The typical weekend grind at the Bonifacio High Street Central Amphitheatre was chimed in by an array of different scents and sounds from The McCormick Flavor Nation Festival last April 30, 2016.
The perfect prelude for the Labor Day weekend, the Flavor Nation Festival featured well-curated food offerings from Manila’s top chefs, local musical performances, life-sized games and activities for the whole family. To top it all off, guests were given exclusive, first-hand experience to taste the new variations of The McCormick Noodle and Seasoning Mix for free.
The first of its kind here in the Philippines, the flavorful noodle selections that were prepared on-the-spot and given away were Laksa, Palabok, Birthday Noodles, Pad Thai, and Chap Chae. They say there’s no better way to be accustomed to a place than through its food, and these noodles took everyone to a culinary journey across Asia. McCormick Philippines’ very own Sabrina Artadi also prepared an appetizer for everyone inspired from traditional Filipino classics – sisig, laing, and diced green mangoes. Everyone’s thirst were quenched by a selection of juice concoctions such as Herbed Peach, Rosemary Iced Tea, and Tropical Summer, all with hints of McCormick’s herbs and spices.
The festivities kicked off with introductory remarks from Kate Tan, Marketing Manager of McCormick Philippines, and Nina Niguilda, Product Manager of the McCormick Noodle and Seasoning Mix, with the main premise to empower the local food scene, which is more globally knowledgeable than ever. Acknowledgments were also given to the invited chefs wherein each briefly discussed his/her dishes and restaurant.
The Flavor Nation Festival was an answer to the consumer’s need for accessibility and convenience by bringing together the food experience from restaurants around the metro. For the rice meals, was Chef Bernice Pimentel’s Paella Ilustrado, perfectly paired with the Callos Madrilena and Chef Jerome Lim’s Wagyu Don from Buta+Wagyu. Chef Marc Nocon’s Kandi burger with onion confit and candied bacon, was a thrill to the palate along with the other uniquely-named signature sliders from Burgers and Brewskies. Asia’s top chef, Margarita Fores also showcased some of her culinary creations including the Panino Porchetta and other notable dishes from Cibo and Café Bola alongside an actual pork lechon.
Completing the gastronomic experience were the hit churros from Churreria La Lola brought by the Master Churrero himself, Jordi Barraca. Similarly, Chef Aileen Anastacio’s snow cones perfectly paired with her confectionaries from Marmalade Kitchen was a sweet break from the humid summer afternoon.
Staying true to the promise of celebrating food and music, the night was welcomed by musical performances from TheSunManager and the soulful Keiko Necesario. Paranoid City provided a livelier intermission with its synth pop sound, while Fools and Foes soothed us with its indie folk feel. Wolfgang’s vocalist, Basti Artadi, added his own touch to covers such as I Can’t Make You Love Me and Message in a Bottle. Capping off a night of performances was Reese Lansangan with her quirky lyrics and catchy tunes.
Everyone left the event with at least something to remember the festivities by, with others luckily taking home raffle items from some of our partners Tefal, OXO, Oneida, and Anchor Hocking. What essentially was an avenue for McCormick to acquaint its five new noodle variants to the market, the Flavor Nation Festival, without a doubt, delivered more than what was expected.
This event was presented by McCormick Philippines in partnership with F&B Report, and brought to you by Hinge Inquirer Publications with special thanks to Tefal, OXO, Oneida, and Anchor Hocking, Coleman, and The Cookery Place. Official media partners include INQUIRER.net,Preen.ph, Scout, Southern Living Magazine, Northern Living Magazine, and ClickTheCity.com. ADVT.
