AWARD­ WINNING European and Filipino chefs will gather and share their expertise in the celebration of the first European Culinary Week at Grand Hyatt Manila in Taguig City and at Crimson Hotel & Resort in Lapu Lapu City in Mactan, Cebu on Sept. 10 to 16. "It's going to be tasty. It's going to be fun. It's going to be interesting," said EU Ambassador to the Philippines Franz Jessen, as he described the upcoming culinary week. The European Culinary Week is organized by the EU-­Philippines Business Network and co­funded by the European Union with the aim of sparking the interest of Filipinos in European cuisine and beverage in representing the authentic European gastronomy. It will also serve as an opportunity for culinary students to work and learn from European chefs and encourage European and Philippine companies to import European food and beverage products. "We have a unique way of trying to protect well-­known products,"said Jessen. Jessen highlight the importance of European Geographical Indication or Gl products through the celebration of the culinary week. "Here in the Philippines, we've been trying to identify products that are well-known in the Philippines and to allocate what we call Geographical Indication to them, so that the value of the production increases," Jessen said. The EU ambassador said the European Culinary Week aimed to bolster the relationship between Europe and the Philippines."! feel it will strengthen because, it's a very human way of bringing Europe to the Philippines. We all eat food every day. We want to get good food. We want to have healthy food and we want to have tasty food. And this is something where you are clearly adding something to contribute, something to bring to the Philippines. So, for me, it's very much people­to­people contact," Jessen said. The European Culinary week will feature 14 Filipino and European chefs including some Michelin star chefs with different authentic European food and beverage. It is a five series events prepared for the ambassadors, food aficionados, chefs and culinary students and personalities and businessmen who are interested to join the celebration. "It is through the European Culinary Week that we seek to provide the perfect mix of business and pleasure, to promote European food culture in the Philippines while showcasing opportunities for Philippine food and produce around the world," said Grand Hyatt Manila general manager Gottfried Bogensperger.