Manila Food and Wine Festival 2014 - A Philippine International Food Fest

5 Reasons Why Foodies Shouldn't Miss Out on Manila Food and Wine Festival 2014

by The Click List
In partnership with the Department of Tourism, Manila Food and Wine Festival (MFWF) kicks off on November 21, 2014.  Now on its second year, MFWF 2014’s theme is From Farm to Fork, paying homage to the country’s abundant and fresh produce that make Filipino dishes not only more delicious, but also sustainable and healthy.

Chefs and food personalities at the 2nd Manila Food & Wine Festival Media Launch

They've lined up exciting culinary activities for all you chefs, gourmands, and hungry foodies out there, and we've listed below all the highlights that you must not miss, and how you can score your tickets to the event.

1. Score exclusive deals in 20 restaurants for November.
MFWF has partnered with leading establishments to offer diners exclusive deals and steals through the MFWF Discount Card. The card is only P100 and gives you first dibs on what's new from 'green' restaurants, from special discounts or 'limited edition' dishes exclusive to cardholders. The card is valid from November 3 to 30, 2014.

The 20 participating establishments:

1. Corazon Filipino-Hispano Cuisine
2. Crisostomo
3. Elias
4. Felix
5. Madison's Bistro Moderne
6. Casa Roces
7. Epicurious
8. The Blackboard by Chef Michel
9. Lucia Ristorante
10. Nomama
11. Chef Jessie Rockwell Club
12. Brasserie Girolle
13. EchoStore Sustainable Lifestyle
14. The Wholesome Table
15. Todd English Food Hall
16. The Black Pig
17. Green Pastures
18. Cyma Greek Taverna
19. Mother’s Garden
20. Rustique Kitchen

2. Come for the food trucks!
The highlight of the celebration are food trucks -- lots of them! The Food Truck Competition at last year's festival garnered over 2,000 spectators that purchased and voted for their favorite food truck chef. Chef Florabel Co-Yatco is the reigning MFWF Food Truck champion. 'This is really a good opportunity to promote Philippine Cuisine. But I am also most excited for the unique chance for us chefs to interact with each other, and share what we know in a very different, but truly exciting setting,' shared Chef Florabel on last year's MFWF.

Chef Florabel Co-Yatco in action at last year's Food Truck Competition

^{Photo from Manila Food and Wine Festival website}
The Food Truck Competition happens at SM Mall of Asia Concert Grounds on November 21. You can purchase your food truck meal vouchers online via SM Tickets (smtickets.com) very soon. Once you buy your voucher/s, print and present it at SM Tickets outlet or on-site (MOA Concert Grounds on day of event) to have it exchanged to Meal Ticket/s. Tickets are P250 per meal/plate (up to November 21, 12 noon), and P350 per meal/plate (from November 21, past 12 noon). Remember that one ticket means one meal from one of the many food trucks. Come with more foodie friends so you can each claim a meal per food truck and have a little taste from everyone's plate!

3. Witness Manila's top chefs and gourmands team up for a color-themed food battle.
Not only will there be more food trucks--Manila's top chefs and gourmands will team up to man the trucks for a color-themed food battle! The most recognizable names in the industry are participating this year, and will work in pairs to create a dish that not only sticks to the festival's theme of 'From Farm to Fork,' but also making their key ingredients in theme with the color that have been pre-selected per team. The teams are keeping their final dishes a secret (of course, it's a competition!), so you will have to discover for yourself what they've cooked up on November 21.
Meet the Six Chef Teams:

Purple Team: Marvin Agustin and Peter Ayson

Key Ingredients: Red/purple cabbage, large Japanese eggplant, and purple grapes

 

Orange Team: Rosebud Benitez-Velasco and Xandra Pauco

Key Ingredients: Orange and carrot

 

Red Team: Nadine Tengco and Erin Banzon

Key Ingredients: Tomato and beet

 

Yellow Team: Ian Padilla and Michel Cottabarren

Key Ingredient: Cheese 

 

Black Team: Erwan Heussaff and Brett Halfpap

Key Ingredient: Black burgers

 

Brown Team: Tristan Encarnacion and Nino Laus

Key Ingredient: Meat

Each Chef Team will prepare a set meal of starch, protein, fruit and vegetables, in line with their color theme. There will be a maximum of two viands per team, and they are to serve up to 500 portions of their dishes. The powerhouse judges for this battle include participants of last year’s food truck war: Chef Sau Del Rosario, Chef Robby Goco, and Chef Bruce Lim.
Which dynamic duo is your favorite, or are you choosing your meal based on the ingredients used? For this year, there are different awards at stake for the participants: Most Online Sales, Most On-Site Sales, First to Sell 400, and First to Sell Out. Special awards will also be given: Most Innovative Dish, Most Sustainable Meal Concept, Heartthrob Chef, Biggest Fanbase, Grace Under Pressure, and Most 'Flashy.' The Special Awards will be given out on the cook-off night, while Main Awards will be presented on Gala Night. Don't forget to cast your votes!

Chef Sau del Rosario

4. Feeling fancy? Wine and dine at an elegant four-course dinner.
At the heart of the celebrations is the Charity Gala Night Nov. 24 at the Solaire Resort and Casino where Solaire Culinary Director Chef Wolfgang Fischer will prepare a special four-course dinner together with Chef Sau del Rosario, who was a participant at last year's Food Truck Cook-off and is also returning this year as the festival's judge for the competition.

5. Please your palate for a good cause.
At last year's MFWF Gala Dinner, tickets were used as seed money to change the lives of deserving Filipino youths who will be given a scholarship under the Culinary Education Foundation (CEF). The successful 1st MFWF was able to support 250 scholars from all over the country, and will to continue giving back in 2014. This year, tables during the Charity Gala Night will be sold and proceeds will once more fund CEF's vision to provide educational aid to deserving less fortunate individuals.


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The Manila Food and Wine Festival is spearheaded by the Culinary Education Foundation founded by Annie Pascual-Guerrero, and kicks off on November 21, 2014 with the Food Truck Competition at SM Mall of Asia Concert Grounds and ends with a Charity Gala Night on November 24 at the Solaire Resort and Casino.
For more information (MFWF Discount Card and Gala Night Table Reservations), contact Paula Seriritan at 623-6907 and ppseriritan.cravingsgroup@gmail.com, log-on to Manila Food and Wine Festival 2013 (www.mfwf.ph), and Like their Facebook page (/pages/Manila-Food-and-Wine-Festival).