“I followed my heart and it led me to the fridge.” This popular quote on the Internet might only mean to draw a chuckle and yet there’s no denying the deep and complex connections that good food forges with our hearts.
Call it a clever brand strategy, or the ultimate excuse to showcase the range and richness of Filipino cuisine in Qatar, or both, Kulinarya Qatar is determined to put Filipino food into the Arab mainstream, promote economic diplomacy through cuisine, and increase appreciation and awareness of the Philippines as a tourist, business, and trade destination.
Now in its second year, Kulinarya Qatar 2016 is staging a three-day event under the theme Tightening the bond of the Filipino Community through food and culture and is gaining terrific traction across Qatar. Of the 35 Filipino restaurants in Qatar, so far, more than 15 have confirmed their participation in the event that will be held at The Westin Doha Hotel & Spa from September 13 to 15, from 10am to 10pm.
Fashioned as Filipino Community Family Day & Food Festival, the Kulinarya Qatar main event will feature Glow Zumba with celebrity artistes, Little Miss Kulinarya Qatar Finals, Junior Master Chef finals, Pasiklaban fruit-carving, the best of Kulinarya Qatar menu, celebrities shoot for a cause, celebrities dance workshop, health and fitness activities, Batang Pinoy play area, and other entertaining programmes.
Kulinarya Qatar is a movement established by the Philippine Embassy Doha under the leadership of the Philippine ambassador Wilfredo C Santos. Community caught up with Santos to know more about what’s in store at the festival that is set to attract thousands of visitors.
 
Kulinarya Qatar seems to enjoy a lot of goodwill and positive word of mouth from its debut edition last year. How do you plan to take this year’s edition up a notch or two?
Aside from the Filipino Community Family Day and Food Festival to be held from September 13 to 15 at the Westin Hotel and Spa in time for the Eid al-Adha holiday, the embassy is also hoping to bring a celebrity chef from the Philippines to showcase Filipino cuisine which will be tailored to a different type of palate — that of the Qataris and other expatriates in Qatar. We are still working out the logistical details with a five-star hotel as we target the last week of September after Eid al-Adha. The community will be informed as soon as the arrangements have been finalised. Filipinos in Qatar are already aware of their native cuisine, and it is the Qataris and other expats that need to be made more aware of Filipino dishes as part of promoting the Philippines as a tourist and business destination.
 
In both social and cultural contexts, what is the bigger purpose of a food festival such as Kulinarya Qatar, especially when it coincides with Eid al-Adha?
Eating is a very important social exercise for Filipinos. We eat not just to nourish ourselves, but also to spend more time and strengthen our bonds with families, friends and guests. Meanwhile, Eid al-Adha, just like Eid al-Fitr, is one of the most significant holidays in Qatar and the rest of the Muslim world, and is even considered as the ‘Greater Eid’. Such holidays give an opportunity for Filipinos to eat and bond with families and friends. Hence, there is a merging of two cultures — the Islamic observance of the Eid and the Filipino style of celebrating holidays.
 
Kulinarya as a brand is meant to promote Filipino food and support Filipino restaurants in Qatar. What are the long-term benefits that the embassy expects it to yield?
As an embassy, we are tasked with promoting Filipino culture and showcasing the Philippines as a viable tourist and business destination. Food is a major component of culture. By allowing people to get a taste of Filipino cuisine, they get a glimpse of our culture and hospitality. Food is also a useful medium to promote Philippine tourism as our cuisine can encourage tourists to visit our country and even come back for a truly Filipino gastronomic experience. Kulinarya Qatar is also in support of our economic diplomacy initiatives as this provides opportunities for our many Filipino food entrepreneurs in Qatar. Our Filipino food entrepreneurs serve as our cultural ambassadors in Qatar.
 
What are the challenges you have faced in putting Kulinarya Qatar together?
The challenge now is to ensure the longevity of this movement. I hope that even when I finish my tour of duty in Qatar, Kulinarya Qatar will continue on through the co-operation between the embassy and the Filipino community. Another challenge as I mentioned earlier is to elevate the audience of Kulinarya Qatar from the Filipino community to the Qataris and other expatriate community in the country. That is why we are hoping to diversify through this proposed visit of a celebrity chef from the Philippines.
 
What about Filipino food sets it apart? Also, personally, what are your three favourite Filipino dishes?
According to well-known food critics, Filipino cuisine is slowly making its mark in the international scene after being left behind by its Asian counterparts like Thai, Chinese, and Japanese food. Filipino cuisine is an amalgamation of all the foreign influences that have played a crucial part in our history, such as Spanish and Chinese. This, therefore, explains the international appeal of Filipino food that is slowly building up. There is always something for everyone which gives Filipino food a sense of familiarity, but at the same time injects something new. As for my favourites, they would be fried and fresh lumpia, pancit, and relleno. Lumpia and pancit are evidences of Chinese influence in our food, while relleno comes from the Spanish.
 
How important is this food festival for the Filipino community of Qatar, and why?
This food festival is an opportunity for Filipinos in Qatar to bond with their families and friends. That’s why we have called it ‘Filipino Community Family Day’ and not just a Food Festival. This is our way of celebrating with our Qatari brothers and sisters the Eid al-Adha and so, I also invite them and our other fellow expatriates to come and visit us at the Westin Hotel and Spa along Salwa Road to experience the finest of Filipino hospitality and food.