Healing Through Flavour & Redefining Wellness Cuisine: A conversation with Chef Rosemarie Pagcaliwagan, The Farm

At The Farm at San Benito, one of the Philippines’ leading wellness retreats, food isn’t just fuel — it’s therapy. At the centre of this philosophy is Chef Rosemarie Pagcaliwagan, better known as Chef Marie.

As the pioneering tastemaker behind ALIVE!, the resort’s acclaimed vegan restaurant, Chef Marie has redefined what wellness cuisine can be. Her culinary approach blends ancient plant-based traditions with cutting-edge raw techniques — all while supporting guests on journeys of healing and transformation.

Having worked under renowned vegan chefs like Chad Sarno and Felix Schoener, Chef Marie brings a globally inspired, nutritionally focused edge to every dish. Her menus are rich in live enzymes, probiotics, anti-inflammatory ingredients, and adaptogens — each one crafted to support everything from gut health to chronic disease management.

In this exclusive conversation with The Knife, Chef Marie shares how she’s shaped ALIVE!’s evolution, what makes her food functional as well as flavourful, and why she believes vegan cuisine is the future of holistic healing.

Chef Marie

• When did you first get introduced to wellness cuisine?

I was introduced to wellness cuisine through my training - learning about how food can be not just delicious, but also deeply healing. A lot of it came from studying plant-based, organic, and raw food traditions, where every ingredient is chosen not just for flavour but for its energy, its life force.

• How have you played a role in innovating the menu at ALIVE! at The Farm at San Benito? What are some dishes you have introduced?

At ALIVE!, innovation is about honouring the healing power of food while keeping it exciting and fresh. I played a role by introducing more diverse fermentation techniques, sprouting methods, and global plant-based flavours to the menu — blending ancient wellness traditions with modern culinary creativity. 

Some dishes I helped introduce might include:

1. Activated Seed and Nut Cheeses with live probiotics, served with raw flax crackers.

2. Fresh Salad Roll made with jicama rice, carrots, cabbage and coconut aminos.

3. Raw Pad Thai using spiralised zucchini and coconut noodles, tossed in a tamarind-coconut amino sauce.

4. Living Lasagna — layers of zucchini, tomatoes, basil pesto, and cashew ricotta cheese.

Dish at The Farm at San Benito

• How can lifestyle diseases be alleviated through food?

Lifestyle diseases like diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, and even some forms of cancer are often triggered or worsened by chronic inflammation, poor nutrition, and unhealthy habits. The beautiful thing is that food can be a powerful form of medicine when approached mindfully.

At ALIVE! we use plant-based, organic, and living foods to support the body's natural healing processes. Here's how food can alleviate lifestyle diseases:

1. Anti-inflammatory nutrition: Foods rich in antioxidants, such as leafy greens, berries, turmeric and ginger, can help reduce systemic inflammation — a major contributor to diseases like arthritis and heart disease. Example dish at ALIVE!: Anti-Inflammatory Buddha Bowl with turmeric-infused quinoa, roasted vegetables, and tahini dressing.

2. Balancing blood sugar: Whole, fibre-rich foods like sprouted legumes, chia seeds, and raw vegetables help stabilise blood sugar levels, supporting diabetes management and even reversal. Example dish at ALIVE!: Zucchini Noodle Pad Thai with a low-glycemic tamarind almond sauce.

3. Heart health support: By focusing on omega-3-rich seeds (like flax and chia), leafy greens, and foods low in saturated fat, ALIVE! promotes cardiovascular wellness. Example dish at ALIVE!: Living Sushi with flaxseed "rice" and marinated veggies wrapped in nori.

4. Gut microbiome nourishment: Fermented foods like kimchi, sauerkraut, and cultured nut cheeses improve digestion and boost immunity, which is linked to everything from mental health to chronic disease prevention. Example dish at ALIVE!: Fermented Cashew Cheese Platter with raw vegetable crudités.

5. Detoxification support: Raw, high-water content foods like cucumbers, celery, and citrus fruits help the body flush out toxins naturally.

• How did working under vegan chefs like Chad Sarno and Felix Shoener shape your interest in the vegan food space?

Working under visionary vegan chefs like Chad Sarno and Felix Schoener was truly transformational. 

Chad Sarno taught me that vegan food isn't about deprivation — it's about abundance, creativity, and elevating plants to be the star of the plate. Through his influence, I saw how techniques like smoking, grilling, fermenting, and layering textures could make plant-based dishes just as exciting — if not more exciting — than traditional ones. He showed me that plant-based cuisine could be luxurious, soulful, and globally inspired.

Felix Schoener, with his background in healing cuisine and his work at wellness destinations like The Farm at San Benito, instilled a deep respect for ingredient purity and functional food — meaning food that actively supports health and healing. From him, I learned the artistry of creating beautiful dishes that are 100% raw, organic, and medicinal without sacrificing flavour or beauty. 

Their mentorship made me realise that vegan cuisine is not just food — it’s philosophy, it's art, and its medicine. That's a huge part of why my passion today is about making wellness food beautiful, soulful, and deeply healing.

Dish at The Farm at San Benito

• From where do you source the ingredients used in the food at ALIVE! ? Are there any local farmers you work with regularly?

At ALIVE!, we believe that food should be as fresh, pure, and local as possible — because that's where the real healing begins. 

Most of our ingredients are sourced directly from The Farm’s own organic gardens right here at The Farm at San Benito. We grow a wide variety of herbs, leafy greens, tropical fruits, vegetables, and medicinal plants right on the property. This way, we can harvest ingredients at their peak vitality — often just hours before they reach your plate. You can literally taste the difference in the energy of the food.

For ingredients we don’t grow ourselves — like specialty seeds, nuts, or certain fruits — we work closely with a network of local organic farmers in Batangas and nearby provinces. These are small, passionate growers who share our commitment to chemical-free, regenerative farming.

Some of our favourite ingredients sourced locally include:

1. Organic coconuts (for coconut yogurt, cheeses, and smoothies)

2. Heirloom tomatoes

3. Malunggay (Moringa)

4. Tropical fruits like papaya, mango, and calamansi

5. Native greens like alugbati and kangkong

Whenever possible, we prioritise heirloom and indigenous varieties — honouring the rich biodiversity of the Philippines.

• The Farm at San Benito has turned into a key destination for wellness enthusiasts. How have the food offerings innovated by you played a role in shaping the hotel's agenda in the wellness space?

The innovations we’ve introduced at ALIVE! have been a huge part of helping The Farm evolve from a beautiful retreat into a world-class wellness destination. Here’s how our food offerings thet have played a role:

1. Aligning Food with Healing Programs: The menus at ALIVE! aren’t random — they’re therapeutically aligned with The Farm’s detox programs, weight management journeys, diabetes reversal treatments, and immune-boosting therapies. Every bite is intentionally crafted to support healing — from gut-repairing fermented foods to anti-inflammatory superfoods. Food becomes an extension of the medical and holistic therapies offered at The Farm.

2. Introducing Functional and Medicinal Foods: We’ve moved beyond “healthy eating” into the world of functional food — dishes rich in adaptogens, probiotics, antioxidants, and plant-based proteins that actively promote healing, balance, and rejuvenation.

3. Elevating the Dining Experience: By focusing on raw vegan artistry, fermentation techniques, and global plant-based flavours, we’ve transformed guests' perception of "wellness food." It’s no longer seen as restrictive — it's exciting, vibrant, and luxurious. Dining at ALIVE! becomes a key experience guests look forward to, not just a meal they “have to” eat during their detox.

4. Sustainability as Wellness: The way we source, prepare, and serve food reflects a deep commitment to planetary wellness too — farm-to-table, zero-waste practices, and regenerative agriculture. Guests leave not only feeling healthier but also feeling connected to a bigger mission of healing the earth.

5. Education and Empowerment: Through workshops, living food academies, and hands-on experiences, guests don't just eat well — they learn how to live well. They take the philosophy of healing food back home with them, extending The Farm’s impact far beyond their stay.

Dish at The Farm at San Benito

• Since you are a leading chef in the wellness space, how do you personally maintain a diet and nutrition?

For me, it's about living in harmony with nature and respecting my body the way I respect the ingredients I cook with. The same healing energy I put into the dishes at ALIVE! is what I try to nurture inside myself every day.

• Are there any renowned figures you haven't cooked for yet or hope to cook for?

I’m deeply honoured to say that I’ve had the privilege of cooking for some incredible individuals in the wellness space, people who truly understand and appreciate the power of food as medicine. 

A few renowned figures who have dined at ALIVE!:

• Dr. Belo – A pioneer in the Philippine wellness and beauty industry, known for her work in holistic health. She really resonated with the healing power of plant-based, organic cuisine.

• Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. – A prominent political figure in the Philippines and the current President of the country. He is the son of Ferdinand Marcos Sr., the former president of the Philippines, and Imelda Marcos, a former first lady.

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