The Philippine Consulate General is banking on the allure of eating with your eyes, and the sentiment of absence making the heart grow fonder, as it pushes forth with a pandemic version of Filipino Food Week.
The second-year effort, running Sunday to June 20, is a comprehensive online edition to be uploaded to Facebook, Instagram and YouTube. Content covers everything from the historical — the evolution of Filipino cuisine in Hawaii, for instance — to the practical, such as basics for a Filipino pantry.
There will also be a sharing of recipes, livestream discussions and the chance to win gift certificates for stores and restaurants selling Filipino food.
The online format is a far cry from last year’s inaugural event, in which non-Filipino restaurants featured at least one Filipino dish for the week. This year, instead of tasting the food, participants will cultivate their knowledge about Filipino cuisine, no doubt with mouths watering.
Each day of the week will be themed. An overview:
>> Sunday: Basics of Filipino cuisine
>> Monday: Creating communal meals
>> Tuesday: Tutorials from Maui chefs
>> June 17: Longtime ties between the Philippines and the Big Island, with online tasting of coffee beans from the Philippines
>> June 18: Chefs and home cooks share Filipino recipes
>> June 19: Restaurant bars and breweries share concoctions inspired by flavors of the Philippines
>> June 20: The future of Filipino cuisine in Hawaii
Hawaii chefs participating include Mely Ballocanag of Dana’s Restaurant and Catering, Bryan Gremillion of Ruscello, Joey Macadangdang of Joey’s Kitchen, Adam Tabura, Dayne Tanabe of Hilton Waikoloa Village, Bella Toland of Banyan Tree, and Tante Urban of Tante’s Island Cuisine.
A finalized schedule of episodes will be listed on Facebook and Instagram. View episodes on those platforms or the YouTube channel Filipino Food Week Hawaii.
Quickbites is a weekly listing of dining events. Email items to crave@staradvertiser.com.
