Filipino Cuisine at its Finest

A Grand Opening Reception at the Festival
by Violeta Noriega

The Culinary Art Exhibit/Event has become an interesting and prominent fixture of the Pagdiriwang festival at the Seattle Center year after year since its inception in the 1990s. Different events have been featured, such as the Philippine Adobo Contest, the Pansit Extravaganza Contest and the Philippine Table Centerpiece Contest. Culinary art displays include Philippine Garnishes, Philippine Refreshments (Pampalamig), Philippine Desserts, Fiesta Main Dishes, Philippine Fruits, Noche Buena Table,  Philippine Snacks, Philippine Table Art and Philippine Table Settings. The foods, exotic fruits and vegetables of the Philippines, presented in themed-settings and enhanced by the Filipino native crafts and textures, have provided a visual feast for the public.  

The exhibits have garnered positive reviews from the Festal event evaluators. It was a challenge in the beginning and will always be a challenge to plan and come up with something that the festival-goers will enjoy and learn from. Truly a labor of love, the planning and the effort spent on gathering, preparing materials and displaying our culinary heritage during the yearly Pagdiriwang event take a lot of time and dedication. The food culture is a significant part of the Philippine heritage. As the Filipino cuisine has diverse influences and offers a variety of regional fares and unique perspectives, sharing it with the public and the community through exhibits awakens creative juices in us. We strive to present the Filipino culinary arts at the Seattle Center in ways that are colorful, visually interesting, palatable, inspirational and educational. We also learn so much from the festival-goers when they share their enthusiasm for the exhibit and their culinary stories. The children are a joy, especially when they linger to excitedly check out the food spread. What a blessing!

 

The exhibit will be on view at the Center House Court from 10 am - 6 pm, June 4th - 5th.