Margarita Fores, who passed away in Hong Kong on Feb. 11, is more than just a culinary icon: she was also a certified Cat lover.
Fores and felines
In an article by Marge C. Enriquez for The Diarist PH, Fores’ love for Cats started when she moved to Makati in 2006 after two black Cats visited her house. After adopting them, she named them after Chinese emperors Ming and Pui.
“I was never a pet person, but I fell in love with the [C]ats’ personalities,” said Fores. She chose to care for community Cats, saying, “There are so many of them, and it would be nice to give them a home.”
The chef was known for the support she gave to CARA Welfare Philippines.
Cat mom
Over time, Fores cared for more community Cats, some of them found hanging around her restaurants. She also took them to the vet to have them neutered.
She adopted three Cats named Goldie, Orangina, and Carlos, who had a burn injury in one eye. They would sit on the couches of her restaurant Lusso at Greenbelt 5, or on the steps of the Ayala Museum.
Fores had a tendency to name her adopted companions based on where she found them. For instance, Gracie was found near Grace Park.
Down to earth
Despite being a culinary legend, Fores was a down-to-earth person. Food blogger Masarap Ba shared their conversations with the chef on Instagram.
In one of those Instagram stories, Fores sent a photo of an adopted Cat. The blogger’s caption reads, “She always sends me photos ng mga narescue [niya]. Grabe ang puso ni Chef @margaritafores sa strays. Super dami nyang natulungan.”
The blogger also shared some of Fores’ plans for the future, including a neuter-and-adopt event in Cubao, which they still hope would happen someday in honor of the chef.
