Filipino Food Market hosting pop-ups in San Francisco

Scene from the first Friday of the “Filipino Food Market” on April 14  at the Kalayaan Hall of the Philippine Center in San Francisco, with Consul General Neil Ferrer, leading guests to food displays. The food market will hold two more runs at the Philippine Center’s Kalayaan Hall on April 21 and 28. CONTRIBUTED

SAN FRANCISCO – “Filipino Food Market” at the Philippine Center in San Francisco welcomed foodies on the second, third and fourth Friday of April in celebration of Filipino Food Month in the Bay Area.

The food market, which officially opened April 14, gathers some of the Filipino food and beverage vendors from the Bay Area and the Philippines, for day-long “pop-ups” at the Philippine Center, hosted by the Philippine Consulate General in San Francisco and the Filipino Food Movement.

The food market will hold two more runs at the Philippine Center in downtown San Francisco on April 21 and 28.

“We are celebrating ‘Filipino Food Month’ this April pursuant to a Philippine presidential proclamation,” Ferrer said. “My special thanks go to the Filipino Food Movement, led by Sonia Delen and Keesa Ocampo, for organizing the very first Filipino Food Market at the Consulate, and for their efforts in advocating for Filipino food and food businesses all year round,” Consul General Ferrer added.

A special book signing and forum on April 21 will be held with Filipino celebrity chef and restaurateur Claude Tayag, featuring his book The Ultimate Filipino Adobo: Stories Through the Ages.

On 28 April 2023, a Philippine food and travel panel discussion will take place, with the Philippine Department of Tourism Office in San Francisco, and headlined by Filipino American event planner and travel enthusiast Anthony Schlander of “Anthony Presents.”

Among the establishments that joined the first Friday of the food market were Azucal Kitchen, Eats Cha Cha Cha, Em’s Kusina, FiliFlavors, House of Hara, Kokak Chocolates, Kusina ni JavenJesel and Tita Pearl, Mahal Scent, Malaya Botanicals, Ube Area, Destileria Barako’s Ube Cream Liqueur, and Ube Galore.

The Consulate on  April 11 hosted “Lasap: A Curated Trade Event Featuring Philippine Chocolate and Alcohol Pairings.” The Consulate will also launch a social media directory of Filipino restaurants and businesses in the 10 states under its jurisdiction.