Filipino Food Month: Filipino food and vegan is not an oxymoron

KQED

Mestiza serves traditional Filipino dishes but a large part of their menu offers plant-based options.

The San Francisco Bay Area is known for its innovation and starting trends that spread out to the rest of the nation especially in the areas of high tech, bioengineering and artificial intelligence. Watch out for this new trend: vegan Filipino food.

The Bay Area is also currently the epicenter of a culinary revolution where heritage meets high-octane plant-based innovation. If you’re looking for the intersection of bold, vinegar-laced Umami and ethical eating, the city’s Filipino vegan scene is delivering in a big way. 

Much of the innovation in this culinary field is centered in SOMA Pilipinas, the  city's official Filipino Cultural Heritage District revolving around Kapwa Kollective and its events with The Sarap Shop.

Anchored in the SOMA Pilipinas cultural district, the Filipino vegan movement isn't just about cutting out meat — it’s a radical reclamation of identity through the lens of kapwa, the core Filipino value of shared inner self and deep interconnectedness.

Through the vibrant, open-air healing space of Kapwa Gardens, the collective is proving that "Filipino food" and "vegan" aren't contradictory terms. Their "OMG! (Oh My Gulay)" initiatives and high-energy pop-up events have become a launchpad for a new generation of chefs. 

We’re seeing a creative explosion where plant-based artisans like The Sarap Shop and  Mestiza reimagine comfort classics—think tofu sisig and vegan ube treats—not as "health food," but as essential cultural preservation.

By centering wellness and sustainability, the Kapwa Kollective is doing more than just feeding the community; they are building a "shared identity" that honors the archipelago’s pre-colonial plant-based roots while navigating the complexities of the modern diaspora. In a city where gentrification often erases culture, this movement is planting a flag for a future that is indigenous, ethical, and incredibly delicious.

RELATED:

• New wave of Filipino American chefs 
• How a Filipino root made Philippine cuisine 'cool'
• Filipino food trucks are gateways to Filipino food.
• Discovering the joy of eating with your hands
• For Filipinos, mealtime fills the belly and feeds the soul
• US foodies celebrate Filiipino Food Month

Filipino American chefs here aren't just removing the meat; they are re-engineering the very soul of the cuisine using mushrooms, soy proteins, and coconut-based fats to achieve that signature "sour and salty" profile.

The essential map

Here are some (not all) of the restaurants taking up the baton of vegan cuisine based on Filipino recipes:

• Mestiza (SOMA): This is Filipino-Mexican fusion with a heavy plant-forward tilt. Their 13-inch lumpia is legendary, trading traditional pork for a savory mix of sweet potato and charred brussels sprouts.
• The Sarap Shop (Spark Social SF): This food truck is the gold standard for "conscious comfort." Their tofu adobo is a masterclass in marination, proving you don’t need the pig to get the punch.
• No Worries (Oakland): A total sanctuary for the dedicated vegan. It’s one of the few spots where the entire menu is safe, offering plant-based versions of heavy-hitters that taste like they came straight from a Lola’s kitchen.
• The Top Ten Filipino Vegan Restaurants in the Bay Area, according to Yelp.

A new flavor profile

• Sisig Redefined: By utilizing chopped king oyster mushrooms and firm tofu, chefs are mimicking the chewy, crispy texture of pork ears perfectly.
• Lumpia Evolution: Expect vegetable-dense fillings enhanced by house-made spiced vinegars that cut through the richness of the fry.
• The Secret Sauce: Coconut milk remains the MVP, providing the creamy base for Bicol Express and various curries that remain naturally vegan.

Sensing the movement towards health options, many of the traditional Filipino restaurants in the Bay Area, which includes the East Bay and South Bay, running the gamut from the high-end Abacá restaurant to the food trucks, often offer vegan choices in their menus. 

Health conscious chefs continue to prove that traditional Filipino flavors aren't tied to specific ingredients, but to the technique and passion of the people behind the line.

EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news, views and chismis from an AANHPI perspective, follow me on Threads, on X, BlueSky or at the blog Views From the Edge. If you enjoy this perspective, please repost.

Filipino Food Month: A new wave of Filipino American chefs

SCREEN CAPTURE /TODAY

Tim Flores and Genie Kwon earned a Michelin star for their Chicago restaurant Kasama.

The story of Filipino food in America is no longer about just "making it" — it’s about taking center stage.

For decades, our food was kept in the shadows of "strip mall" stereotypes or hidden away in home kitchens. But today, as Americans' palate catches up to Filipino flavors, a new guard of Filipino American chefs is proudly expanding their clientele beyond the Filipino American community but still treating our heritage with the reverence it has always deserved.

These trailblazers are proving that Filipino cuisine is not a monolith; it is as diverse as the 7,200 islands it comes from and as innovative as the diaspora that carries it forward.

These Filipino American chefs are the reason the "Filipino Food Movement" isn't just a trend. It’s a reckoning. They are reclaiming the narrative, one kinilaw and bibingka at a time, ensuring that the next generation of foodies won't ask why Filipino food isn't popular—they'll just be asking for the next reservation.

From Michelin stars to James Beard sweeps, these are the trailblazers rewriting the rules of the American dining scene.

The Michelin barrier-breakers

Tim Flores & Genie Kwon (Kasama, Chicago): This husband-and-wife duo made history by earning the world’s first Michelin star for a Filipino restaurant. Kasama is a masterclass in duality, operating as a casual bakery by day (famous for their longanisa breakfast sandwich) and a sophisticated tasting menu spot by night.

The James Beard heavyweights

• Lord Maynard Llera (Kuya Lord, Los Angeles): After years of honing his craft in some of LA’s most intense kitchens, Llera won Best Chef: California in 2024. His "elevated garage" concept proved that you don't need a white-tablecloth venue to serve world-class Lucas-style pancit and lechon.

• Aaron Verzosa (Archipelago, Seattle): A 2026 semifinalist for Outstanding Chef, Verzosa is a philosopher in the kitchen. His restaurant uses a "zero-import" philosophy, using only Pacific Northwest ingredients to tell the story of the Filipino diaspora through a progressive, high-concept lens.

• Melissa Miranda (Musang, Seattle): Miranda has turned her restaurant into a community hub. Her approach is "unapologetically Filipino," focusing on childhood memories and community-centered dining that earned her a 2026 Best Chef: Northwest & Pacific semifinalist nod. 

• Tom Cunanan (formerly Bad Saint, Washington D.C.): A 2019 James Beard Award winner who helped spark the surge in fine-dining Filipino cuisine.

The fusion and fine dining vanguard

• Tara Monsod (Animae, San Diego): Monsod is a 2026 James Beard finalist who has brought Filipino flavors into the realm of high-design fine dining. At Animae, she reimagines classics like Beef Short Rib Kare Kare and Tuna Kinilaw for a luxury audience.

• Dale Talde (Talde, NYC): A James Beard nominee and Top Chef contestant recognized for bringing Filipino flavors into mainstream American food.

• Jordan Andino (Flip Sigi, Jersey City & NYC)The mini-chain Flip Sigi, a Filipino taqueria, where he brings flavors from his upbringing and heritage and marries them with popular Mexican cuisine. Popular with HGTV cooking shows.

• Silver Iocovozzi (Neng’s Jr., Asheville): Redefining what "regional" means, Iocovozzi is a 2025 finalist for Best Chef: Southeast. They are the visionary behind "Filipino-Appalachian" cuisine, a unique intersection of heritage and North Carolina terroir.

• Paolo Dungca (Hiraya, Washington D.C.): A 2025 Emerging Chef semifinalist, Dungca is part of the team that brought "modernist Pinoy" to the nation's capital, proving that Filipino food is as versatile as any European tradition.

• Francis Ang (Abacá, San Francisco): A master of "Regional Filipino" meets NorCal seasonality. Ang has created a space where pancit and longanisa feel both nostalgic and avant-garde. A 2023/2024 James Beard Award finalist, Food & Wine Best New Chef (2022), Ang's  "unapologetically San Franciscan" approach shows that our flavors don't just belong in the fine-dining conversation—they are leading it.

• Jade Cunningham (Carabao, Napa Valley): Using her experience at The French Laundry, she has The queen of Filipino-inspired pastry and community-driven pop-ups. Look for her Ube Brioche or seasonal Hand Pies.

RELATED:

• How a Filipino root made Philippine cuisine 'cool'
• Filipino food trucks are gateways to Filipino food.
• Discovering the joy of eating with your hands
• For Filipinos, mealtime fills the belly and feeds the soul
• US foodies celebrate Filiipino Food Month

These chefs aren't just making "exotic" food; they are asserting that Filipino flavors are a fundamental part of the American story.

The days of Filipino food being America's "best-kept secret" are officially over. We are living through a culinary renaissance where chefs are no longer just cooking for their own community—they are demanding (and receiving) the highest honors in the world.

EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news, views and chismis from an AANHPI perspective, follow me on Threads, on X, BlueSky or at the blog Views From the Edge. 

Filipino Food Month: Americans are discovering the joy of eating with your hands

KAMAYAN

Abaca is one of the restaurants offering the Filipino experience of eating without utensils.

Eating at Francis and Dian Ang's Abaca restaurant in San Francisco, amid the usual clatter of plates and conversation, there is a sudden pause followed by "oohs" and "aahs" as servers bring out a planks laden with Filipino food including lechon, adobo, smoky grilled fish, lumpia, marinated  beef on sticks, accompanied by a plethora of tropical fruit  and vegetables and, no Filipino meals would not be complete without mounds of rice.

But there are no utensils. It is a "kamayan" meal being brought out to a group of excited and perhaps anxious diners anticipating the experience they are about to have. 

As more diners lean into the vibrant, soulful world of Filipino cuisine, they are waking up to a realization that has anchored Southeast Asian culture for centuries: the best way to eat is with your hands.

There is something undeniably primal about the way we engage with a meal when we finally ditch the fork and spoon. In the Philippines, this isn't just a casual habit; it’s a communal ritual known as Kamayan.

At its core, Kamayan — literally "by hand" in Tagalog — is a sensory middle finger to the rigid formalities of Western dining. Forget the clinking of forks or the frantic search for a steak knife. Forget the one dish at a time for Here, the table is your plate, lined with the waxy, emerald sheen of banana leaves. On top of that canvas, a landscape of garlic-heavy sinangag rice, charred liempo, and crispy lumpia is laid out in a glorious, unpretentious heap.

Although some Filipino families use their hands to eat at every meal, the art of kamayan is perhaps best exemplified in the "Boodle Fight."

A typical Kamayan meal at Abaca.

To eat Kamayan is to participate in a "Boodle Fight," a term born from Philippine military mess halls where soldiers of every rank ate together from the same pile. It is a Great Equalizer. When everyone’s fingers are stained with the juice of a grilled pork or the salt of a dried fish, the social barriers simply melt away.

FYI: Not all Filipino restaurants offer a Boodle Fight. Those that do offer the experience usually require advance notice in order to prepare the feast.

There is a specific, tactile art to it, too. You don’t just grab; you curate. You use your fingertips to compress a small mound of rice against a piece of adobo, creating a perfect, bite-sized parcel. Then, with a quick flick of the thumb, you launch it home. It changes the way food tastes. You feel the temperature, the texture, and the heft of the meal before it ever hits your palate.

RELATED -- April is Filipino Food Month

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• US foodies celebrate Filiipino Food Month

The Boodle Fight: Radical equality

The contrast between a Filipino Boodle Fight and a Euro-centric Formal Sit-Down Dinner is the ultimate case study in how two cultures define "respect," "order," and "connection" in diametrically opposite ways.

One is a rebellion against boundaries, while the other is a masterclass in maintaining them. 

Originating from the Philippine military, where soldiers ate together regardless of rank, the Boodle Fight is a spatial and social takeover.

• The "Plate": There are no individual plates. Long banana leaves cover the entire table, turning the surface into a single, shared canvas of food.

• The "Utensils": You eat with your bare hands (Kamayan). This removes the "clink and clatter" of silverware and forces a tactile, primal connection with the meal.

• The Layout: Rice forms a "mountain" down the center, flanked by grilled meats, seafood, and vegetables. There is no "yours" or "mine"—there is only "ours."

• The Message: "We are all the same." By eating from the same leaf with the same hands, you are physically manifesting the concept of Kapwa (shared identity).🍽️ 

The Formal Sit-Down: Disciplined sophistication

The Euro-centric formal dinner is built on segmentation, sequence, and distance.
The "Plate": Each guest has a designated zone (the place setting). Crossing into another person’s zone is a major breach of etiquette.

• The "Utensils": A specialized tool exists for every task—salad forks, fish knives, soup spoons. These act as mechanical barriers between the human hand and the "mess" of the food.

• The Layout: Food is brought out in timed intervals. You do not see the dessert while you eat the soup. This creates a controlled, intellectualized experience of flavor.

• The Message: "We are refined." The meal is an exercise in self-control and social grace. Order is maintained through strict adherence to unspoken rules.

Kamayan meals, or Boodle Fights, are increasingly offered by various Filipino restaurants in the US. 

The experience of eating with one's hands requires a certain amount of losing inhibitions. The side benefit is that once one starts to use your hands to eat, you have to put down your cell phone and instead discover the art of conversation and being present.

In Abaca's dining room, the table that ordered a kamayan meal is loud and there's plenty of laughter as the diners figure out how to eat rice with their hand. They're having a good time. 

In an era where we are increasingly insulated by screens and sterile environments, Kamayan offers a rare, grounded intimacy. It’s messy, it’s loud, and it’s deeply human. It reminds us that at the end of the day, a meal isn't just fuel — it’s a connection to the earth and to the people sitting across from us.

EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news, views and chismis from an AANHPI perspective, follow me on Threads, on X, BlueSky or at the blog Views From the Edge. 

Filipino Food Month: For Filipinos, mealtime fills the belly and feeds the soul

If you enter a Filipino household, the first thing the host will ask you is, "Have you eaten yet?"

And before you can answer, you will be invited to the table, "Let's eat!" or, in Tagalog, "Kain tayo!" That's not an invitation, its a declaration of welcome to a guest.

Eating with Filipinos isn’t just a meal. It is a full-contact, heart-centered, communal experience that redefines the idea of hospitality. 

I'm told a story of some US-born Filipinos visiting relatives in Tondo, one of the poorest neighborhoods in Manila. Though the host family was evidently not wealthy, they served their American relatives lechon, roasted pig, a delicacy that probably cost them a fortune.

If you are used to the quiet, individualistic pace of a Western dinner party, walking into a Filipino kitchen is like stepping into a warm, chaotic, and delicious embrace.

The first thing you’ll notice is that the invitation isn't a formality. "Kain tayo!" (Let’s eat!) is the standard greeting. It doesn't matter if they just met you or if they only have enough for the family; you are getting a plate. In this culture, food is the primary language of love. To feed someone is to respect them, and to eat their food is to become part of the tribe.

Then there is the rice. In the States, rice is a side dish. In the Philippines, rice is the sun around which every other dish orbits. If there isn't a mountain of steaming white rice on the table, it isn't a meal—it’s just a snack. And forget the steak knife. You’ll be handed a spoon and a fork. You use the fork to push the food into the spoon, which acts as a shovel, a knife, and a delivery system all in one. It is incredibly efficient and makes you wonder why we ever bothered with dull butter knives.

But the real magic happens during a Boodle Fight. Imagine a table covered in massive, vibrant green banana leaves. There are no plates. There are no chairs. Just a literal mound of grilled pork, salted eggs, fried fish, and mangoes piled on top of a long ridge of rice. You eat with your hands—kamayan style—standing shoulder-to-shoulder with everyone else. It’s primal, it’s messy, and it completely strips away the barriers we usually put up at the dinner table.

There is also a beautiful, democratic sense of taste here. In a high-end French restaurant, it might be an insult to salt your food. In a Filipino home, the "sawsawan" or dipping sauce is your birthright. You get a little saucer and mix your own alchemy of vinegar, soy sauce, calamansi, and bird's eye chilies. You are the final chef of your own bite.

Ultimately, eating with Filipinos teaches you that a meal isn't about the calories. It’s about the "salu-salo"—the act of gathering. It’s about the laughter that is louder than the clinking of spoons and the "shy piece" left on the platter because no one wants to be the one to take the last bite from a friend.

Eating together is a reminder that we are at our best when we are sharing, reaching across the table, and making sure everyone leaves full.

If you are lucky enough to be invited to eat in a Filipino household, you don't want to insult the host so even if you've already a meal, you've got to force yourself to eat, even for a few bites.

EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news, views and chismis from an AANHPI perspective, follow me on Threads, on X, BlueSky or at the blog Views From the Edge. 

US foodies celebrate Filipino Food Month

Ten years ago, I wrote a post bemoaning the lack of respect for Filipino food. Today, I write about Filipino Food Month and Michelin stars for FilAm restaurants.

Ten years after I wrote about the Rodney Dangerfield of Asian cuisines, we're celebrating Filipino Food Month for April in 2026. Filipino American communities all over the United States are hosting major celebrations that range from street food festivals to high-end culinary showcases, all centered on the theme "Connected by Taste: The Filipino Food in the Flavors of ASEAN."

For Filipino Food Month 2026, the theme is "Connected by Taste: The Filipino Food in the Flavors of ASEAN," celebrating how Filipino cuisine bridges cultures across Southeast Asia. 

In Filipino homes, food has always been the glue that holds everyone together. Even when family members are scattered across cities, islands, or countries, it’s the meals they come home to that reconnect them—favorite dishes waiting on the table, stories shared over second helpings, and the familiar invitation: “Kain na.”

Filipino cuisine is the ultimate fusion fare before fusion became a fad. Filipinos have taken the food from China, Malaysia, Indian, Spain and Japan have adapted them into indigenous techniques and local ingredients, iesisig on fries, adobo hot wings, lechon, well, its hard to improve on lechon.

        FYI: High-end Filipino cuisine in the Napa Valley

In recent years, Filipino and Filiipino American chefs have ventured beyond traditional recipes to adapt traditional recipes and ingredients to create modern takes on the dishes that have defined the cuisine.

As more and more people become acquainted with Philippine cuisine, the inaugural Michelin Guide Manila and Environs & Cebu 2026 was officially unveiled on October 30, 2025.

Across the US, community organizations, restaurants, and consulates are hosting festivals, street fairs, and intimate dinners to highlight Pinoy flavors. Here are a few of them:

Los Angeles & Southern California

The Philippine Consulate General in Los Angeles is leading regional efforts to highlight Filipino food as a cultural asset.

• Kamayan Dinner with Chef Barb Batiste: A family-style feast curated by the chef behind B Sweet and Big Boi, designed to honor traditional customs by eating with your hands.
• Barkada Sessions #4 (Glendale): A music and food showcase on April 4, 2026, featuring Fil-Am artists, local food vendors, and popular ube and calamansi beers from Brewyard Beer Company.
• Filipino Weekend Reception (Fullerton): Taking place April 17, 2026, at the Fullerton Community Center, this reception features food, raffles, and Disney-themed prizes.
• Fiesta in Lomita: A community festival on April 18 featuring Filipino BBQ, entertainment, and novelty items.
• ASCEND - Rising Artists (Cerritos): A live concert and cultural celebration held on April 4, 2026, at Kusina Filipina.

San Francisco & Bay Area

The Philippine Consulate General in San Francisco has partnered with the Filipino Food Movement to promote the region's diverse culinary scene.

• "Connected by Taste" Mini-Series: Starting April 5, 2026, the Consulate is releasing a social media series showcasing various Filipino restaurants throughout the Bay Area.
• Filipino Fiesta Fest Social Night (San Jose): A kickoff event for the larger May festival, was held on March 28 at the Pete Be Center featuring classic dishes and karaoke.
• Aurora Kusina Weekly Features: Throughout April, this local favorite is sharing spotlighted dishes, cupboard essentials, and traditional snacks weekly on Instagram.
• Ube Festival 2026: While taking place slightly later on June 20, 2026, at the Cow Palace, this major event is often highlighted during Food Month as a culmination of the ube culinary trend.

Hawaii

Hawaii's celebrations focus on the deep-rooted plantation history and contemporary fusion of the islands.

• Filipino Food Month at FilCom (Waipahu): The Filipino Community Center serves as a hub for cultural activities and food heritage talks throughout the month.
• Flores de Mayo & Filipino Fiesta: A major festival and market on May 2, 2026, at the FilCom Center that serves as the official culmination of the spring food celebrations.
• Local Specialties in Waipahu: Top-rated spots like Minasa Hawaii (known for ube churros and lechon fries) and Da Ultimate Grindz are expected to feature seasonal specials honoring the month's theme.
• INSPO! 2026 (Honolulu): A community fundraiser on April 11, 2026, at Kaimukī Middle School that highlights locally inspired meals and community sharing. 

Major festivals and street fairs) 

• Chi-Ibigan 2: A Night for the Barkada (Chicago, IL)

Date: Saturday, April 4,  6:00 PM – 12:00 AM
Location: Ravenswood Event CenterDetails: This massive collaboration features over 16 chefs and restaurants, including Bayan Ko, Boonie's, and Kasama. The event includes tasting stations, an open bar, karaoke, mahjong, and DJs.

• Ubeland NYC
  Date: Saturday, April 4, 2026 | 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM
  Location: Broadway between 12th and 13th Streets
  Details: Organized by Philippines Fest, this outdoor festival features 20+ vendors dedicated to ube (purple yam). Expect creative dishes like ube paella, ube burnt Basque cheesecake, and various sweet treats.

• 15th Annual Filipino Festival Spring Edition (Peoria, AZ)
  Date: April 11–12, 2026
  Location: Centennial Park Plaza
  Details: Billed as "Filipino Food Freedom Month," this fiesta features over 50 vendors, vibrant traditional dances, local art, and family-friendly games.

Regional events

• San Antonio, TX: Following a successful National Lumpia Week in mid-March, local Filipino-owned businesses continue to offer specials throughout April as part of the broader month-long observance.

• Portland, OR: The Filipino American Association of Portland and Vicinity (FAAPVI) is kicking off its 2026 Cultural Immersion Program in April with events like the Governor's Marketplace to celebrate the month and support AAPI businesses.

EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news, views and chismis from an AANHPI perspective, follow me on Threads, on X, BlueSky or at the blog Views From the Edge.