Margarita Manzke

Born and raised in the Philippines, Margarita Manzke entered the Los Angeles scene working at some of the city’s most celebrated restaurants, including Patina, Spago, and Mélisse. In the early 2000s, she and her husband Walter moved to Carmel, opening critically acclaimed dining concepts Bouchée, Cantinetta Luca and l’Auberge Carmel, which is where her signature French baguette was mastered. Manzke eventually returned to Los Angeles as Pastry Chef of Bastide Restaurant, and, in the years to come, opened several award-winning concepts in Los Angeles, including République, Petty Cash Taqueria, Sari Sari Store, Bicyclette, and Manzke.

Manzke pushed the boundaries of her craft at République, introducing her own distinctive techniques and flavors into her creations. As a result of her inspired work at République, Manzke has been nominated for the James Beard Awards Outstanding Pastry Chef category for eight consecutive years running, with a win for Outstanding Pastry Chef or Baker in 2023. République has continued to make its mark on the culinary landscape of Los Angeles as a frequent entry on the Los Angeles Times “101 Best” List and one of Restaurant Critic Bill Addison’s most recommended LA restaurants to both friends and readers.

In addition to her other restaurants, Manzke is well known for her Sari Sari Store in the historic Grand Central Market, which brings a fresh take on the Filipino food of her upbringing to Downtown Los Angeles. Internationally, her reach includes sixteen Wildflour Bakery and Cafés in the Philippines. In 2021, she and Chef Walter opened Bicyclette Bistro in Beverly Hills, which celebrates traditional Parisian bistro cuisine through the lens of hyper-seasonal California ingredients. Their latest venture upstairs—simply called ‘Manzke’—opened in March of 2022 and takes her storied career to the next level in the form of a refined tasting menu concept, which earned one Michelin Star in 2023.

After being nominated for eight years running, Manzke received the James Beard Award for Outstanding Pastery Chef or Baker in 2023.