Apl.de.ap promotes Filipino food in USA

Aside from being a a rapper, record producer and break dancer, Apl.de.ap is all a food junkie. (Photo from Apl.de.ap’s website)

Black Eyed Peace member and The Voice Philippines coach Apl.de.ap promoted Filipino food in Filipino Food Movement’s recent event “Savor the Night” held in the United States of America.

Filipino Food Movement aimed to popularize Filipino cuisine. In their latest event, innovations of Filipino food were featured.

“We’re very passionate with our cooking so we put our heart and soul into it so everyone should feel that. It’s like the soul food of Asia,” Apl.de.ap said, constantly engaging with the attendees.

Not known to many, Apl.de.ap was the unofficial chef of his hip hop group.

“He cooks for the band when they’re on tour. He’s always been an aficionado of Filipino food so the connection was always very natural for us,” Filipino Food Movement founder PJ Quesada said.

Apl.de.ap Foundation International was the beneficiary of the event. The foundation will then use the proceeds of the event to fund its project of providing education for children.

“I’ve seen it with my own eyes that when you give someone an opportunity they excel, especially Filipino kids. We’re so talented. We just need the opportunity,” Quesada said.

Aside from new trends in the Filipino cuisine, the event also featured traditional comfort foods.

“Just using the resource we grew up with and using it to our palettes now can definitely challenge the community, but at the same time we can also have fun with it and enjoy great food that way,” Kainbigan in Oakland chef Charleen Caabay said.

Truly, Filipino food has been something every Pinoy can be proud of, wherever in the globe they may be.

“The number one thing I got from Filipino food is that it is a family gatherer and no matter what problems you have in the family the food will always bring you together,” Nouveau Filipino in Napa chef Kelsi said.

“Filipinos are taking ownership of their own cuisine. They’re saying ‘Hey, we are a culture that has our own cuisine and we’re very proud of it’,” DiCarlo of Xroads Philippine Sea Salts chef Lennie Buenaflor added.