Mama Sita Foundation Launches Month-Long Webinar Series on Filipino Cuisine

The Mama Sita Foundation, in partnership with the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa (UHM), launches a lecture-webinar series entitled “Pinoy Food Stories: Evolution of Philippine Cuisine” for students, the food-curious, and history buffs alike. The online course aims to take participants through the evolution of Philippine cuisine, from indigenous foods and ingredients to the different culinary practices of Filipinos around the world today.

Under the wings of Dr. Pia Arboleda, Director of the Center for Philippine Studies and Coordinator of the Filipino and Philippine Literature Program at the UHM, the online course will be taught by Mr. Paolo Ven Paculan of the Ateneo de Manila Junior High School.

The course will have five modules in the span of 4 weeks—from February 13, 2021 to March 13, 2021 in the Philippines—and participants can choose which module classes to attend. Topics include: “Provenance of Filipino Food,” “Provided by Nature: Indigenous Foodways,” “This or that? Asian Influences on Filipino Food,” “Everyday Is a Celebration: Spanish Influences on Filipino Culture,” and “At the Crossroads: Food Culture of Different Filipinos.”

Registration for participants is still ongoing, with no fees nor requirements needed to sign up. Interested persons may fill up the Google form at this link: https://forms.gle/ZUqdvy2qwkgmUJ6N6. 

Pinoy Food Stories is an offshoot of the Mama Sita Foundation’s annual storywriting contest, Mga Kwentong Pagkain. In collaboration with the UHM, the Mama Sita Foundation brings food stories onto an academic stage, where participants can delve deeper into how Filipino food culture has been shaped throughout history, creating not just a heritage of flavors, but also a Filipino identity amid the influences of the past and the present.

For inquiries about the online course, email mkpsauhm@gmail.com.