Mark your calendars and ready your appetite! The highly anticipated 17th annual Food Network New York City Wine & Food Festival (NYCWFF), presented by Invesco QQQ, returns bigger and better than ever from October 17-20, 2024. With almost 100 unforgettable events and 400 world-class chefs, NYCWFF is set to illuminate Brooklyn into a deliciously diverse culinary playground. This year’s festival integrates both fan-favorite experiences like the Grand Tasting and exclusive dinners, with exciting new programming like the must-attend FoodieCon®, which features interactive panels, workshops, and meet-and-greets with social media’s top food content creators.
The excitement truly doesn’t stop there, as this festivity heartwarmingly engages legendary celebrities alongside the thriving local community. Aside from culinary demos from Chefs like Marcus Samuelsson, Robert Irvine, and Duff Goldman, attendees can uplift Brooklyn’s renowned food scene with a supportive showcase of over 100 beloved Brooklyn restaurants. Additionally, each ticket sold supports the nonprofit God’s Love We Deliver to provide life-saving meals to those battling serious illnesses.
For the thriving Filipinx community both locally and nationwide, there will be no shortage of representation as chefs from diverse culinary backgrounds will attend to display their journeys, pride, and prowess. From fierce competition winners to acclaimed creative pastry chefs, here is a list of the Filipinx talents to see and praise this year!
Restaurant: Kalye
Though Chef Alexis has successfully established several ventures as an operations manager in the Philippines, his deep love for food eventually led him to pursue formal training at the prestigious Escoffier program. Chef Alexis combines traditional flavors and techniques with modern culinary artistry to create unique dishes that celebrate the rich culinary diversity of his home country and replicate his personal narrative.
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Restaurant: Kabisera
Chef Augelyn Francisco is truly influenced by her Igorot upbringing on a farm in Northern Philippines, which developed her regard for seasonal ingredients. After exploring flavors in Korea and Japan, she brought her global influences to New York, where she opened Kabisera in 2017. With two locations—Kabisera Canal in Chinatown, featuring Japanese ramen with a Filipino twist, and Kabisera West in Hell’s Kitchen, serving sizzling plates—Augee is celebrated for her innovative Filipino dishes, warm hospitality, and advocacy leading the Philippines Fest and contributing to the cookbook MADE HERE, a project supporting New York’s Asian community.
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Restaurant: Daniel Corpuz Chocolatier
Daniel Joseph Corpuz is a talented pastry chef and chocolatier based in New York City. He has honed his skills at several fine dining establishments including The Modern at MoMA, Manhatta, and One White Street before transitioning to refining his chocolatiering during the pandemic. He has appeared on Netflix’s School of Chocolate alongside renowned Pastry Chef Amaury Guichon where he displayed his intricate and jaw-dropping showpieces. Drawing inspiration from his Filipino-American heritage, Daniel launched Daniel Corpuz Chocolatier, where he combines his upbringing with industry expertise, integrating familiar Filipino ingredients and experimental flavors in his artisanal creations.
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Restaurant: Little Chef Little Cafe
As a self-taught chef with 15 years of experience, Chef Diana Manalang has honed her skills and passion towards her Long Island catering business, Little Chef Little Cafe.
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Restaurant: Tadhana
Born in Manila, Chef Frances Tariga-Weshnak has built a distinguished career as a private chef, restaurant leader, and TV competitor. After starting her journey in Dubai’s first seven-star hotel, she became the private chef for the UAE royal family, traveling the world before moving to the U.S. to cook for the royal ambassador of Dubai to the United Nations. She competed on shows like Chopped, Top Chef, and Beat Bobby Flay, while also making her mark on New York’s dining scene at top restaurants such as Buddakan, Catch NYC, and Megu. Chef Frances later spearheaded the vegan program at Catch Hospitality Group and served as the culinary director for Planta, opening four plant-based restaurant concepts. She recently won Morimoto’s Sushi Masters competition, blending her Filipino heritage with modern omakase.
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Restaurant: Keyks World
Chef Jae discovered her passion for dessert-making while as a stay-at-home mother and takes after her own mother’s familial reputation as the “dessert queen.” Originally based in Queens, NY, now she operates several hubs in NYC, Southern California, and Florida. Keyks is renowned for comforting homemade and artisanal baked goods with nostalgic and enriching Filipino upgrades, like her Twinkie-inspired desserts and Kukis.
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As NYCWFF brings together diverse chefs and food lovers from around the world, it serves as a vibrant platform that transcends the plate to uplift culinary intersectionality. Particularly honoring the rich tapestry of AAPI culture, the festival stands in solidarity with the Filipino community, fostering connections and creating memorable experiences that reflect the beauty of cultural understanding and exchange. From swanky electrifying parties to intimate and intriguing dinners, every event is curated and unforgettable. NYCWFF is undoubtedly more than a celebration of food—it is a chance to do good while also indulging in the best the culinary world has to offer!
