Advisories & News
Press Release
MGA KUWENTONG PAGKAIN ZOOM WEBINAR SERIES STARTS ON FRIDAY
2021-07-20
PR-2021-40
July 19, 2021 (Manila) – In support of its vision to spread the essence of Philippine flavors to the rest of the world, the Mama Sita Foundation proudly presents “Mga Kuwentong Pagkain: Filipino Food Online Cook-Along”, a zoom webinar series made possible with the cooperation of the Philippine Consulate in Toronto and various Filipino-Canadian associations.
Storytelling and virtual cooking in a three-part series
The three-part webinar explores the unique heritage of Phillippine cuisine through a virtual feast of storytelling and cooking sessions. It hopes to deliver interesting facets of Philippine history, culture, and tradition through the lens of the country’s foodways, from its pre-colonial past to the modern era. Each one and a half hour episode is packed with live and recorded lectures, quick and easy cook-along segments, restaurant features, and fun games to ensure an enjoyable online experience for viewers of all ages.
The pilot episode focuses on rice – the staple of a true Filipino diet
The first episode – “Rice and Our Filipino Foodways” goes online this Friday, July 23, 7:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m. in Toronto (and on Saturday, July 24, 7:30 a.m. – 9:30 a.m. in Manila). The program, which will be keynoted by Ambassador Rodolfo Dia Robles, puts the spotlight on rice, an essential part of the Filipino diet, without which no meal can be rendered complete. Among the highlights of this segment is a micro documentary on the harvest season in the Cordilleras where heirloom grain varieties are grown by descendants of rice farmers who have tilled the region’s vast ancestral lands for several generations.
Noted food historian Felice Prudente Sta. Maria also shares nuggets of information on sustainable rice farming traditions and ancient rituals in the Cordilleras. She also gives a primer on cacao beans, which was brought to the Philippines via the galleon trade which began in 1565.
Completing the lineup of the first episode is a cooking demo of a well-loved rice snack, a step-by-step guided instruction on how to achieve perfectly puffed steamed white rice with simple kitchen implements, sans the trusty rice cooker, and a surprise feature of a Filipino restaurant in Toronto which offers an array of delectable rice specialties. The first installment of the three-part series, as with the other two, promises to nurture viewers’ cultural connections with the homeland through meaningful conversations on its foodways and practical applications featuring modern takes on iconic Filipino dishes.
Reaching out to Filipino communities and food nerds everywhere
“Mga Kuwentong Pagkain: Filipino Food Online Cook-Along” reaches out to Filipino diaspora communities in Toronto and beyond by providing a platform for learning and interaction, with food from the homeland as its central theme – from its evolution and origins to its timeless traditions and modern adaptations. A sprinkling of Filipino language tutorials from the show’s emcees further enriches the program’s content.
The series also holds special appeal for foodies and food nerds from all over who are looking at diversifying their arsenal of food wisdom through compact lectures from notable resource persons on very specialized topics that cover the provenance and origins, historical, cultural, nutritional, and sustainability aspects of food.
Emcees from Canada and the Philippines
The first episode will be emceed by Filipino-Canadian Nastasha Alli, an award-winning food journalist, culinarian, researcher, vlogger, blogger, and podcaster, headlining the podcast “Exploring Filipino Kitchens”. She will be joined by Cecile Nepomuceno Gamad, Legacy Custodian of Filipino food icon Teresita Reyes, the woman who inspired the creation of the Mama Sita Brand of food mixes, sauces and condiments.
Stay tuned also for the next episodes which explore ancestral cuisine and indiginized food. Joining as co-emcees on episode 2 and 3 is the father and daughter tandem of Paolo and Malaika Paculan of the Ateneo de Manila University.
Partner organizations
“Mga Kuwentong Pagkain: Filipino Food Online Cook-Along” is also supported by Sentro Rizal, and partner organizations: Anderson College, b2Bpreneur, Filipino Canadian Association of Vaughan (FCAV), Filipino Canadian Students Association (FILCASA), Markham Federation of Filipino Canadians (MFFC) and Scarborough Ontario Seniors Association (SOSA); and supporting organizaions: Pinoylicious, and Pueblo Science.
The episodes go online on July 23, August 6, and August 20, 2021 at 7:30 PM (GMT -4) for participants in Toronto, and July 24, August 7, and August 21, 2021 at 7:30 AM (GMT +8) for participants in Manila. Interested participants can register for the first episode through this link: https://bit.ly/2SMAMASITA The next episodes will have a different registration link which will be shared in due time.
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ABOUT THE PHILIPPINE CONSULATE IN TORONTO
The Philippine Consulate General in Toronto is currently headed by Consul General Orontes V. Castro, and serves the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), Western Ontario and Manitoba. It holds office at 7th Floor, 160 Eglinton Ave. East Toronto, Ontario, Canada, ands can be reached through Telephone (416) 922.7181; Facsimile (416) 922.2638 Email: consularmatters@philcongen-toronto.com
ABOUT MAMA SITA FOUNDATION
Mama Sita Foundation (https://www.mamasitafoundation.com) is a non-stock non-profit organization birthed from the vision and legacy of Teresita “Mama Sita” Reyes, a Filipino food icon who was committed to spread awareness on Filipino food and honor the growers and producers of endemic agricultural crops that deliver its unique flavors and tastes. Its initiatives are focused on promoting Philippine culinary heritage and harnessing agricultural sustainability.
ABOUT MGA KUWENTONG PAGKAIN
“Mga Kwentong Pagkain” (MKP) is an initiative of the Mama Sita Foundation which aims to preserve Philippine culinary heritage through the art of storytelling. Launched as a food writing contest in 2012, the initiative has since branched to other endeavors that seek to uphold Filipino foodways and culinary traditions, and work towards its inclusion in global conversations on food. MKP is inspired by Teresita Reyes’ own passion for putting into writing her own fascinating culinary adventures and experiences.
For more information, please contact:
Marissa Albarace
Community Relations Manager
mailto:malbarece@msita.com
mobile: +63 9154416027
phone: +63 2 7182980
+63 2 7256601
+63 2 4046790