3 December 2016, Siniloan, Laguna-Quezon Land Grant. Dubbed the “Living Legacy” of Filipino Food by lifestyle blogger i.love.keisha*, it was befitting that FEED co-founder and current President, Ophelia Mananquil Bakker, donated 200 native Philippine indigenous seedlings on the 40th anniversary publication “Via Mare – 40 years of iconic events through menus, recipes and memories” (published by Anvil Publishing, available at National Bookstore) honouring Chef Glenda Barretto last December 1st at the Ayala Museum with over 200 Via Mare fans, partners and staff.
VIA MARE has been FEED’s Living Legacy catering partner since Chef Barretto decided to sponsor the F&B at FEED’s second major concert held last November 25th, 2015: “A Musical Tribute to Education & the Environment”, sponsored by among other FEED Patrons of the Environment, the Ayala Museum, Patis Tesoro and the Southeastern College (SEC).
200 indigenous Philippine hardwood Malaruhat trees were planted by the December 3, 2016 Students & Volunteers of the Environment (SAVE) at the Laguna-Quezon Land grant, where 9000 hectares of one of the last remaining 30% of native Philippine forests is being rehabilitated and restored.
*”When it comes to food establishments serving delectable Filipino cuisine, the first thing that comes to my mind is Via Mare. All these years, Via Mare has been known for its signature well-loved Filipino dishes incorporated with modern touches. Hence, this restaurant is the go-to place of our OFW kababayans who miss the taste of Filipino cuisine”. (Source: http://www.ilovekeisha.com/2015/09/via-mare-the-living-legacy-of-filipino-food.html)
Since it opened its first VIA MARE Seafood Specialty Restaurant in 1975, FEED Co-Founder and President Ophelia Mananquil Bakker was a frequent diner, and from the 1980’s onwards often took on the catering from VIA MARE for work and personal events and functions, being first hand witness and fan of Chef Glenda Barretto’s diverse classical to modern Philippine flavours, menus and desserts.
About Via Mare Corporation
For more than four decades since it opened its very first Via Mare Seafood Specialty Restaurant on September 5, 1975, it has been steadily growing and continuing to be a frontrunner in the restaurant and catering industry.
The company currently operates the Cafe Via Mare, a dining concept that has been hailed as a pioneer at creating a truly Filipino café. This brand copped a niche in the hearts of diners with such heartwarming fares as bibingka, puto bumbong, pancit luglog and dinuguan. Also along with it is The Via Mare Oyster Bar, an upscale seafood diningrestaurant well-known for its oyster menus, and lastly the much-awared Via Mare Catering, a mobile catering services provider for the business, government and social sectors of Manila as well as other major cities of the country. Through the years its restaurant outlets and catering division brought pride to the Philippines through its tireless pursuit of elevating Filipino cooking to a global status at par with the world’s best.
May VIA MARE continue to be a front-runner in the restaurant and catering business for a long time to come. For more information, visit: www.viamare.com.ph
About FEED’s Living Legacy Tree-Planting Program
To Plant your Living Legacy, contact: info@feed.org.ph or text/call +63 (0)917 552 4722.