Cheers! Philippine Street Food Fest at the UN a Great Hit

By Marivir R. Montebon

New York – The summer breeze that blew from the East River definitely felt good for us at the sprawling East Plaza of the UN General Assembly, and the smell of Philippine food as well. There was barbecue, balut, Kale laing, the famous Tanduay rum, and of course, there were our friends who made breaking bread outdoors so much fun.

Noodles with veggies, Kale laing, adobong manok, tosinong pork from Ugly Kitchen

Aris Tuazon (leftmost) and Jappy Afzelius (middle) with their staffers.

The first Philippine Street Food Festival was a hit for UN employees and the Filipino community here on the Friday evening of August 24, 2018. Chefs Aris Tuazon of the Ugly Kitchen and Jappy Afzelius of Tsismis were the featured food providers to excited Filipinos and curious non-Filipinos alike. Tanduay Rum provided for the cocktails.

Pork barbecue, fried intestines, ukoy from Tsismis

Rising star Balut (duck’s egg) goes well with beer.

PAL New York officials enjoying beer with Synergy Production’s Grace Labaguis (right)

The Philippine Department of Tourism, the Philippine Cultural Society, and the Staff Recreation Council of the UN put the project all together to promote Philippine culture and arts on the global stage, hence naturally, the UN NY Headquarters was a venue. For only $15, an entrant could partake of a good full meal of pancit, or rice, adobong manok or tocining pork, and kale laing, whipped up by Chef Aris Tuazon.

Consul General of New York Claro Cristobal and Mrs. Marilou Cristobal joined the street fest as well as Philippine UN permanent representative Amb. Teddy Boy Locsin Jr.

ConGen Claro Cristobal and Mrs. Marilou Cristobal: Finished off the meatballs and ube turon

A good number of people from the Fil-Am Press Club of New York attended the festival to enjoy a summer Friday with Filipino food and the international community.

Mrs. Cristobal said she liked the ube turon, while ConGen Claro said he liked the meatballs. Lindy Rosales of the FilAm.net said she liked the Tanduay cocktail. Everybody seemed to rave about the Kale laing.

The FAPCNY people with ConGen Claro and Mrs. Marilou Cristobal: L-R: Rachelle Ocampo, Marivir Montebon, Fernando Mendez, Grace Labaguis, Cristina Pastor, Vanette Colmenares, Lindy Rosales, Felix Manuel, Lumen Castaneda, and Boyet Loverita.

But the happiest creature that evening was Rachelle Ocampo for having won a round-trip PAL ticket to the Philippines on its maiden NY-Mla-NY flight on October 30, 2018.

The street food festival was such a success that DOT attache Susan del Mundo said there will be another one next summer. Yey! (Featured photo: Grace Labaguis of Synergy Production/GMA and Felix Manuel of Philippine Star enjoy Filipino food at the UN General Assembly grounds.)