THE HANOI TIMES — The Filipino Food Festival, running until June 12th, showcases the importance of food in Filipino culture and the deep connection between cuisine and cultural identity.
Ambassador Meynardo Montealegre inaugurates the Filipino Food Festival in Hanoi. Photo: Jenna Duong/The Hanoi Times
Meynardo Montealegre, the Philippine Ambassador to Vietnam, presided over the festival’s opening ceremony on June 8th. The event was organized by the Embassy of the Philippines in Hanoi, in collaboration with the Sheraton Hanoi Hotel.
Ambassador Montealegre highlighted the role of cuisine as a powerful connector and a form of cultural expression. “For Filipinos, sharing a meal goes beyond daily routine; it embodies our identity and values,” he said. “When we say ‘Kain Tayo’ or ‘Let’s eat,’ we invite others not just to savor our cuisine but also to embrace our traditions, heritage, and sense of community.”
The festival presents a vibrant journey through Filipino cuisine, renowned for its bold flavors that masterfully blend sour and sweet notes. These flavors are rooted in indigenous practices and influenced by centuries of Asian and Western exchanges. They have also been adapted to the tropical climate through traditional preservation methods, such as the use of cane or coconut vinegar.
Filipino cuisine boasts bold, savory, and tangy flavors shaped by Spanish and American influences.
The festival features a carefully curated buffet of 29 traditional Filipino dishes. A highlight is the guest appearance by Chef Geramarie Dianzon from the Sheraton Manila Bay Hotel, who will conduct a live cooking session. Chef Dianzon will prepare her celebrated version of sisig – a sizzling dish of grilled pork ear, cheek, and crispy belly that gained global fame through the late chef and culinary icon Anthony Bourdain.
Other standout dishes include kilawing tanigue, wahoo fish marinated in calamansi vinaigrette; inihaw na talong, grilled eggplant salad; kare-kare, a rich oxtail and tripe stew in peanut sauce; and adobo, chicken stewed in garlic, vinegar, and soy sauce. Adobo is often regarded as the national dish. For dessert, guests can indulge in halo-halo, a colorful concoction of shaved ice, sweet beans, jellies, and milk—a perfect refreshment for Hanoi’s summer heat.
The Filipino Food Festival is not just a culinary celebration but also a meaningful cultural exchange. It invites Hanoi residents and international guests to experience Filipino hospitality and cuisine, fostering shared values and strengthening the enduring friendship between the Philippines and Vietnam.
Guests enjoying the delights of the Filipino Food Festival in Hanoi.
