PR-41-2022
Melbourne PCG hosts Book Launch of “Under Coconut Skies”
and Forum/Networking of Filipino Restaurateurs and Food Business Owners in Victoria
12 November 2022 - The Philippine Consulate General in Melbourne hosted a Book Launch of “Under Coconut Skies” with celebrated Filipino-Australian food and travel writer Yasmin Newman and a back-to-back Forum/Networking of Filipino Restaurateurs and Food Business Owners in Victoria, held at the Consulate General on Saturday, 12 November 2022. The event was attended by over thirty (30) Filipino entrepreneurs, mostly engaged in the food service industry in Australia, and select community leaders including from regional Gippsland, Ballarat and Bendigo.
Filipino-Australian author Yasmin Newman (front, 2nd from left), speakers and some of the guests and officials of the Philippine Consulate at the Book Launch and Forum/Networking of Filipino Restaurateurs and Food Business Owners in Victoria
“It is our privilege to host the Melbourne launch of Under Coconut Skies and thanks, Yasmin, for accepting our proposal,” Consul General Maria Lourdes M. Salcedo remarked as she heralded the confidence and creativity of various Filipino-owned and Philippine-inspired restaurants and food-related businesses in Victoria. She noted a steady awareness of Filipino food in Victoria, with two (2) Filipino-owned restaurants, Ginger Olive and Serai, being recognized by top food critics in Australia. She also advocated for the establishment of further Filipino-owned businesses and startups and the excellence they continue to show in the food business landscape in Victoria.
The guest author, Yasmin Newman, held a one-on-one interview with Consul Jan Sherwin P. Wenceslao, where she featured her perspectives on her Filipino-Australian heritage and love for Filipino culture, food and flavors. She introduced her book Under Coconut Skies (the first being 7,000 Islands), which explores various Philippine regional dishes, including food from Mindanao. She said that the cookbook features more experimental dishes that merge rustic Filipino and Australian approaches to cooking with Filipino ingredients. She also provided advice to Filipino food entrepreneurs who hope to turn their passion into successful businesses.
Yasmin Newman proudly celebrates Filipino food in a one-on-one interview with Consul Jan Sherwin Wenceslao
Philippine Special Trade Representative, Alma Argayoso, spoke of the experiences and prospects for Philippine food exports to Australia. Filipino food exports to Australia rose by 17%, from US$59.4 million in 2020 to US$69.54 million in 2021. Among the top agricultural exports to Australia are coconut products, with desiccated coconut used as ingredients for Australian chocolate and presence in retail establishments. She also acknowledged the recent positive trade developments in 2021/2022, including the entry of Philippine food into the mainstream Australian market, including Filipino franchises such as Potato Corner and Brother’s Burger. She encouraged Filipino businesses to continue to support awareness and acceptance of Philippine food into the Australian market, noting the current challenges involving market access issues relating to strict biosecurity measures of Australia.
Canberra-based Scott Mason, Assistant Director for Food Biosecurity Imports, Animal and Biological Imports Branch of the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Fisheries, briefed the audience on the topic of food safety and quarantine regulations in Australia as well as provided various resources to facilitate and assist in the safe importation of Philippine food into the country.
The Calamansi Story and its important links to culture, community and economy was the highlight of the talk of Fides Santos-Arguelles, founder of the Entree.Pinays, a female-led advocacy group engaged in increasing representation and go-to-market opportunities for Filipino cuisine and enterprise.
The Director of TaxSmart Cafe and CARE Financial Services & Accounting, Atty Romz Gadaoni, and their IT and business process consultant, Joy Chua, spoke about the Top ten reasons why businesses fail as well as strategies and information for small businesses and entrepreneurs to establish a profitable and sustainable enterprise.
Yasmin Newman answers a question from the audience. Also in photo from left are Joy Chua, IT and business process consultant, TaxSmart Café; Vic Pilay, Vice-President, Victoria of APBC) Victoria; Fides Santos-Arguelles of Entree.Pinays; and Atty. Romz Gadaoni, Director of TaxSmart Cafe (1st from right) during a panel engagement with Filipino restaurateurs and food service entrepreneurs.
APBC’s support for Philippine cuisine was the topic of Vick Pillay, Vice-President and Chair of ITBPO Committee at the Australia Philippines Business Council (APBC) chapter in Victoria. He spoke of an ongoing project by the APBC to develop a set of short cooking videos featuring Filipino food with celebrities like Yasmin Newman, which will be shown in various settings, including a partnership with Philippine Airlines.
“Food is intimately related to promoting tourism, trade and investment,” according to Deputy Consul General Anthony Achilles L. Mandap in his closing remarks. He noted a potential market for Filipino food in Australia owing to a significant Filipino population as well as adventurous Australian tastes, and opportunities from an abundance of multicultural food and beverage festivals and diversification of products in large retail establishments. However, there are challenges involving strict sanitary/phytosanitary measures, underinvestment in Filipino products and the general “unhealthy” perception of Filipino food, as well ongoing competition from other well-established ethic foods and food products. “This is a work in progress – a collective mission and responsibility of all like-minded Filipinos,” he added.
The Philippine Consulate General in Melbourne promotes Filipino culture and food as an important touchstone of cultural and economic diplomacy and national pride.
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