Expatriates and Filipinos alike dined on classic Filipino cuisine at the Raffles Hotel Le Royal in Phnom Penh during a five-day Filipino Food Fiesta on 13-17 June, organized by the Philippine Embassy as part of the commemorative activities for the 119th Anniversary of the Proclamation of Philippine Independence.
In partnership with the AccorHotels group, the Embassy flew in Filipina chef Ericka Chua of Fairmont Hotel Makati to lead Raffles' preparations and ensure the authenticity of the flavor and textures of signature Filipino dishes such as kare-kare, crispy pata, sinigang and caldereta.
At the launching of the Filipino Food Festival, Philippine Ambassador to Cambodia Christopher B. Montero cited the emergence of a vibrant Filipino food and beverage sector, and invited guests to participate in future editions of the IFEX Philippines and Manila Fusion, trade exhibitions that gather major players in the food industry.
Among the guests at the opening were representatives of Cambodia's burgeoning F&B industry, including Chef Luu Meng, Cambodia's most high-profile chef, who expressed interest in Philippine cuisine and traditional ingredients, noting some similarity in the flavors of Filipino and Cambodian food.
Cebu Pacific Air sponsored two round trip tickets from Siem Reap to Manila as a lucky draw prize for diners at the festival, while San Miguel Corporation partnered with Raffles Hotel to ensure that their world-class beer was made available on the buffet menu.
The event was featured in the Khmer Times, one of Cambodia's leading English dailies, which hailed Filipino cuisine as the next big food trend in the world of gastronomy. END