For us Filipinos, having visitors at home means having a deep-cleaned house and servings of the ever favorite home-cooked traditional Filipino dishes from adobo (vinegar and soy sauce-based stew) when its summer and sinigang (a tamarind-based sour soup with a base of seafood or meat with tomatoes and eggplant) when it’s raining, sisig (a savory Kapampangan dish made of pig ears), to desserts like leche flan and buko pandan, and of course a bowl of rice, which is a staple in every meal.

Just like the mix of ingredients in every dish, the typical Filipino dinner is also a feast for the senses, an endless story-telling, the warmth of the hospitality, and non-stop laughter. The meal is about community, the sharing of experiences, and the joy of eating together while celebrating the food and the company.

In my visit here to France, I have seen how the two cultures have similarities. French people also love having a conversation over dinner that could last up to 10 p.m., accompanied by bottles of good wine, warm light with a cozy ambience, and a very nice display of dishes served from entrée to dessert.

Luckily for me, I had a chance to experience a French home dinner during my training for port operations and management here in Le Havre under IPER and the International Maritime Organization in partnership with HAROPA.

The Philippine Ports Authority under the leadership of General Manager Jay Santiago (who celebrated his birthday this week, happy birthday GM) is making sure Filipino port employees are getting the needed trainings for their career development and for the improvement of port services acquired through learnings of port practices around the world to benefit the public.

Last Thursday, the president of Accueil des Villes Françaises (AVF), Ms. Danielle Delaule, together with Ms. Annick Ernoult welcomed us the delegates to their home and gave us an unforgettable Normandy themed dinner. To give you a picture, it was literally “amuse-bouche” or an entertainment for the mouth from the conversations to the delicious meals that were served on a new plate for every course (unlike a Filipino dinner where we serve all the food in one sitting).

Ms. Danielle has been a happy visitor to Southeast Asia herself where she found paradise and adventure in the beautiful islands of the Philippines. Our country is quite known in France as a good destination during their winter season. After all, the sun is always shining and the people are always smiling in the Philippines.

Just like the dinner table which serves as a gathering place, the ports are the witnesses to the global exchange of essential ingredients that define the hearts of the rich culinary traditions between the two countries — both cuisines are rooted in ingredients that have traveled across the oceans.

Did you know that the Philippines exports a lot of meat, dairy products, and fruits to France via ship? That is according to our lecturer in one of our classes in Normandie Business School arranged by Claire Ploneis, the head of IPER.

The French kitchen is filled with products from afar like malt from Africa, coffee from the Caribbean, and fruits from tropical countries all delivered by sea. These journeys are a testament to the powerful role that maritime transport has played in shaping the flavors and traditions of these distant cultures.

In so many ways, the dinner table is a testament to the global network of sea routes that connect the countries together in each dish. Each plate tells a story of the movement of products that were grown, harvested, and transported halfway around the world. The ships that carry the bottles of wine from France to the Philippines can also be the ships that carry the bananas and mangoes from the Philippines to France.

Director François Xavier Rubin de Cervens said the latest International Maritime Organization (IMO) research shows that 90 percent of the goods are transported via sea which explains how every ingredient brings a piece of culture to its country of destination.

Meanwhile, the PPA has assured the public there is no congestion at the premier gateway ports of the Manila International Container Terminal and South Harbor. As of September 2024, PPA records showed that yard utilization at the ports was at 70 percent, indicating that the ports are operating well within capacity and are not experiencing any congestion, with all goods and products transported on time.

Dinner, in both French and Filipino homes, is more than just a meal. It is a ritual that reflects the deeper human desire to connect. Just as families gather around the table to share food and conversation, nations engage in the constant exchange of goods and ideas through shipping and trade. The seas have long been the arteries of this global connection, carrying not just products but the very essence of cultures.

French and Filipino dinners are proof of the broader exchange of products and culture via sea, a reflection of the movement of products from port to port, bringing two nations and their cultures together.