PH Embassy in Lisbon Promotes Filipino Cuisine, Food Products via Food Festival

Sabores das Filipinas Food Festival at the Altis Avenida Hotel in Lisbon. (Lisbon PE photo)

LISBON 10 July 2018 – As part of its cultural and economic diplomacy initiatives, the Philippine Embassy in Portugal organized a six-day food festival with the theme “Sabores das Filipinas” at Altis Avenida Hotel from 23 to 28 June 2018.

“Sabores das Filipinas” formed the Lisbon leg of the culinary tour of the renowned Filipina chef Myrna Segismundo and her team, who came to Lisbon from Madrid and Paris.

“Sabores das Filipinas” is an activity organized with the support of the Cultural Diplomacy Unit of the Office of the Undersecretary for International Economic Relations of the Department of Foreign Affairs, and the Department of Trade and Industry.

In collaboration with Portuguese chef João Correia and his team at the Altis Avenida Hotel, Segismundo and her team offered daily Filipino lunch buffets and plated dinners, which features a fusion of Portuguese dishes and incorporates various Filipino cooking techniques and products such as cane vinegar, calamansi extract, Don Papa Rum, bagoong, and talangka, among others.

Filipino alcoholic drinks such as Don Papa Rum and Distilleria Limtuanco rum liquers were also promoted and served by the Altis Avenida bar.

In addition, the hotel also featured a Filipino breakfast corner featuring arroz caldo and adobo and sardines paté.

Packets of Dried Mangoes from Profoods Philippines were placed on the guest’s beds at the nightly bed turnover service of the Altis Avenida, during the week-long food festival.

“To effectively push the use of Filipino ingredients and products in Portugal, we must find a way through which Filipino food products can effectively be integrated as part of regular Portuguese cuisine and cooking. I am very pleased with the outcome of the collaboration of Chefs Myrna and Joao. They have shown that combining elements from both Filipino and Portuguese cuisine works” Ambassador to Portugal Celia Anna M. Feria said.

Among the Filipino dishes that were popular were arroz caldo, kinilaw, chicken and pork adobo, bihon guisado, and organic rice from Davao Province.

Asked about her expectations following the food festival, Ambassador Feria said “Sabores das Filipinas proved that there is a market for Filipino food products in Portugal.  The ultimate goal of the Philippine Embassy in Lisbon in organizing the six-day long food festival is to generate enough interest among the Portuguese food industry that would result in the entry of more Filipino food ingredients and products into the local market. This is just the beginning.” END

Portuguese chef João Correia (left) and Filipino chef Myrna Segismundo (right). (Lisbon PE photo)

Philippine Ambassador to Portugal Celia Anna M. Feria (right) with José Manuel de Carvalho Marques (left), former mayor of the City of Sabrosa and the President of the Commission for the Commemoration of the 5th Centenary of the Circumnavigation of the World by Portuguese navigator, Ferdinand Magellan. (Lisbon PE photo)

For more information, visit www.lisbonpe.dfa.gov.ph.