12 October 2016 — Filipino cuisine recently took center stage during the “Linamnam: Flavors of the Philippines” Food Festival at the Oven d’Or Restaurant of the Sheraton Hanoi Hotel in Tay Ho District, Hanoi, Vietnam.

The food festival is part of the agricultural roadshow of the Philippine Department of Agriculture across several ASEAN countries. It aims to provide local residents in Hanoi the opportunity to taste and savor Filipino cuisine, using mostly agricultural ingredients produced in the Philippines, including both mainstream and artisanal food products. The preparation of all these dishes is being supervised by Chef Arnold Bernardo, an executive chef who bears the distinction of being the inaugural winner of “Ultimate Chef Warrior”, a reality TV-based cooking competition in the Philippines, in 2010.

Members of the local press were treated to a five-course lunch prepared by Chef Bernardo on September 30. In her introductory remarks, Ms. Ana GM Abejuela, Philippine Special Agriculture Representative, noted the role of the festival in raising the profile of Philippine agricultural products through cuisine and food products.

In his keynote speech, Philippine Ambassador to Vietnam Noel Servigon highlighted the importance of the food festival in bolstering bilateral trade and in promoting Filipino culture through food. He also expressed hope that the members of the local media would be able to contribute to the food festival by raising awareness among the Vietnamese public.

During the lunch, Ms. Abejuela gave a brief description of each of the following dishes that were served to members of the local press. A short Q&A session was also held in which Chef Bernardo gamely responded to comments and inquiries from the participating members of the local media.

For the opening day, Ambassador Servigon hosted a dinner for a visiting Vietnamese Ambassador to the Philippines and other officials of the Vietnamese Government. Ambassador Servigon took the opportunity to thank his guests for their participation and encouraged them to invite their Vietnamese friends to attend the food festival and feast on top-quality Filipino dishes and sample Filipino food products.

The festival will end on October 16. END