Pagkain and Pinoy Pride
Growing up, my favorite dish was my grandpa's chicken adobo. When I left San Diego to attend UC Berkeley four years ago, I left behind the city's carne asada fries, the neighborhood's FIlipino restaurants, and my grandpa's cooking. Throughout my college career, there was no Filipino restaurant in Berkeley. The closest ones would be in Oakland, San Francisco, Daly City. I don't see my family often enough for any gatherings, where the food takes the spotlight, and I wasn't involved in the campus's Pil community.
Lunch at Sariwa Kitchen
I recently started reconnecting with my Filipino roots, attending the TFCU Talks at UC Davis, cooking Filipino dishes, and following the Philippine food movement. Early this month, Sariwa Kitchen opened a pop-up on campus. I was so excited that Berkeley's diverse restaurant collection finally showcased the Philippines, and that people could taste fresh, healthy dishes that bring so many memories to Filipinos and Fil-Ams.
Philippine cuisine is becoming "popular"
Especially in light of the recent NY Times article, "Filipino Food Finds a Place in the American Mainstream," more people are talking about Filipino food. On one hand, this news is liberating. This new visibility validates efforts of Pil restaurateurs. On the other hand, our food isn't new.
"Other Asian cuisines have been part of the American landscape for decades. But only in recent years have Filipino dishes started gaining recognition outside immigrant communities."
- L. Mishan, NYT (2018)
Professor Martin Manalansan spoke at UC Berkeley last week on "The Cultural Politics of Philippine Cuisine in a Foodie World." As we're now getting headlines, he urged that we have a lot to keep in mind. For example, who's to say that our food suddenly qualifies to be "part of" the American palate?
But there is no doubt we are proud. Now more than ever is the best time to increase our culture's visibility. Just as with any other major ethnic cuisine, the Philippines boasts high regional diversity from over 7,100 islands. There is no one adobo recipe, and there isn't even a single national dish.
As Aileen Suzara proclaimed, we've been here and we are here to stay.