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CTV News
11 hours ago
- Entertainment
- CTV News
Lapu-Lapu Day fundraiser will unite 10 chefs for celebration of Filipino food in Vancouver
TJ Conwi is among a number of chefs who have rallied to provide meals to those in need following the attack on a Filipino festival in Vancouver. Two months on from the Lapu-Lapu Day Festival tragedy, chefs from across the city are gathering to raise funds, support and spirits by doing what they do best, and tending to the community's collective tastebuds. Come July 3, A Night of Too Many Chefs will see 10 chefs and eight dessert masters take over the Museum of Vancouver for a culinary experience that champions Filipino food. Guests can expect traditional Filipino dishes cooked from chefs that helm the kitchens of various Vancouver restaurants, including Top Chef Canada alumni and Janevca chef Andrea Alridge, ¿CóMO? Tapería's Rafael Racela, and Alden Ong of Farmer's Apprentice. 'It's just a different way for us to come together in a setting where we can all just sit down, talk and share a meal,' said Ono Vancouver's TJ Conwi, the organiser behind the event. 'That's something that is really important for our community.' For Filipinos, food is more than just a source of nutrition. Conwi says it plays a vital role in their culture, often being at the crux of community, family, and celebration. Traditional dishes like adobo and lumpia, expected to be served at the event, will connect the community to their heritage and provide them an opportunity to move towards healing together, he says. For those in attendance who come from other cultural backgrounds, for the event is open to all, it offers a chance to try a cuisine that is often overlooked in the Vancouver culinary scene, he adds. 'This is food that is going to uplift the Filipino food profile, which is a mission we've always been on. Filipino food, in general, doesn't have the spotlight it should have,' says Conwi. The chef says he hopes those in attendance will also see the event as an occasion to champion the work of the volunteers who have offered their efforts tirelessly in previous weeks. In the days that followed April 26, a date now inextricably linked to the horrific car-ramming attack that killed 11 and injured dozens at the Filipino festival, Conwi had rallied chefs across the city to make and deliver culturally comforting dishes to the victims and families that were impacted. The meal program has since shifted from a delivery to a pick-up service but it is still very much in effect, with over 6,500 meals served up to the community since it was first initiated in April. Proceeds from July's fundraising event will go towards the ongoing program, alongside Ono Vancouver's community meals program, said Conwi. 'There are still people that are hurting, there are people that are healing physically and emotionally and it is now that collectively we need to figure all that out,' says Conwi. 'We want to make sure that people understand that this is not going to be quick, it is going to be a long-term thing.'
Global News
01-05-2025
- Global News
Filipino chef turns talents to feeding victims of Vancouver's Lapu Lapu tragedy
A Vancouver Filipino chef is throwing his kitchen behind efforts to aid the victims of the car-ramming attack at the Lapu Lapu Festival on Saturday. 'Filipino food and Filipino culture is all about comfort, all about giving you, like, what did mom used to feed you,' said TJ Conwi, owner of Ono Vancouver. 'So you get messages like hey, I have food but it's mostly Caucasian food. But now we are sending them adobo … things that would at least remind them of good times and the sense that somebody out there cares for them.' 3:15 Reluctant Lapu Lapu Day hero speaks out Conwi was actually at the Filipino festival in South Vancouver the day of the attack, but left hours before a man drove an SUV into the crowds killing 11 and injuring dozens of others. Story continues below advertisement The tragedy, he said, touched him personally. Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy Like him, many members of the Filipino community attending the festival had come to Canada seeking a better life — only to have the promise of safety and opportunity ripped away. Conwi, who already produces up to 1,200 community meals a week through his catering business for charities, including those on the Downtown Eastside, decided he needed to help. That's when he began talking with other members of the local chef community about how they could coordinate a food delivery and meal pickup. 'You think about the son who just went there for breakdancing and instead of thinking about school on Monday, is in the ICU, the son that stayed home to do his homework is now without family, right?' Conwi said, fighting back tears. 'It really hits you hard. You get close to them. And the only thing that brings you up is like, hey, I can contribute meals for you. Like mom is probably one of the best cooks, cooks Filipino food, maybe we can do that.' 2:14 Fake Lapu Lapu victim fundraiser removed from platform The message has resonated with Conwi's staff, who have thrown themselves into the initiative. Story continues below advertisement 'It just shook me to my core as soon as I heard the news,' Ono sous chef Janice Quinto said. 'We're all one big happy community that got hit so hard by something so close to home and it's so amazing to see all of the nations really coming together,' she added. 'We have this saying, like we help each other,r they call it Bayanihan, so every time that something happens, we make sure to help each other,' added cook Jim Renz De Guzman. 'We can cook, that's our talent.' The suspect in the killings, 30-year-old Kai-Ji Adam Lo, has been charged with eight counts of second-degree murder, though police say more charges could still be approved. Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim has since confirmed Lo was under the care of a mental health care team but he was on extended leave at the time. As of Wednesday, 16 people remained in hospital from the attack, five of them in critical condition.
CBC
29-04-2025
- CBC
Community rallies around those affected by Lapu-Lapu Day tragedy
Days after 11 people were killed and dozens of others were injured at Vancouver's Lapu-Lapu Day festival, those affected and their families have received an outpouring of support from the community. Be it through monetary donations, blood donations, providing services, or just offering a listening ear, community members say the response has been overwhelming. "I'm deeply humbled and grateful that the Filipino community has so many friends," R.J. Aquino, chair of Filipino B.C. and organizer of the Lapu-Lapu Day festival, said at a Sunday evening vigil. "A lot of us are still numb." On Saturday evening, as the festival was wrapping up in the area of Fraser Street and East 43rd Avenue, an SUV was driven into a crowd of people. Those killed ranged in age from five to 65. A 30-year-old Vancouver man has since been charged with eight counts of second-degree murder. Hundreds have gathered at vigils in Vancouver and across Canada in the days since, with attendees offering gifts, prayers, and a sense of community. WATCH | Crowd sings 'Amazing Grace' at vigil for Lapu-Lapu Day victims: Mourners gather in song to pay tribute to Lapu-Lapu Day festival victims 4 hours ago Duration 1:09 As of Tuesday morning, more than $1.5 million had been raised across eight verified online fundraisers for victims of the tragedy. Almost all had surpassed their goal at the time of publishing. Toan Le started an online fundraiser for his 16-year-old nephew, Andy, who lost three family members in the attack: his father, step-mother, and younger sister. At the time of publishing, the campaign had raised more than $500,000. "The support from the community is tremendous," said Le, adding he did not anticipate the amount that was raised. "I just can't say enough." Meals for the community T.J. Conwi is offering support in what he said is a very Filipino way. The local chef and owner of Ono Vancouver has rallied dozens of chefs and volunteers to help cook and deliver meals to those affected by the attack. "For Filipinos, it always starts and ends with food," Conwi said. "I would love to get rid of that headache to try to get meals." Conwi said he already ran a community meal program out of his catering company, providing food for several charities each week. Now, he is creating a food hub specifically for families of victims and anyone else in need of meals in the aftermath of Saturday. "This is the spirit that is instilled in me as a Filipino, is to be giving," Conwi said. "To do it for my own community is a blessing." He said the amount of interest he has received from other restaurants and those who are able to deliver food has been outstanding. "We're just gearing up to be able to help more." WATCH | Four Lapu-Lapu Day attack victims identified: 4 victims killed in Vancouver festival attack identified 15 hours ago Duration 2:30 Four people have been identified as among those who were killed at a Filipino festival in South Vancouver over the weekend. As Jon Hernandez reports, a total of 11 people have died after a vehicle rammed the crowd at the Lapu-Lapu Day festival. Cyril de Ramos is working with Conwi to coordinate the delivery of food and drinks. He said they are also delivering to workers who are caring for the victims. "Hearing stories about nurses … they're Filipino. They're all talking about how they're being slammed right now," said de Ramos. "We're all so tight knit, this ... is really impacting us around the world and Filipinos everywhere." Canadian Blood Services said in a Sunday statement that appointments around Vancouver over the next few weeks filled up rapidly following the tragedy. Charmaine Charity, a local health-care worker, is organizing a group blood donation with family and friends and encouraged others to do the same.
