Did you know that the personal chef of the late His Majesty Sultan Qaboos, Chef Pablo "Boy" Logro was Filipino? But despite this, and the rise in popularity of Filipino food across the world, it has yet to make its unique mark in Oman.
Filipino cuisine offers something for every palate. Discovering Filipino gastronomy is a journey into a world of diverse flavours, rich history, and heartwarming hospitality. With influences from China, Spain, Malaysia, and the United States, Filipino cuisine is a fusion of indigenous ingredients and cooking techniques, resulting in a tantalizing array of dishes.
Delving into Filipino gastronomy provides insight into the country's vibrant culture and values of hospitality and sharing.
It is for this reason that a grassroots movement is slowly taking shape, not just to elevate the culinary experience in Oman but also to showcase the diversity of food coming from the Philippines.
With April being celebrated as National Food Month, the Filipino Chef Guild in Oman came together to give the special guests of the residence of the Philippine Ambassador in Oman a preview of elevated dishes.
The seven-course dinner is a precursor to a greater showcase of Filipino favourites that will coincide with the country's celebration of its Independence Day on June 12.
Dubbed Linamnam, a dinner featuring Philippine Food, HE Raul Hernandez, the hosting ambassador, said, "Filipino hospitality is legendary, and our food reflects that. In every meal, there's an invitation to connect, share, and savour the moment together. It's more than just nourishment—it's a celebration of life and community."
"This is a very special day for us as we are launching one of the programmes of the embassy, which is to enhance the awareness of the people of Oman, especially the Omani authorities and diplomats, about how delicious Filipino food is," he added.
"It has been a common inquiry for those who have visited the Philippines about where they can find good Filipino food in Oman, but in a fine dining setting. Knowing the importance of cross-cultural exchange, especially in food, we wanted to make sure that we gave them access. We want it to be sustainable, but most importantly, we wanted more visibility for our culinary offering," he said.
Mrs Ana Algabre, the wife of the ambassador, said, "It is truly an honour for us to promote Filipino cuisines and support Filipino talents in Oman. From my experience, when Filipino food is made into gourmet food, it truly becomes exceptional, and based on what I've seen and tasted, the chefs have done a great job in executing the vision."
The chefs who volunteered for the event looked into some of the tastiest dishes and created an elevated version of these immersive dishes.
"One of the dishes we left as is though is the Lumpiang Sariwa, the country's version of spring rolls. We wanted one of the dishes to take our guests into that deep dive into what a true Filipino favourite looks like," Chef Harold Castillo said.
"One of the challenges of cooking authentic Filipino dishes in Oman is the availability of ingredients. For this dinner, we made sure that it reflected the extraordinary flavours that our dishes are known for. We included chicken inasal as it is a staple in the Filipino dining experience. One of the mains also included Lengua Mushroom, and we are glad that the guests' feedback was positive," Chef Harold added.
The seven-course dinner took guests on a culinary journey across the Philippine archipelago, and the chefs, with the support of the embassy, wanted to make sure that the stories of these foods were highlighted.
"We noticed that, unlike Asian cuisines that have now made it to mainstream hotels and restaurants, Filipino cuisines remain an underdog. There's a lot of work that needs to be done, but as a community, if we make it our mission to support and promote, others will discover that we have something unique to offer," shared Chef Harold.
The Philippine Embassy teased that the people of Oman can expect more elevated culinary experiences, as, just like in Oman, Filipinos also show their hospitality and warmth by feeding and interacting with people.
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