Chef Escalante at the Asia's 50 Best. Photo courtesy of Asia's 50 Best Restaurants — Chef Escalante at the Asia’s 50 Best. Photo courtesy of Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants

Chef Antonio 'Tony boy' Escalante. Photo courtesy of Antonio’s Group of Restaurants — Chef Antonio ‘Tony boy’ Escalante. Photo courtesy of Antonio’s Group of Restaurants

MANILA, Philippines—Tagaytay fine dining restaurant Antonio’s made it into the Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants, making it the first Philippine restaurant to break into the prestigious list.

Antonio’s ranked 48th in the list.

The announcement was made in a ceremony held at Capella in Singapore Monday night. The ranking was formed through a voting of 300 industry experts from all over Asia.

Antonio’s, which is the brainchild of Chef Antonio “Tonyboy” Escalante, is the only Filipino restaurant to be included in The Miele Guide to Asia’s Finest Restaurants from 2008 to 2012.

“To be considered one of Asia’s 50 best restaurants is both an honor and a humbling experience,” Escalante said in a statement to INQUIRER.net

“It is also a statement that Filipino cuisine is ready and waiting for the world,” he added.

The restaurant, which was established in Nov. 16, 2002, is known for its sumptuous dishes such as “Lechon de Leche” and the “Spanferckel,” a 40-day piglet stuffed with herbs and fennel.

Last year, Escalante was given the 2014 Manitowoc Restaurateur Award, beating other star chefs from Malaysia, Hong Kong, Indonesia, and Singapore.

Bangkok’s Nahm by Chef David Thompson topped the Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants list in 2014.

Antonio’s makes it to list of Asia’s 50 best restaurants