Hinabi Privé: A Groundbreaking Fusion of Filipino Heritage and Immersive Art in Manila

NATIONWIDE - NOVEMBER 2025 - (USAnews.com) — Hinabi Privé, a revolutionary cultural experience dubbed “one of the most intriguing cultural debuts” by The Londoner Post, is set to captivate Manila with its exclusive, invite-only live art gatherings. This unique cultural moment offers a multi-sensory celebration of Filipino heritage, inviting guests to engage in an intimate ritual that weaves together original music, craft cocktails, and immersive storytelling. These ultra-exclusive events will unfold in undisclosed locations across Manila, making them a must-see and must-fly-to event of the year for those in-the-know.

A Living Art Experience Rooted in Filipino Heritage

At the heart of Hinabi Privé is a bold and rebellious vision: to blend Filipino tradition with contemporary artistry to create a sensory ritual unlike anything else. With each gathering, guests are invited into a transformative experience where Filipino culture is not merely observed but felt deeply. It’s a cultural movement that uses every element of the evening, food, music, drink, and ceremony, to tell the story of the Philippines.

This is a brand-new format, designed to bring together the worlds of hospitality, art, and cultural preservation, and it comes to life thanks to the vision of Pat Villaceran, a global startup founder, CEO mentor, and social entrepreneur. Villaceran, known for applying bold innovation strategies to scale global brands, now brings her expertise to a new space, one focused on elevating Filipino culture in the global conversation through immersive art.

"I've spent years scaling global brands through bold innovation strategies," Villaceran explains. "Hinabi Privé applies that same non-confirmist and pioneering framework to cultural preservation. We're not creating a restaurant experience; we're building a live art format that challenges everything hospitality thinks it knows."

A Cross-Cultural Collaboration with James Harris

To bring her vision to life, Villaceran collaborates with James Harris, a British mixologist, composer, and the co-creator of the concept. Harris, known for blending music and mixology, takes his craft to the next level by integrating cocktails that tell a story, using flavors and techniques that connect guests to Filipino heritage. Each cocktail is a narrative art form, designed to deepen the cultural experience of the evening.

“We’re opening temporary tears in the veil where Filipino culture can be felt, not just observed. Every element, from the Baybayin script to the indigenous ingredients, serves the story we’re telling about Filipino heritage.”

Harris brings a wealth of experience as a performative bartender, specializing in creating emotional connections through cocktails. For him, each drink is a narrative experience, prioritizing emotional impact over technical perfection. His approach challenges the traditional hierarchies of bartending, focusing on the connection between service and art.

The Mythic Night: Founding the Hinabi Privé Society

The pinnacle of the Hinabi Privé Manila series will be the mythic night, a momentous gathering marking the official formation of the Hinabi Privé Society. At this exclusive event, founding members will be welcomed into an intimate, select circle that will have lifetime access to the evolving live art format.

The Society members will also gain access to future gatherings as the event series expands globally, reaching cities like London, Singapore, Dubai, and beyond, each city’s location remaining undisclosed until invitation. This limited membership is about connecting deeply with the art form, cultural preservation, and the evolution of Filipino storytelling on the world stage.

Weaving Together Filipino Culture and Art

The name Hinabi means “to weave” in Filipino, and that’s exactly what this cultural experience does: it weaves together the rich traditions of Filipino culture with contemporary artistry. From the food, prepared with locally sourced ingredients from Filipino communities, to the music, the experience honors the precision and artistry of Filipino craftsmanship, specifically the intricate work of the Filipino weavers.

"Just like Filipino weavers, every thread, every element, matters,” says Villaceran. “We are weaving together food, cocktails, music, and design to create something that exists nowhere else. This is more than just an event, it's a living art form that celebrates Filipino identity."

Each gathering focuses on Filipino traditions, from the Kamayan, the tradition of eating with hands, to indigenous musical instruments and multi-course meals designed to evoke specific aspects of Filipino identity. These rituals are part of the intentional design, ensuring that every guest’s experience is deeply connected to the cultural essence of the Philippines.

A Cultural Moment for the Select Few

Hinabi Privé is a reflection of Filipino hospitality: genuine, intimate, and designed for connection. Electronic devices are prohibited during gatherings, encouraging full immersion in the sensory experience. The location for each gathering remains undisclosed until days before, enhancing the allure of the event and allowing it to remain a truly exclusive experience.

Each Manila gathering presents a unique narrative, a bespoke combination of cocktails and music designed to embody different aspects of Filipino culture. These small, intimate gatherings create a space for personal transformation rather than mere entertainment, making every invitation a coveted opportunity.

"We’re reviving traditions that modern society often loses, the last piece on the plate, the rhythm of sharing food, the generosity embedded in our culture. This is innovation with soul," explains Villaceran.

A Movement That Challenges the Status Quo

At its heart, Hinabi Privé is about preserving Filipino heritage while simultaneously disrupting the traditional notions of hospitality. Villaceran and Harris have crafted an event that isn’t just about luxury and exclusivity, it’s about transforming the cultural conversation and creating a global movement where Filipino culture takes center stage.

This cultural art form, with its impermanence and ultra-exclusivity, is accessible only to those who hold an invitation. The limited capacity and the no-documentation rule ensures that participation and presence are valued over social media visibility. It's a bold stance in today’s attention economy, encouraging guests to truly engage with the experience rather than document it.

Hinabi Privé’s first Volume of Original Music is also now live on all streaming platforms like Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, Tidal, YouTube and more.

Join the Hinabi Privé Society

For those lucky enough to receive an invitation, Hinabi Privé represents a unique opportunity to experience Filipino culture in its most immersive and authentic form. Whether you're a part of the Manila launch or an eventual global gathering, Hinabi Privé promises to be a transformational cultural ritual.

To request an invitation or to learn more about the exclusive Hinabi Privé Society, visit www.hinabiprive.com. For updates and behind-the-scenes looks into the experience, follow on Instagram at @thepatvillaceran, @hinabi.prive, and @spesh45, or join the conversation on Facebook at Hinabi Privé.