Culinary Star Adam Liaw Visits Manila to Give a ‘Taste of Australia’
In a bid to strengthen ties with Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries including the Philippines, Australia Now 2019 program brings culinary star and MasterChef winner Adam Liaw to Manila for a festival titled “Taste of Australia” this summer. This is to celebrate Australia’s innovation and creativity while promoting its contemporary cuisine.
Adam Liaw
Organized by the Australian Embassy in the Philippines, Taste of Australia with Liaw is happening on Saturday, April 27 at Greenbelt 3 Park, showcasing the Oceanian country’s culinary culture and its exemplary products which are available in the Philippines.
Australian products presented in an exclusive event on April 24 at Hilton Manila in Pasay
“Food brings people together, so we’re delighted to share Australian food and coffee culture at this festival. We’ll share examples of modern Australian flavors with people who might not be aware of the range of food available. And for those familiar with Australian tastes, it will be a chance to re-stock with trusty favorites,” Australian Ambassador Steve J Robinson AO said in a statement.
The ambassador added: “Taste of Australia also tells the story of Australian-made and grown products. Australian fine food and produce reflect the pristine environment and high standards of food safety in Australia.”
What to Expect
Liaw, a cookbook author/TV presenter, will deliver a comprehensive talk and perform a cooking demo where guests will learn how to create simple, luscious meals to share with friends and family.
Adam Liaw performs a cooking demo in an exclusive event last April 24 at Hilton Manila in Pasay
Young Filipino chefs will also be competing for the first Taste of Australia Cook-Off Master title. The challenge is they will need to prepare Filipino dishes using Australian products.
Adam Liaw’s Creamy Pepper Steak Spaghetti
Liaw will join Filipino celebrity chef JP Anglo, who trained in Le Cordon Bleu in Sydney and celebrated restaurateur Chef Jessi Sincioco as the panel of judges.
A glimpse of Taste of Australia happening on April 27
Taste of Australia will feature an outdoor market where everyone can shop and sample Australian food and drinks. They can also get a chance to bring home Australian products as well as kitchen items from Masflex.
A free concert featuring the distinct sound of Nights of Rizal will cap off the outdoor festival.
‘Food is constant’
In an exclusive media interview last Wednesday, April 24 at Hilton Manila, Liaw said he is pleased to be part of the program that also focuses on engaging and connecting youth audiences.
Adam Liaw in an exclusive media interview at Hilton Manila in Pasay
The host weekly columnist for Nine/Fairfax ‘Sunday Life’ also expressed how he is very passionate about food and its very essence.
“I’ve always been holding on to the belief that food is the best way to explain a culture because food doesn’t lie,” he said. “Food is always a very accurate representation of what life is like.”
He also explained that “What comprises those three meals tells you a lot about politics, tells you about climate, tells you lifestyle, tells you about how much time do people have in a day, how much money do they have to spend when they go to the supermarket, what kinds of things are they buying.”
I spend a lot of my time not thinking about what taste good, even though I spend most of the time doing that, but also now [I spend a lot of my time asking] how do the recipes that I write or how does the food that I’m essentially asking people to make fill in with their lives,” he stressed.
Building relationships
Aside from Liaw’s visit in the Philippines, part of the highlights of the Australia Now campaign in the country is the celebration of Philippines-Australia Friendship Day that will be held in Cebu on May 24 to 25.
The inaugural ASEAN-Flickerfest Short Film Competition is also set to happen soon. The best entries will feature in the Flickerfest 2020 program and winners will be flown to Sydney for the Flickerfest awards ceremony, film industry networking, and professional development.
Join in the celebration of Australia Now. To get real-time updates, follow the Australian Embassy in the Philippines on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Official hashtags are: #AustraliaNow, #TasteofAustralia, and #AdamLiawinManila.
