PRESS RELEASE NO. 24-2021
(14 June 2021, Honolulu, Hawaii) – The Philippine Consulate General in Honolulu organized the 3rd annual Filipino Food Week in Hawaii from 6-12 June 2021 with the help of its corporate, media, and community partners. For one week, various restaurants featured Filipino food specials as part of their menu offerings. Seventeen (17) food establishments from Oahu, four (4) in Maui, one (1) in Kauai, and one (1) in the Big Island participated in this year’s Filipino Food Week.
In Oahu, the following establishments featured a Filipino Food Week special: Artizen by MW, Cafe Julia at YWCA, Chef Chai, Dickey’s Barbecue Pit, Eating House 1849 by Roy Yamaguchi, Elena's Home of Finest Filipino Foods (takeout only), GOEN Dining + Bar, Kiawe and Kabagis, Olena by Chef Ron Simon, Pai Honolulu, Roy’s Hawaii Kai, Roy’s Koolina, Roy’s Waikiki, Skull & Crown Trading Co, Stage Restaurant, Tiano's Restaurants, and Tiki's Grill & Bar. In Maui, the following restaurants participated: Humble Market Kitchin, Joey's Kitchen, Roy’s Kaanapali, and Tante's Island Cuisine. Meanwhile, diners were able to taste sumptuous FFW specials at Roy’s Waikoloa Bar & Grill in the Big Island and Eating House in Kauai. More than half of the participating businesses are non-Filipino restaurants.
For this year, Filipino Food Week highlighted dishes that combines both Filipino and Hawaiian influences. The theme is in keeping with the commemoration of the 75th year anniversary of the establishment of bilateral relations between the Philippines and the United States. Some of the Filipino-Hawaiian dishes featured were adobo glazed short rib and pork belly with luau sauce from Eating House 1849 and GOEN Dining + Bar, lechon kawali garlic fried rice loco moco from Tante’s Island Cuisine, and butter mochi (bibingka) ala mode from Café Julia.
The event is part of the efforts of the Consulate to introduce Filipino cuisine to a broader audience as well as provide a platform to promote Philippine food products in Hawaii. Companies such as East West Marketing Inc., Emperador, Fundador, GK Skaggs, Kasama Rum, Mama Sita’s, Philippine FoodTrade Co., San Miguel Beer, and Tanduay Rum gave away sample products for restaurants to try. The members of the Filipino community also showed their support for Filipino Food Week by hosting luncheons and dinners at participating restaurants. A group of community leaders hosted a dinner at Chef Chai on June 12 in celebration of the Philippines’ Independence Day and conclusion of Filipino Food Week 2021.
The Consulate hopes that by hosting the annual Filipino Food Week, more restaurants and chefs in Hawaii will use these products in making their dishes and drinks and more people outside of the Filipino community will gain appreciation of Filipino food. (END)
Deputy Consul General Angelica Escalona (center) with Consulate staff and members of media and corporate partners
Filipino Hawaiian fusion dish (adobo with luau sauce) from Eating House 1849 and GOEN Dining + Bar
SUTUKIL (Sugba, Tula, Kilawin) with Cebuchon from Tiano’s Restaurant
Kare Kare beef stew risotto from PAI Honolulu
Lechon kawali, adobo braised pork belly with garlic rice, calamansi, island tomatoes, and long beans at Tiki’s Grill & Bar
Hawaiian local caramelized pineapples with 100% squeezed calamansi juice from Olena’s by Chef Ron Simon
Deputy Consul General Angelica Escalona, Consul Grace Bulos, and Vice Consul Andrea Christina Caymo with members of the Filipino community during the community-hosted dinner at Chef Chai
