Filipino content creator named Best Food Content Creator at inaugural Confluence Awards in Canada

Filipino-Chinese-Canadian food and travel creator Raymond Cua has been named Best Food Content Creator in Canada at the inaugural Confluence Awards, held at the Four Seasons Hotel in Toronto.

Cua, who runs the platform Travelling Foodie, reflected on his journey from information technology to full-time content creation

“Winning at the inaugural Confluence Awards is a profound milestone. Moving to Canada for university in 2006 opened the door for me to travel and taste the world even more, but leaving a stable IT career in 2017 to pursue blogging and content creation full-time was a massive leap of faith,” he told GMA News Online.

“Being recognized nationally validates that risk and the years of hard work it took to build Travelling Foodie into the digital publication it is today. Crucially, it also solidifies my voice within the industry,” he added.

According to Cua, his multicultural background shapes how he tells food stories.

“As a Filipino-Chinese-Canadian, I offer a unique lens that actively seeks out the authentic core of a destination,” he said.

His experience growing up in the Philippines has also deeply influenced his perspective on food as culture.

“Growing up in the Philippines, I learned how food is an integral part of our culture. We use ‘kumain ka na ba?’ (‘have you eaten yet?’) as a typical greeting, immersing ourselves locally and learning about one another through food. It's our favorite pastime, and I apply that same philosophy to travel.”

As of this writing, Cua’s YouTube page has over 51,000 subscribers and 732 videos.

The Confluence Awards is described on its website as the first national awards program in Canada focused on recognizing the diversity, creativity, and cultural influence of the country’s creator community.

It covers multiple categories, including fashion and beauty, health and wellness, travel, and emerging voices, highlighting a wide range of digital content creators across different platforms.

—CDC, GMA News