PH to host World Street Food Congress 2016

The Filipino street food scene will take centerstage as the country hosts the 2016 edition of the World Street Food Congress on April 20 to 24 at Bonifacio Global City. WSFC is an international culinary affair founded by KF Seetoh of Makansutra – a company that celebrates and promotes food culture. According to the Makansutra website, the event seeks to preserve, professionalize and create new possibilities for the world’s comfort food and street food culture. From its headquarters in Singapore, the four-year-old culinary event goes to the Philippines for the first time. WSFC 2016 will celebrate and address the inherent opportunities of heritage street food culture. The Tourism Promotions Board, Department of Tourism, Makansutra and Ayala Malls recently launched the WSFC 2016 via a 15-hour food frenzy safari around Metro Manila and Pampanga. “We are very excited that the Philippines will be hosting the WSFC 2016,” enthuses TPB chief operations officer Domingo Ramon C. Enerio III. “This will once again highlight our country as one of the best culinary destinations in the world, and it is an opportunity for us to share to the global audience the richness and contemporary edge of Filipino gastronomy.” Joining Seetoh in the food tour were Indonesia’s culinary ambassador Chef William Wongso, Our Awesome Planet’s Anton Diaz, Chef Sau del Rosario, RJ Ledesma of Mercato Centrale and Singapore’s DJ Rosalyn Lee. The street food safari kicked off at 7:00 a.m. at BGC then proceeded to food stops at Pampanga, Binondo and back to BGC at around 10:00 p.m. The itinerary included Recovery Food, Everybody’s Cafe, Aling Lucing’s Sisig, Cafe Fleur, Sarsa Kitchen + Bar and Mercato Centrale Night Market. Traditional favorites such as tapsilog, sisig, kare-kare, lumpia and lechon were among the numerous iconic Filipino dishes the participants sampled during the jam-packed trip. Meanwhile, the WSFC events happening in April include The World Street Food Dialogue, a conference and networking event designed for trade, tourism and industry professionals; The World Street Food Jamboree, a showcase of unique and iconic street food from 24 hawkers around the world; and The World Street Food Awards, a recognition of the best street food masters and top advocates of comfort street food excellence. Considered as the Philippine Food Month, April is packed with other major culinary events such as the Madrid Fusión Manila 2016, the biggest and most important gastronomic event in Asia in the 21st century; and Flavors of the Philippines, a month-long food extravaganza that showcases the unique tastes of classic, contemporary and exotic Filipino food from all over the country. Visit www.tpb.gov.ph for more updates on WSFC 2016 and Philippine Food Month.