A celebration of good food

We Pinoys are unabashedly certified party animals. We always find ourselves in the middle of a celebration, whether as the gracious host or simply a guest at a wedding, christening, company anniversary, bridal shower, a promotion, or after the closure of business deal, to your niece’s eighth birthday party or your grandmother’s 88th. Why even the victory of your barangay’s basketball team hollers for a feast! For Filipinos, it seems that every good thing in life calls for a blowout, and wherever there’s a gathering, there’s food, glorious food. Life’s blessings are always punctuated with a bash, and the bigger the spread, the merrier it gets. For most of us, happiness is falling in line with a big plate in hand. Ecstasy is getting back in line for a second serving.

As much as we love to throw parties, the tension and turmoil one encounters when organizing is draining on one’s energy, to say the least. As the host, it is difficult to sit back and enjoy the occasion, when at the back of your mind a million thoughts are racing: "Do I have enough food to last the night?" "Some guests I didn’t invite personally crashed the party." "What time should I bring out the dessert? It just might melt."Oh, no, I didn’t know that so and so was allergic to seafood. All she can take is the salad." "I’ve run out of ice. What will I do?"

There are so many things to think of. In the end, it’s a relief when the guests bid you goodbye and the whole affair just wraps up. You may likely end up in bed that night with a few more worry lines around the eyes and an ice bag on your head.

As the host, you want the affair to sizzle, not fizzle. This is where the professionals come in. Catering and party planning is a growing industry, which addresses these problems. Where food was once the star in the catering world, now it is only part of the equation. Most catering businesses today have grown to include full event planning: Creating the right atmosphere that will make an event special and memorable, paying attention to details from the decor to the glassware, from flatware to flowers, lighting to linens and tables to tunes. Everything should complement the food to create a unified overall experience. Today, caterers work doubly hard to make sure all the pieces of the puzzle fit, and that’s what makes their business flourish.

The catering business is a flourishing creative industry, a force that cannot be denied. And it is for this reason that the Food Caterers Association of the Philippines (FCAP) has been created, spurred by the decision of an intrepid group of catering companies who felt the need to professionalize the industry; hence, forming an association aimed at meeting this goal. Now in its sixth successful year, the FCAP provides steady employment for countless individuals, wishing to unite all caterers under a common banner in order to drive the industry to even greater heights, both locally and internationally through the interchange of ideas and education.

This month, the FCAP cauldrons are boiling and brimming over with excitement. Foodies will experience ooh and aah moments as the FCAP dish out their wares in two exciting food fests. The venue will be at the festive Tiendesitas in Pasig from June 23 to 25. The festival is called "Taste of Manila," a gathering of the country’s best food caterers, sharing their wealth of experience, fresh ideas, and boundless energy. Some of the famous names in the industry, like Gerry’s Grill, Hizon’s Catering, Albergus, and Swan Catering Services, among others will breathe new life to the banquet experience. It will be an explosion of flavors, that’s for sure.

"A Catered Affair" also happens on these dates and professes to bring delicious cuisine, over-the-top, edgy presentation styles, and unique thematic table setups with high service standards. When all that is in complete balance, it is bound to be absolute perfection.

Another activity worthy of one’s time and taste buds is "Caterers at Work," a series of live cooking demonstrations on healthy fare and devising new ways to please the palate. This event will also prove to be beneficial for young and aspiring entrepreneurs as well as food enthusiasts interested in the business of entertaining through good food.

There’s a celebration happening this month. It’s going to be grand, and this time the celebrant is the food. Now in its second year, FCAP’s "A Taste of Manila" is open free to the public. I am always happy to note that despite the hard times, the catering industry is moving up in the world. Now, isn’t that reason enough to throw a party? Cheers!