Last Friday, the smell of Filipino food filled the air as UH Mānoa students gathered for community—and a delicious fight for the title of best adobo.
The Filipino Law Students Association (FLSA) partnered with UH Mānoa Tides to host this night of community and free, delicious food. The FLSA works to strengthen the Filipino community through events, scholarships, and leadership in Hawai’i’s legal community. They are focused on raising awareness about the current issues of the Filipino community through many different networking events.
Seven groups participating in the cook-off reserved a spot and sent in their ingredients list by March 31. They brought their traditional family adobo dishes from home, ready to be tasted by all attending.
The night kicked off at 5 p.m. at the William S. Richardson School of Law Courtyard with the leaders of the association welcoming the judges, participants, and attendees of the event.
The event also had a photo booth and interactive games, offering guests a fun way to engage with the culture.
The Adobo Fest winner won the event with a very traditional adobo her grandparents passed down to her. She is studying for her Ph.D. and is a part of the Department of Linguistics. She shared that her research is focused on language documentation and revitalization with children and adults in small communities in the Philippines.
Passed down through generations, adobo remains a dish that brings people together and continues to do exactly that. This night was more than just the food or competition; it was a chance to celebrate the Filipino heritage and all the deliciousness that comes with that.
