Culinary veteran Glenda Barretto wins Lifetime Achievement Award

While slowing down, she is still working on canning her Via Mare goodies for the Middle East

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GLENDA BARRETTO, the founder of Via Mare and caterer to grand feasts for world leaders visiting the Philippines, was honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 6th Bravo Empowered Women Awards.

The Bravo Awards, given every two years by the Zonta Club of Makati & Environs Foundation, Inc., with the support of Security Bank, was held on July 2 at the Security Bank Center in Makati.

The event also honored two other Filipinas with ties to food. Doreen Alicia Gamboa (niece and namesake of Doreen Gamboa Fernandez, the late pioneering food writer) won the award for the Culinary category, for her achievements as president of Slow Food Negros. Andie Estrada won the award for the Social Services category for her organization, Rural Rising, which connects farmers with rescued produce (which would otherwise go to waste) directly to consumers. Ms. Gamboa said, “Change is not easy, and working towards this goal means going against the tide.”

Ms. Estrada, meanwhile, said during her acceptance speech, “This recognition holds deep meaning because it shines a light on something easily overlooked: the persistence, the hard work, and the resilience of Filipino farmers, who plant in hope, even when there’s no certainty that the harvest will find a buyer.”