Jollibee Teams Up With Filipino Chef Behind Dubai Chocolate for Christmas

Dubai chocolate meets Jollibee this Christmas. Filipino pastry chef Nouel Catis, whose work is associated with the global Dubai kataifi chocolate phenomenon, has teamed up with Jollibee on the Pistachio Choco Sundae, a limited-edition addition to its annual holiday menu.

The ₱79 dessert is creamy vanilla soft serve with a pistachio shell, chocolate syrup, and diced pistachios. it is based on a familiar Jollibee treat, but now built around the chocolate-and-pistachio pairing that made Dubai chocolate a craze.

For Catis, creating this dessert is nostalgic. He grew up loving Jollibee and never imagined he’d one day work with it. 

“I was so happy when Jollibee reached out to me. I grew up loving Jollibee, so I never imagined that one day, I’d get to work with a brand that’s been part of my childhood,” he said.

Based in Dubai, Catis works in chocolate confectionery. He has been named an Emerging Global Filipino Icon by The Global Filipino Magazine and received a Service Excellence Award in Culinary Innovation in Dubai.

“After the Dubai chocolate experience, it’s exciting to be doing something like this with Jollibee, especially for Christmas,” he said.

He also sees a chance to show the world what Filipino cooks can do. “As a Filipino, it makes me proud to be part of something that can bring joy to people here at home and hopefully introduce more people around the world to the creativity and talent of Filipinos,” he said.

For Jollibee Philippines vice president for marketing Dorothy Ching, the sundae adds a new flavor to a familiar holiday favorite. “Partnering with Chef Nouel gives us a chance to offer something new this Christmas while celebrating Filipino culinary talent on the global stage,” she said.