Carlo Lamagna, the chef and owner behind Portland’s acclaimed Filipino restaurant Magna, has dealt with this issue for years: Customers will approach him, or comment online, and argue that his food isn’t authentic. It’s something Lamagna has discussed in interviews, on Instagram, and, most recently, in a TEDx Wrigleyville talk, held at Chicago’s Wrigley Field, where he challenges the common definition of authenticity when it comes to food.
“Filipino food is this point of pride for a lot of people,” Lamagna says in the speech. “But oftentimes, they don’t go past the dishes that they grew up with or what they’re familiar with. They’re overlooking the origins of
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