A New Chapter in Filipino Fine Dining, Told Through Bacon at Baken 1104

In the world of fine dining, the luxury lies not only in technique or rarity but most especially in intent. At Baken 1104, that intent was crystal clear: to reimagine bacon beyond its conventional context and reintroduce it as a serious, flavorful force in modern cuisine.

Conceived by Baken, a proudly Filipino snack brand famed for its Real Bacon Crisps, this dining experience was more than an exercise in culinary theatrics. It marked the brand’s strategic entrée into the on-trade space, inviting chefs, creatives, and tastemakers to rethink how a familiar ingredient could evolve through craft.

Pandan rice was served with a variety of dried fish and a serving of grilled Real Bacon Crisps, meant to be dipped in homemade vinegar and smoked bacon fat.

Held over several exclusive evenings at Toyo Eatery, the event was presented in collaboration with Chef Jordy Navarra and Chef Johanne Siy of Singapore’s Lolla—two culinary figures celebrated for their progressive interpretations of Filipino flavors. The name “1104,” a nod to the brand’s origins in its first postal code, set the tone for something deeply personal yet forward-facing.

Structured like a culinary narrative, “The Prologue” welcomed guests into Baken’s world. “The Hero” transformed Toyo’s alley into a street-style showcase with fish balls and Bacon Jam sawsawan, smoked bacon and fermented pork empanadas, Piyaya with Real Bacon Crisps and sambal, as well as pork and corn dumplings and rice cakes topped with coconut bacon.

Guests eat around tables lined with banana leaves, kamayan-style.

In “The Feast,” guests gathered kamayan-style around a long table to share well-loved Filipino dishes that seamlessly and deliciously incorporated bacon: kueh pie tee with kesong puti, tuna layered with grilled bacon and calamansi, crab relleno, and grilled bisugo with a bacon-based palapa. The highlight was a lechon finale—slow roasted, golden, and subtly imbued with Baken’s signature touch.

Fried ‘O’ysters, Real Bacon Crisps, Keso Baconsilog; Crab Relleno, Bacon Jam, Pansit-Pansitan.

Guests created their own plates of dessert combinations which included halo-halo, kakanin, and polvoron in “The Private Room” before receiving a gourmet tsokolate bicho during “The Send-Off.”

“Despite Baken being a ready-to-eat snack brand, one can seamlessly incorporate it into recipes given its flavor profile,” shared Siy. “A lot of Filipino dishes are pork-based or would benefit from an extra touch of indulgence—and that’s precisely where Baken can play a role in enhancing the overall dining experience.”

Chefs Johanne Siy and Jordy Navarra, joined by Rachel Carrasco, Baken’s Founder and CEO.

Beyond the plate, the event reflected a deeper mission. “More than a breakfast staple, it’s a craveable obsession that deserves the spotlight all day, every day,” said Rachel Carrasco, Baken’s Founder and CEO.

An affair rooted in a love for Filipino food and for bacon, Baken 1104 positioned itself as an impressive addition to the narrative. A new chapter in Filipino fine dining has begun, and it starts with one indulgent ingredient, treated with the respect it has long deserved.