an ingredient and whole animal butchery. Monsod continued honing her craft through line cook positions at Brian Malarkey’s Herringbone and Burlap, and Nancy Silverton’s Mozza, prior to joining the ANIMAE team as Executive Sous Chef under James Beard Award Winner Nate Appleman in early 2021. Through his encouragement, she expanded her repertoire in fine-dining, while also experimenting with the Filipino flavors she’s always known.
In summer 2021, Monsod assumed the Executive Chef role, immediately garnering accolades for her reinterpretation of ANIMAE’s culinary origins through dishes revelatory of her heritage including Tuna Kinilaw, Kare Kare Short Ribs and Pork Tomahawk Tocino. Monsod was named San Diego’s first-ever James Beard Foundation Best Chef California finalist in April 2024, recognition that reflects her commitment to her craft, and the supportive and positive environment she’s established at the restaurant to nurture the growth of her team.
Mirroring Brian Malarkey and Christopher Puffer’s emphasis on hospitality and generosity, Monsod can be seen walking the dining room on any given night, greeting and cultivating meaningful connections with guests. Sharing her cuisine motivates and moves her, and her hope is to become a culinary ambassador and mentor to the legions of Asian American and Pacific Islander cooks who aspire to break into the restaurant industry.
Melissa Miranda is the chef and owner of Musang, a Filipino restaurant and community gathering space in Seattle’s Beacon Hill neighborhood, which opened in January 2020. After attending culinary school in Florence, Italy, Mel honed her skills in kitchens across Italy and spent two years cooking in New York City before returning to her hometown of Seattle. There, she served as sous chef at Bar Del Corso while developing the vision for Musang.
Rooted in family, heritage, and storytelling, Musang has become a deeply personal space Mel describes as “for us, by us.” She leads a team that crafts dishes inspired by childhood memories and regional Filipino traditions, contributing to a dynamic reimagining of contemporary Filipino American cuisine. During the pandemic, she shared recipes and stories with Bon Appétit’s Test Kitchen, introducing wider audiences to the depth of Filipino cooking.
Community and collaboration remain central to Mel’s work. She is passionate about using her platform to uplift others and create space for shared growth and visibility. In 2022, she was named one of Food & Wine’s Best New Chefs, and she is a two-time James Beard Award
semifinalist and finalist in 2024.
In 2023, she expanded her culinary vision with the opening of Kilig, her second restaurant in Seattle’s Chinatown-International District. Centered on Pancit and Bulalo, Kilig deepens her commitment to celebrating Filipino cuisine and community in the heart of Filipino Town.
Through food, Melissa continues to honor the richness of Filipino culture while reimagining it for a new generation—inviting everyone to the table to learn, share, and celebrate. Her work is a reflection of deep-rooted care, resilience, and pride—and a promise to keep building spaces that nourish both body and spirit.
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