We’ve all caught wind of Korean tacos, but the tasty blend of Latin and Asian flavors that can be found these days doesn’t begin and end there. At this year’s Asian Culinary Forum Symposium, the theme will be Asian + Latin. The symposium will celebrate the unique blend of these two culinary cultures, which come together with particular verve here in California. The events will take place all over town (and even the East Bay), but most will be at the Ferry Building and the Women’s Building in the Mission. Here’s a collection of some of the events happening as part of the symposium.
On Monday September 17th, catch Shifting Borders, Changing Tastes: Asian and Latin American Food in the Past, Present, and Future. At this panel, local chefs will discuss the origins of the blend of Latin and Asian cuisines, including economic and social factors that pushed these two distinct groups together. They will also look at how this marriage has evolved and how it is manifested today. Speakers include Isabel Cruz of Isabel’s Cantina, Kara Nielsen of CCD Innovation, and Gil Payumo of Señor Sisig. Tickets to the event are $40 per person. Monday September 17th, 6pm-8pm, in the Ferry Building.
Later in the week, make your way to Foodways in Focus: Asian and Latin American Cross-Cultural Cooking on Sunday September 23rd, featuring academic discussions of food culture in Chinese-Mexican, Japanese-Brazilian, and Japanese-Colombian communities. Panelists include artist Sita Kuratomi Bhaumik, cultural anthropologist Lok Siu, and novelist Karen Tei Yamashita. Tickets are $15. Sunday September 23rd, 2pm-4pm, at the Women’s Building. 3543 18th Street at Lapidge.
Then, on Saturdays in October in Oakland, the symposium continues with a series of cooking classes called Chile to China: Cooking with 1) Chiles, 2) Banana Leaves, and 3) Coconut. Culinary instructor Thy Tran of Wandering Spoon and the Asian Culinary Forum will show you how to work with these three iconic ingredients from tropical countries. It can often seem daunting to work with exotic or hard-to-find ingredients, but these classes will show how easy it can be with good techniques. The classes can be taken as a series or individually. The classes will be on October 6th, 13th, and 20th, and the registration for the series is $125 per person, or $45 for one class. 388 9th St. #290 at Webster, Oakland.
Event Info
Monday Sep 17, 2012 – Saturday Oct 20, 2012 Info
