Page 18 - 2017 KA'AKBAY January-June

18 January to June
2017

(Continued from page 17… Launch of Filipino )

The launch undertaken primarily for media, food
and cuisine bloggers, and other influencers introduced all
the participating restaurants. With Philippine food
specialties ranging from Filipino comfort food, regional
dishes, heirloom recipes, fusion cuisine, to street food,

Restaurant Week aims to introduce more audiences to
the diversity of Philippine cuisine.

Speaking at the start of the launch, Consul Consul General Theresa Dizon-De Vega (center) holds up the 2017 Guide to Filipino
General Theresa Dizon-De Vega noted that Philippine Restaurant Week with food author Clang Garcia (seated 3rd from right) and the
cuisine’s popularity in the United States has grown by participating chefs and restaurant owners for Restaurant Week .
leaps and bounds, aided in great part by different social
media platforms, the rise of second generation Filipino- 2017 Filipino Restaurant Week Highlights
American chefs and food enthusiasts, and building on Filipino Cuisine and Chef
the work undertaken by pioneering chefs.

As one of the original fusion cuisines, Filipino
food, is gaining greater prominence globally according to
food author Clang Garcia, a resource speaker at the
launch and whose book “Food Holidays” an in-depth look
at authentic Philippine regional cuisine is the 2017
Gourmand World Cookbook National Award winner.

The participating restaurants shared with media
and other guests from the Consular Corps, business
sector, and Filipino Community their specialties and
offerings for Restaurant Week.

Filipino Restaurant Week participating

restaurants are Grill 21, Jeepney, Kuma Inn, Lumpia

Shack Snack Bar, Maharlika, Maison Hugo, Megu, Ugly

Kitchen, Payag Restaurant, Tito Rad’s Grill, Purple Yam,

Swell Dive, Phil-Am Kusina, Max’s Restaurant, Noodle Consul General Theresa De Vega samples Ugly Kitchen’s Kamayan Special created
Fan, Pinoy Filipino Restaurant, Calesa Restaurant, and by Chef Aris Tuazon

Sisig City Food Truck. The 2017 Filipino Restaurant Week held from 15-22 May
2017 in New York and New Jersey successfully generated
A tasting of different dishes to be offered during renewed excitement about Philippine cuisine. 18 participating
Restaurant Week as well as cocktail mixes prepared by Filipino restaurants once again raised the profile of Filipino cuisine
Tanduay and Mansi, producer of calamansi juice, was in mainstream US food circles. Due to public demand, many of the
held for guests.

The Filipino Restaurant Week is a flagship New York-based restaurants extended their restaurant week
project of the Philippine Consulate General in New York. menus until 31 May 2017.

The main corporate partner for the 2017 Restaurant The 18 participating restaurants this year are Grill 2l,

Week is Tanduay Rhum, which in undergoing a major Jeepney, Maharlika; Kuma Inn; Lumpia Shack; Maison Hugo;

launch in the East Coast this year. Megu; Ugly Kitchen; Payag; Tito Rad’s Grill; Purple Yam; Swell

Dive; Phil Kusina, Sisig City; Max’s Restaurant; Noodle Fan; Pinoy

Filipino Restaurant; and Calesa Restaurant.

Most of the owners and chefs of participating restaurants
said they have experienced a marked increase in their patronage
during the event dates.

Darin Friedman of Outbreak Media Group and Tanduay Rhum with a "Our experience with Filipino restaurant week far
representative from Filipino-American beverage company Mansi, producer surpassed our expectations, not only from a business standpoint,
of calamansi juice, provide cocktail mixes for guests. but also--and arguably of more significance to us--from a
community-building standpoint. It was an honor to be featured
amongst so many pioneers of the Filipino food movement, and the

sense of camaraderie we already feel was exponentially
heightened in the context of Filipino Restaurant Week”, remarked
Neil Syman of Lumpia Shack Snack Bar. (Continue to page 19)