PH’s Lumpiang Shanghai, Turon Showcased in “A Taste of Diplomacy”

Filipino chef Cho Ortega explains the ingredients of Lumpiang Shanghai to the participants of the Taste of Diplomacy Program of YMCA Anthony Bowen on 24 October 2018. (Washington PE photo)

WASHINGTON, D.C. 08 November 2018 — The Philippine Embassy, through Sentro Rizal Washington, D.C., made a successful collaboration with YMCA Anthony Bowen on the latter’s newest cooking program entitled “A Taste of Diplomacy” on 24 October 2018.

“Food is basic and the love for food is universal. It is a natural gateway to culture and understanding. We are grateful to the YMCA Anthony Bowen and Chef Cho for working with us under ‘A Taste of Diplomacy’ program”, Ambassador to the United States Jose G. Manuel Romualdez said in a statement.

The participants enjoy their first batch of cooked Lumpiang Shanghai (Washington PE photo)

The Philippines is the second featured Embassy after Luxembourg for this month. The Healthy Eating Department of the YMCA aims to bring the community together and bridge cultures by discovering the cuisines of various countries. Ten YMCA members and DC residents participated in the evening cooking program that featured Filipino dishes.

Participants in the Taste of Diplomacy Program try to make turon (Washington PE photo)

Chef Cho Ortega, owner of family-owned restaurant Lumpia, Pansit, Atbp was gracious in lending her cooking skills and partnering with the Embassy for the event. She presented a wrapped food theme and demonstrated how to make Filipino favorites lumpiang shanghai (spring rolls) and turon (fried banana egg roll).

Chef Cho took up Architecture in the Philippines but her love for cooking pushed her to study at the Academie de Cuisine Gaithersburg when she migrated to the United States. She is the owner of Lumpia, Pansit, Atbp. restaurant in Wheaton, Maryland which was established in 2000 as a Filipino-Asian festival food stall that eventually grew into a full restaurant. She also started a catering service, previously known as Cho Catering Service, serving Filipino-Asian cuisine.

(From left) Tessa Mork, Nutrition Education Program Manager, YMCA Anthony Bowen; Chef Cho Ortega; and Asha Kuziwa, Kitchen Coordinator, YMCA Anthony Bowen (Washington PE photo)

YMCA Anthony Bowen has been innovating for 160 years and evolving still to cater to the needs of the community. It is one of the full-service facilities that YMCA of Metropolitan Washington operates throughout the DC, Maryland, and Virginia area.