Award-winning Chefs to Showcase European Gastronomy in PH

In celebration of the first European Culinary Week, award-winning European and Filipino chefs will gather to share their expertise at the Grand Hyatt Manila in Taguig City, and at the Crimson Hotel & Resort in Lapu-Lapu City, Mactan, Cebu on September 10 to 16.

Organized by the EU-Philippines Business Network and co-founded by the European Union, the European Culinary Week aims to represent authentic European Gastronomy, and spark the interest of Filipinos in European cuisine and beverages.

Grand Hyatt Manila General Manager Gottfried Bogensperger says that through the event, they seek “to provide the perfect mix of business and pleasure, to promote European food culture in the Philippines while showcasing opportunities for Philippine food and produce around the world.”

Franz Jessen, EU Ambassador to the Philippines, says that this event will bolster the relationship between Europe and the Philippines. “I feel it will strengthen because it’s a very human way of bringing Europe to the Philippines. We all eat food every day. We want to get good food. We want to have healthy food and we want to have tasty food. And this is something where you are clearly adding something to contribute, something to bring to the Philippines,” said Jessen.

The events during the week serves as an opportunity for Filipino Culinary Students to work and learn from their European contemporaries, and encourage European and Philippine companies to import food and beverages into the country.

The importance of European Geographical Indications (GIs) for products is also highlighted by Jessen through the celebration of this culinary week. “We have a unique way of trying to protect well-known products,” said Jessen. “We’ve been trying to identify products that are well-known in the Philippines and to allocate what we call Geographical Indication to them, so that the value of the production increases.”

Consisting of five series of events throughout this period, the European Culinary Week will feature 14 Filipino and European chefs (with some Michelin-star Chefs with background in authentic European Food and Beverages), and is geared towards food aficionados, chefs and culinary students, ambassadors, and businessmen.

Describing the event, Jessen says, “It’s going to be tasty. It’s going to be fun. It’s going to be interesting.”

via Manila Standard / Nathalie Grace Adalid, Rhosedel Grace Gabac