Budgie Montoya to open restaurant at Market Halls Oxford Street

Chef Ferdinand ‘Budgie’ Montoya is to open a restaurant unit at London’s Market Halls Oxford Circus on 15 May.

Apoy will see the chef continue to champion his Filipino heritage and serve a small menu of meat, fish, and vegan barbecue skewers.

Varieties will include pinoy pork; inasal chicken; garlic and salted egg prawns; and oyster mushroom ‘Isaw’, which will be marinated in the likes of 7UP, banana ketchup, calamansi juice and coconut vinegar.

Each dish will be served with fluffy steamed rice, atchara (pickled green papaya) and a choice of dipping sauces.

Guests can start their meal with Montoya’s signature fried chicken skins, seasoned with sinigang salt, or a selection of sides and snacks.

Montoya said: “I have always loved being able to cook and share the food that I have grown up with , and Apoy feels like an exciting new direction. Street food is such an important part of Filipino culture and I hope I can do justice to something that’s enjoyed across the country.”

Montoya ran Filipino restaurant Sarap Baon in London's Brixton from 2020 until 2022 and a Sarap restaurant residency at 10 Heddon Street in Mayfair until January this year.

The chef also appeared on the 2023 series of the BBC’s Great British Menu, representing London and the south east.

Last year he announced plans to launch an equity crowdfunding campaign to open a new Sarap restaurant in central London. It is understood the chef still hopes to find a new Sarap restaurant site but is currently focusing on Apoy.