13 July 2016 - The Philippine Consulate General in Toronto capped its month-long commemoration of the 118th Anniversary of the Proclamation of Philippine Independence this year with a series of events focused on food in the context of Philippine culture. These events were aimed at boosting the growing interest in Toronto, known for its gastronomic diversity, on the tastes and flavors of Philippine cuisine. It is also aimed at expanding bilateral trade in agriculture, food, and beverages.
The Consulate General’s culinary diplomacy was kicked off by an exhibit on Philippine food, aptly titled, “PAGKAIN,” at the foyer of the library of the University of Toronto-Scarborough Campus (UTSC) from June 20 to 24. The exhibit, organized in cooperation with the UTSC’s Department of History and Cultural Studies, introduced Filipino food, traced its influences and highlighted facets of quintessential Filipino cooking. The exhibit is one of the travelling exhibits of the Philippine National Commission for Culture and the Arts. It is based on the book, “Kulinarya: A Guide to Philippine Cuisine”, which features six of the most prominent Filipino chefs today. The book was edited by Michaela Felix and presented by photographer Neal Oshima.
“PAGKAIN” was followed by three culinary sessions by two of the Philippines’ culinary pride, Chef Myrna Segismundo and Chef Jill Sandique.
A talk cum cooking demo, dubbed “Conversations with Chef Myrna Segismundo” was held at the UTSC’s Culinaria Research Center on June 25. Chef Segismundo, joined by Chef Sandique, focused her presentation on the many and versatile uses of coconut which is abundant in the Philippines. In attendance were UTSC academic staff, students and members of the Scarborough community.END
