For couples, Valentine’s Day often means looking forward to dinner reservations, romantic dates, and quality time with their partners.
Photo: @hey_merie via TikTok
However, what could have been an exciting dinner plan for TikTok user @hey_merie took an unexpected turn when her partner broke up with her. She shared on the platform that she had to cancel her reservation at Mōdan, a Michelin-selected private Japanese dining concept by Chef Jorge Mendez.
“Hi Modan! Is it possible to cancel my reservation and refund my payment? I don’t really have a valid reason for this—just that my partner and I broke up, so no more Valentine’s Day date,” she wrote in an email to the Modan team.
Fortunately, a member of Mōdan promptly replied, confirming a full refund for her reservation.
But the team didn’t stop there. Chef Mendez added a sweet and unexpected gesture that left social media users in awe:
Photo: @hey_merie via TikTok
“He would like to invite you to dine with us on Valentine’s Day or any date you prefer. You’re very welcome to bring a companion of your choice—whether a friend, a family member, or anyone you’d feel comfortable sharing the experience with.”
“Chef simply wants you to still feel love in another form,” the email added.
As a way to express gratitude, the social media user posted her entire experience on TikTok.
“Valentine’s plans changed last minute, so I reached out to cancel dinner at Mōdan. Instead, I was met with so much kindness and generosity shoutout to Chef Jorge for the incredible heart behind it all. Sometimes love doesn’t come the way you expect it to, sometimes it comes through really good food and genuinely good people,” she wrote.
The kind gesture also reached X (formerly Twitter), garnering over 1,000 retweets and 22,000 likes.
a girl made a reservation at Modan for Valentine’s Day and wants to cancel it after she and her partner broke up at ito ang response ni Chef Jorge sa kanya.
no doubt caprice has a good upbringing pic.twitter.com/aFBgO0MiiT
— 🍒 (@saintjennix) February 15, 2026
Apart from being the chef and founder of Mōdan, Chef Jorge Mendez is also the genius behind Michelin Bib Gourmand awardee Some Thai and intimate Maginhawa ramen bar Mugen. He is also the father of Caprice Cayetano, a popular child actress who once again captured the attention of netizens for being a part of the reality show “Pinoy Big Brother: Celebrity Collab 2.”
Mōdan is a progressive Japanese dining concept known for its Japanese Degustation Menu that highlights local and Japan-flown ingredients. The Michelin-selected restaurant is located at Escalades East Tower, 20th Ave, Cubao, Quezon City.
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