The Philippines Tourism Promotion Board hosted the WORLDCHEFS Asian Presidents Forum (WAPF) 2023, welcoming delegates and presidents from 16 member societies, two associate member groups, and organizational heads of the World Association of Chef Societies. The event, co-organized by the Tourism Promotions Board Philippines and LTB Philippines Chefs Association, aimed to bring culinary experts from Asia together to share culinary heritage, industry best practices, and sustainability goals. The weeklong conference included knowledge-sharing sessions, competitions, and outreach programs.
Philippine Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco shared that the event was a good showcase of the country, saying that President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. “envisions the Philippines to have a more primary role in Asia in terms of being able to reintroduce itself to the world, not only on the aspect of fun and adventure, but most importantly, to allow you to get to know the heart and soul of the Filipinos that lies in our history, our heritage, our identity, and our living cultural traditions, including and especially, our culinary traditions.”
“We are given a unique opportunity to listen and learn from experts about developments in the culinary field. The world is more connected, now more than ever, and this has vastly influenced and changed the way we look at food, especially in recent years. People from all over the world are constantly seeking new gastronomic experiences,” said TPB Chief Operating Officer Margarita Montemayor Nograles.
Member societies include LTB Philippines, Association of Culinary Professionals Indonesia, Cambodia Chefs’ Association, Chefs Association of Pakistan, Chefs Guild of Lanka, Maldives, China Cuisine Association, Hong Kong Chefs Association, Indian Federation of Culinary Associations, Korea, Mongolian, Professional Culinaire Association of Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, and The Saigon Professional Chefs’ Guild.
The associate member groups of Penang Chef Association and Karachi Chefs Association were also present.
“So many presidents and so many representatives from WORLDCHEFS member countries, [who] are here in the room, shows that Asia is one of the powerful forces in WORLDCHEFS,” said Chef Thomas Gugler, WORLDCHEFS president.
Felice Prudente Sta. Maria and Chef Meik Brammer discussed Filipino food heritage and sustainability in hospitality establishments. LTB Philippines’ Chef Fernando Aracama hosted a panel discussion with chefs Stephan Duhesme, Carlos Villaflor, and Jordy Navarra. Chef KK Yau discussed WORLDCHEFS Without Borders’ Chef Social Responsibility efforts in Syria. Alan Orreal emphasized the need to bridge the gap between young chefs and the culinary world’s older generation. Rick Stephen discussed culinary safety and competition standards.
Chef Carlo Miguel, LTB Philippines president, said, “We’ve always wanted to be able to showcase Philippine hospitality to our Asian neighbors … We can show them how advanced we are in our culinary skill through the Philippine Culinary Cup as well.”
The World Food Expo (WOFEX), organized by PEPTarsus Corp., took place from August 2 to 5 at SMX Convention Center and World Trade Center. The event hosted the Philippine Culinary Cup, the only WORLDCHEFS-accredited culinary competition in the Philippines, and the semifinals of the Global Chef Challenge. Chef Willment Leong, WORLDCHEFS continental director for Asia, reported a record number of participants in the Global Chef Challenge, with 51 chefs from 11 member countries participating in the Philippine leg. Leong also facilitated the launch of the WORLDCHEFS e-book, “Food of Asia, Soul of Asia,” featuring authentic recipes from member chefs across Asia.
Joel Pascual, PEPTarsus president, spoke about the benefits of MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions) events such as the WAPF in boosting local trade and travel. “We are indicating that the Philippines is open for business,” he said.
Chef Leong said, “Hospitality from the Philippines is unbelievable … This [has been a] tip- top, world-standard forum .. We look forward to [coming] back to this beautiful home we call the Philippines.”
