Cultural and Educational

Philippine Embassy Chef Claude Tayag Wins the People’s Choice Award at Annual Embassy Chef Challenge

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Internationally-acclaimed Filipino Chef Claude Tayag assisted by Mixologist Enzo Lim won The People’s Choice Award at the 8th annual Embassy Chef Challenge held on May 25, 2016 at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center in Washington, D.C.

The Embassy Chef Challenge,  Washington’s leading international culinary event, was a unique opportunity for embassies to showcase the flavors of their home country.

“This was the first time that the Philippines joined the Embassy Chef Challenge. It is a significant step for our culinary diplomacy as cultural and economic objectives drive our participation. We celebrate our cuisine, bridge cultural differences and foster international understanding, and promote Philippine ingredients and products,” Philippine Ambassador to the United States Jose L. Cuisia, Jr. said.

The Winning Dish “Bringhe” of Chef Claude Tayag

The winning dish “Bringhe” used indigenous ingredients: three heirloom Cordillera rice varieties, taba ng talangka, dried mango, inasal na bangus, and glazed pili nuts. The heirloom rice mix consisted of Eight Wonder Mountain violet sticky rice, Ulikan Red and Tinawon white topped with the national fish bangus (milkfish) from Sarangani Bay, and sprinkled with the unique Bicol’s pili nuts, Cebu’s dried mangoes, Datu Puti patis (fish sauce) and calamansi extract.

“The Embassy Chef Challenge is a wonderful opportunity to showcase not just the unique flavors of Philippine cuisine but also the accessibility of our food. It has been said that food culture is a reflection of a nation’s soul, and so I intended our offering to be a culinary demonstration of our people’s inherent openness and generosity. After all, Filipino cuisine is meant to be shared,” Chef Claude Tayag said.

“Great Day Washington” Featured Chef Claude Tayag

At a pre-event, 23 May, Chef Claude Tayag was guest chef at Washington DC’s Channel 9 TV program “Great Day Washington.” He worked up appetites demonstrating a popular Philippine dish.

Chef Claude’s participation was a joint project of the Philippine Embassy, Philippine Trade and Investment Center and Office of the Agricultural Attaché in Washington D.C., in partnership with the US-Philippines Society, Philippine Airlines and Seafood City Supermarket.

L-R: TV Host Markette Sheppard, Chef Claude Tayag, and Senior VP of DC Events Erik Moses

L-R: TV Host Markette Sheppard, Chef Claude Tayag, and Senior VP of DC Events Erik Moses

Featured Embassy Chef video

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