13-08-2025
International Manila Food Festival culminates with LASA x LAHI, a grand feast of Filipino food and more
The first-ever International Manila Food Festival wrapped up on Sunday night with a LASA x LAHI grand tasting event that showcased and honored Filipino cuisine and heritage while pushing the envelope of culinary innovation.
Held at the Marriott Grand Ballroom in Pasay City, the finale event gathered 12 world-renowned Filipino chefs, each presenting a signature dish at their respective stations.
Leading up to LASA x LAHI, the International Manila Food Festival earlier hosted a culinary congress attended by food content creators such as Erwan Heussaff and Abi Marquez.
On Instagram, the Lumpia Queen said she hopes the festival 'becomes a yearly thing' and that Filipino food 'deserves more attention, especially on a global scale.'
'Just today, I learned so much,' Abi said. 'Super many valuable insights from industry experts.'
For International Manila Food Festival co-founder Anton Diaz, the event was 'to make Manila a center of culinary excellence in Asia.'
'We really take Filipino food to the next level,' he said.
Meanwhile, Chef Nicole Ponseca, also a co-founder of the festival, took pride in bringing Filipino chefs all over the world to one place.
'It's the first time that I think that we are all convening here in Manila to really honor, discover, and innovate Filipino food,' she said.
In case you missed LASA x LAHI, here are the dishes presented at the event, with exclusive insights shared with GMA News Online.
—CDC, GMA Integrated News
