We can’t wait to see what Team Philippines serves.
Claude Tayag — one of the country’s best-known chefs — will represent the Philippines in the 8th annual Embassy Chef Challenge on May 25 at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center in Washington, DC.
“As Washington’s leading international culinary event, the Embassy Chef Challenge is the night when participating embassies wield their respective cuisines as the main diplomatic tool,” reports Inquirer.net.
The report noted: “Embassy chefs from different nations will prepare world-class cuisine and compete for the Judges’ Choice and People’s Choice Awards, the latter being selected by the guests at the event.”
Now, you would think that the Philippines has participated in this event all these years. However, that’s not the case.
Philippine Ambassador to the United States Jose L. Cuisia, Jr. revealed, “This is the first time that the Philippines will join the Embassy Chef Challenge. We want to celebrate our cuisine, bridge cultural differences, foster international understanding, and promote Philippine ingredients and products.”
For his part, Tayag was quoted as saying, “The Embassy Chef Challenge is a wonderful opportunity to showcase not just the unique flavors of Philippine cuisine but also the accessibility of our food. Food culture is a reflection of a nation’s soul, and so I intend our offering to be a culinary demonstration of our people’s inherent openness and generosity. After all, Filipino cuisine is meant to be shared.”
