Second Sundays: Filipino Food Magic
Sun., April 12, 2026, 11 a.m.–2 p.m.
Free with general admission
Kids/Families
Kitchen Garden
Maria Ylagan Orosa (1893-1945) is most famous for inventing the beloved Filipino condiment, banana ketchup. But she invented many other things, such as the palayok oven, which enabled baking without electricity, and nutritious powders that saved American and Filipino lives during World War II. Orosa used her education in food chemistry to create hundreds of recipes featuring common fruits and vegetables from the Philippines. She believed that one of the best ways to improve access to healthy food was for people to grow their own kitchen gardens.
Stop by the Kitchen Garden for:
Filipino Food Tasting: Enjoy tasty bites including lumpia with banana ketchup, banana mousse, and refreshing hibiscus iced tea.
Hands-On Planting Activity: Plant garlic or onion in a small pot to take home.
Conversation with Experts: Join professor and Huntington Los Angeles Times Distinguished Fellow, Cathy Ceniza Choy, to learn more about Orosa’s life, as well as her scientific and humanitarian legacy.
Reading Nook: Explore books about Orosa and Filipino food.
Valerie J. Bower, We Are Essential (Mahalaga Tayo), 2021, from Valerie J. Bower Photographs and Zines, photCL 747, The Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens.
Top image: People and activities, Collection of photographic postcards and travel ephemera of the Philippines, approximately 1900-1950. | The Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens.
