ICONIC FILIPINO DISHES SHOWCASED AT THE 2024 ASEAN FOOD FESTIVAL IN KENYA

The ASEAN Handshake. From left to right: Chargé d’Affaires, a.i. Mr. Torsak Janpian (Thailand), Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs Assistant Director Benedict Watamba (Kenya), Ambassador Mohamad Hery Saripudin (Indonesia), Ambassador Marie Charlotte G. Tang (The Philippines), High Commissioner Ruzaimi Mohamad (Malaysia).

 NAIROBI, 09 November 2024 — Iconic Filipino dishes drew the spotlight alongside other Southeast Asian favorites at this year’s ASEAN Food Festival held at the Village Market in Nairobi.

Organized by the ASEAN Committee in Nairobi (ACN)--consisting of the diplomatic missions of the Philippines, Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia—the festival celebrated the diversity of Southeast Asian culinary heritage.

Indonesian Ambassador Saripudin speaks at the opening ceremony of the 2024 ASEAN Food Festival.

In his opening remarks, ACN Vice-Chair and Indonesian Ambassador Mohamad Hery Saripudin emphasized how food transcends borders, bringing people together.  He also highlighted the festival as a platform to demonstrate the unity of the ASEAN diaspora and its role in promoting people-to-people ties between ASEAN nations, Kenya, and the broader community.

Southeast Asian Food Booths. Clockwise: The Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia.

This year’s festival featured a wide variety of Southeast Asian cuisine, with each ASEAN mission sharing its culinary traditions, and drew a diverse mix of visitors, from Kenyans to expats.

The Philippine booth boasts favorite Filipino culinary delights. Upper left: Chef Ms. Marilou Moises (middle) with members of the Filipino community in Kenya. Upper right: Ambassador Tang introduces the array of Filipino food to the ASEAN Ambassadors and Kenyan Ministry of Foreign Affairs representatives.

At the Philippine booth, festivalgoers enjoyed a broad selection of Filipino dishes prepared by the Filipino Community in Kenya.  Highlights included iconic staples such as the chicken adobo, lumpiang shanghai, pansit, chicken inasal, and pork barbecue, as well as popular street foods like fish balls and squid balls, and desserts such as leche flan, puto, kutsinta, and sapin-sapin.

Other ASEAN booths delighted visitors with regional favorites, including Indonesia’s traditional bakso (meatball soup), Malaysia’s signature nasi lemak, and Thailand’s beloved mango sticky rice.

Philippine Embassy Third Secretary and Vice Consul Danna Paula Olaya (leftmost) and Indonesian Embassy Third Secretary Muhamad Farhan Faruq (rightmost) facilitated the raffle draw.

Festival attendees also had the chance to win prizes from sponsors, including Kenya Airways, Emirates, Indomie, Apollo and Golden Africa.

“The annual ASEAN Food Festival not only celebrates the richness of Southeast Asian cuisine but also fosters cultural exchange and connection,” remarked Philippine Ambassador Marie Charlotte G. Tang. END