As part of the celebrations of the 50th Anniversary of Diplomatic Relations between the Philippines and New Zealand, the Embassy of the Philippines in Wellington led by Ambassador Jesus S. Domingo joined a “Taste of Home” (Philippine Festival 2016) in coordination with the Bulwagan Foundation Trust (BFT) on 23 July 2016 at the Filipino Community Centre in Petone, Lower Hutt.

The well-attended event was a success in promoting Filipino cuisine and culture, attracting not only Kiwinoys (New Zealanders of Filipino ancestry) and Pinoys but also the broader ethnic spectrum of New Zealand society. To introduce the splendour and diversity of Filipino cuisine to the Kiwi audience, the BFT gathered together under one roof the best in Pinoy home-cooking prepared by the Wellington Filipino Community. Ambassador Domingo remarked that our food culture reflects the panorama of regional Philippine cuisines as well as our historical and neighbouring Malay, Arab, Indian, Chinese, Spanish and American gastronomical influences.

“Taste of Home” featured popular Filipino dishes including: lechón (whole roasted pig), adobo (chicken and/or pork braised ingarlic, vinegar, oil and soy sauce, or cooked until dry), pancit (savory noodles), fresh lumpia (spring roll), barbeque-on-a-stick, siopao (pork buns), and various native desserts. The Embassy Team put together a Filipino menu of adobo, biko (sweet rice cake), Filipino coconut macaroons, pancit, and grated cantaloupe melon juice.

Mr. Leo Fernandez, New Zealand Masterchef 2015 Runner-Up and indefatigable ambassador of Filipino food, joined the festivities. He showcased his own take on Filipino culinary classics from Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao, with a live cooking demonstration.

Filipino performance culture was also showcased through dance numbers by the New Zealand Filifest Cultural Group and Ms. Ella Cabauatan as well as song numbers by Ms. Ivy Padilla, the Wellington Filipino Community Choir, and Melody-Odie-Dinna or MelODi. The Cook Islands Youth Dance Group, HVCI, rounded out the festivities with their hula dance performances.