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New York Gathering In Memory of
Food Writer Doreen Fernandez In New York, last July 2, a gathering celebrating the life of Doreen Fernandez, food writer, cultural historian, and teacher was held at Cendrillon, a Filipino restaurant located in the SoHo area in New York. The brick-walled restaurant with 20 foot ceilings and illuminated by bamboo and paper light fixtures is owned by Chef Romy Dorotan and his wife Amy Besa. Ms. Besa is a relative of Doreen Fernandez by marriage. Bibingka with chanterelle mushrooms and leeks, Squid kinilaw with green mango, singkamas and watermelon salad, Lumpiang shanghai with peach vinegar, garlic, and chili sauce, Pork barbecue skewers with peanut sauce, Mahi-mahi with guava and coconut milk sauce, Bistek Tagalog with plaintains, Chicken Adobo, Pancit Bihon, and Sugar snap peas with baby carrots with bagoong vinaigrette were served by Mr. Dorotan to the gathering's cosmopolitan mix of guests. Barbara Kafka, a writer for Vogue, Gourmet, and The New York Times, led the toast celebrating Doreen Fernandez's life. While Barbara Kirshenbatt-Gimblett, Professor of Performance Studies at the Tisch School of the Arts at New York University was second in the eulogy. Having known Ms. Fernandez for over 10 years, BKG – as the professor is affectionately called in the NYU community-- said that Doreen Fermandez was a very memorable and knowledgeable woman whom she constantly relied on for information about Southeast Asian food. Peter Kaminsky, freelance writer for New York, Food & Wine and co-author of The Elements of Taste also paid tribute to his fellow food critic. Mr. Kaminsky was very fond of Tikim, one of Doreen Fernandez's books, and often quoted from it when called to talk about Asian food. Also present from the New York culinary world was Ray Sokolov and his wife Johanna. Mr. Sokolov recently retired as editor of the Leisure & Arts page of the Wall Street Journal. He is also the author of Why We Eat What We Eat, where he devotes a whole chapter on Philippine cuisine marvelling at how indigenous food and Western influenced dishes co-exist side by side in our culture. Mr. Sokolov credits Ms. Fernandez as a critical source for this chapter. Doreen Fernandez's colleagues and friends from the arts were also present. Luis Francia, a writer for the NY publication, the Village Voice and author of the recently published Eye of the Fish was in attendance. Filipino-American filmmaker, Professor at the Asian/Pacific/American Studies Program at NYU, and this year's Executive Director of the Asian American International Film Festival Angel Velasco Shaw, talked about her friendship with Ms. Fernandez as they worked on the conference "Vestiges of War" held in New York in 1999. A book of the same title containing an essay from Ms. Fernandez will be published this year. Lyca Benitez-Brown, a former teacher at the Ateneo, Regina Aguinaldo a collaborator on the book Pacific Crossings, Ding Pajaron, of the Asian-Pacific Islander Coalition on HIV/AIDS and the Ma-Yi Theater Group, Norman and Cecille Noblejas of Kumon Math & Reading Centers, Cristina Tabora, PR consultant with the Philippine Consulate, and the pianist, Rene Dalandan also shared stories about their friendship with Ms. Fernandez. Lilia Villanueva, who owns several antique furniture stores in California and New York, did not know Doreen Fernandez personally but was a regular reader of the food writer's books and columns. During the eulogy, she shared that Ms. Fernandez's writings are important to her and to many other Filipino-Americans in defining the Filipino identity amidst a multitude of cultures Accomplished pianist and sister of Ms. Fernandez, Della Gamboa-Besa and her daughter Tina Besa (who designed DGF’s book, Palabas) were at the gathering to represent Doreen Fernandez's family. Della expressed her gratitude to all attendees at a mass held at the Blessed Sacrament Church before the gathering. The mass was officiated by Fr. Freddie Balinong, S.J. Other family members who were present were niece Mita Monzon, first cousins Vi and Ed Monzon and Noel, Dori, and Miles Gamboa. Noel and his family had the opportunity to spend some time with Ms. Fernandez a few days before she passed away. He recalled how over dinner she told those present that the soup that they were eating had 17 flavors including the flavors of the eye of the fish! He also said that Ms. Fernandez wanted this NY trip not to be about food but about being grateful to family and friends in the city who had cared for her. Lia Uy-Tioco, a former student and then later a colleague of Ms. Fernandez at the Communications Department of the Ateneo de Manila University spoke in behalf of Ms. Fernandez’s students. Ms. Uy-Tioco spoke of how Ms. Fernandez was like a caring mother to her students and that she was very influential in Ms. Uy-Tioco’s ultimate career choices. After the personal tributes, Mr. Dorotan served cassava bibingka with panocha (brown sugar, coconut milk, and vanilla beans) and mango ice cream for dessert. Peter Kaminsky told Ms. Besa how touched he was to listen to all the Filipinos who came up to speak, that everyone had such poise and substance. All of the guests were very grateful for the opportunity to congregate and remember how Ms. Fernandez touched their lives. The location of the gathering, the food, and the company were appropriate to remember her wonderful presence. Doreen Fernandez passed away at the New York Presbyterian Hospital in New York City last June 24. She had suffered a severe bout of double pneumonia. ________________________________ Open Forum! 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