FILIPINO FLAVORS FEATURED AT THE ASEAN FOOD FESTIVAL IN KENYA
Ambassador Marie Charlotte G. Tang (wearing yellow) accompanies Dr. Dorothy Rotich of the Kenyan Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs and other ASEAN Ambassadors at the Philippine booth at the ASEAN Food Festival
NAIROBI, 29 November 2023 – The Philippine Embassy in Nairobi, together with the Embassies/High Commission of the three other ASEAN member states with Missions in Nairobi namely, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand, organized the ASEAN Food Festival on 26 November 2023 at the Two Rivers Mall in Nairobi.
The ASEAN Food Festival put a spotlight on the rich culinary traditions and authentic flavors of Southeast Asia, while also showcasing the collaborative efforts of ASEAN embassies, Southeast Asian companies, and the ASEAN diaspora in promoting people-to-people exchanges between ASEAN and Kenya.
In her remarks, Philippine Ambassador Marie Charlotte G. Tang, current Chair of the ASEAN Committee in Nairobi (ACN), emphasized the unifying aspects of food within the diverse cultures of Southeast Asia. She noted that food plays a vital role in celebrations, ceremonies, and the social fabric of Southeast Asians.
The Philippine booths offered an array of Filipino cuisine and delicacies prepared by the Filipino community in Kenya. The booths featured popular dishes such as chicken adobo, pancit, and lumpia, along with traditional all-day breakfasts tapsilog (tapa, sinangag at itlog) and longsilog (longganisa, sinangag at itlog). Visitors also enjoyed ginataang mais and a variety of street food favorites including kwek kwek (deep fried, orange-battered eggs), fish balls, and squid balls, complemented by the refreshing sago’t gulaman. An assortment of Filipino desserts like leche flan, puto, sapin-sapin, and biko was also available.
Meanwhile, other ASEAN embassies also showcased their traditional dishes, including bakso and nasi goreng from Indonesia, nasi lemak and roti canai from Malaysia, and green curry chicken and mango sticky rice from Thailand.
The ASEAN Food Festival served as a vibrant platform for cultural exchange and increased public awareness of ASEAN's rich culinary heritage in Kenya. It also highlighted some shared culinary traditions and influences between ASEAN and Kenya.
To emphasize the importance of people-to-people exchanges, Qatar Airways raffled off a roundtrip ticket to any destination in Southeast Asia. The ACN will also donate a portion of the proceeds from the Festival to a partner charity organization in Kenya. END
From left: Chargé d’Affaires, a.i. Wisit Bunyaritthipong of Thailand, Ambassador Mohamad Hery Saripudin of Indonesia, Ambassador Marie Charlotte G. Tang of the Philippines (also Chair of ASEAN Committee in Nairobi for 2023), and High Commissioner Ruzaimi bin Mohamad of Malaysia (Photo by the Indonesian Embassy in Kenya)
Ambassador Tang delivers the welcome remarks on behalf of the ASEAN Committee in Nairobi (ACN)
Members of the Filipino community in Kenya showcase their culinary creations at the ASEAN Food Festival (Photos by the Indonesian Embassy in Kenya)
Some of the lucky winners of the raffle draw generously sponsored by Qatar Airways (roundtrip ticket from Nairobi to any destination in Southeast Asia), Indomie Kenya, and Golden Africa Kenya Limited.
