Philippine Embassy in Berne Organizes
 Philippine Food Festival in Zurich

As part of the series of events undertaken to celebrate the 112th Anniversary of the Declaration of Philippine Independence, the Philippine Embassy in Switzerland, led by H.E. Ambassador Maria Theresa P. Lazaro, organized a Philippine Food Festival at the Swissotel in Zurich, from June 2 to 12, 2010.

The event was a showcase of Filipino cuisine, which captivated guests of various nationalities from all over Switzerland. Around 30 types of Filipino dishes and dessert preparations were served for the a la carte lunch and the dinner buffet, including the famous “lechon de Cebu” and the much desired “halo-halo”.

Making possible this delightful array of dishes was the 5-member team from Hotel Marco Polo Cebu, made up of 4 Filipino chefs (Mr. Leo Montemayor, Mr. Lyndon Kong, Ms. Katrina Charmaine Avila and Mr. Carlos Dingding Jr.), and an attendant /PR assistant, Ms. Zenas Joy Romeo. The team was especially flown to Zurich for this festival, courtesy of Singapore Airlines Zurich and Marco Polo Hotel Cebu. Swissotel co-sponsored and co-organized the event with the Philippine Embassy, Berne.

The cooperation from the Department of Tourism (DOT) office in Frankfurt and the Department of Agriculture (DA) Manila provided additional cultural elements to the food festival, through the presentation of Philippine tourism products and services, and the featured “Pinoy Agri Kart” with Filipino agricultural products and delicacies.

The conclusion of the Festival was highlighted with the awarding of raffle prizes for those who dined at Swissotel during the 11-day event, to include: two (2) Singapore Airline return tickets from Zurich to Manila, several days stay in luxurious Philippine hotels and resorts such as El Nido in Palawan, Bellarocca in Marinduque, Marco Polo Cebu, Regency Lagoon Boracay and Diamond Hotel, Manila, among others.