Filipino food fest takes place for five days in Hanoi

The event follows this year’s celebration of the 10th anniversary of the strategic partnership between the Philippines and Vietnam.

Speaking at the opening ceremony at the Sheraton Hanoi Hotel, Philippine Ambassador to Vietnam Meynardo Los Banos Montealegre said that for Filipinos, enjoying a meal together is not just a daily habit but a core value of their culture.

First-time tasters of Filipino cuisine will discover a blend of flavors, with a harmonious balance of local traditions and Asian or Western influences, the ambassador added.

According to him, some Filipino dishes taste sour and sweet. This comes from the traditional preservation techniques using coconut or sugarcane vinegar, helping extend the life of food in the country’s warm climate.

Also, Filipino cuisine often features sour ingredients such as mango, calamansi, guava, tomato, kamias, batuan and starfruit, along with sweetness from cane sugar.

At the opening ceremony, Filipino chef Geramarie Dianzon demonstrated how to make sisig, a well-known dish made from pork jowl and ears.

According to the ambassador, sisig was a favorite of late celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain and gained popularity in London after food writer Tom Parker Bowles praised the dish.

Other highlights introduced to festival goers at the opening ceremony included suam na mais (sweet corn soup cooked with ginger broth), humba (braised pork knuckle with sweet soy sauce and dried banana blossom), beef kaldereta (beef stew in tomato sauce with vegetables and olives), and a variety of Filipino street foods.

The Filipino Food Festival runs through June 12.