The role of gastrodiplomacy and tourism in preserving culinary traditions

Image by Nhick Ramiro Pacis from Pixabay.

by Vina Medenilla, Manila Bulletin

The Philippines has a rich culinary heritage that deserves to be preserved and recognized in the international scene.

However, today, many aspects of Filipino cuisine and culture are disappearing and are no longer practiced or consumed.

In order to keep them, identifying and understanding food and culture is vital. How can we accomplish this? One is to communicate with the culture bearers or those who practice and pass down cultural values, traits, and knowledge within their communities.

More important than simply knowing Filipino cuisine and the food culture of various regions is promoting it both in and out of the country.

Gastrodiplomacy and tourism are two powerful tools that can help protect and promote Filipino food and culinary traditions.

This is what Clang Garcia, a Philippine culinary heritage explorer and TV host, spoke about in the second episode of the KainCon webinar series, which is part of the Filipino Food Month (FFM) festivities.

Initiatives of neighboring countries

During the webinar, Garcia shared an example of how Thailand launched a gastronomy branding for their food industry called “Thailand: Kitchen of the World.”

“It’s meant to put the cuisines of Thailand to the world, but more than that, they pushed gastronomy branding to create a demand for their agricultural produce,” Garcia said.

A part of Thailand’s efforts in promoting the Thai food industry is allocating a budget for international ventures.

“If you are an entrepreneur and you want to put up a Thai restaurant in different parts of the world, they will finance you, provided that you conform to the uniformity of the ingredients, hygiene, precautions, look, and branding,” says Garcia. 

These restaurants become an avenue for foreign entrepreneurs and customers to be more familiar with Thai cuisine without having to travel to its origin.

In some ways, it piques the diners’ interest to explore not just Thai food, but also the country’s destinations and culture.

This is where tourism promotion comes in.

Thailand has millions of international travelers, and according to Garcia, most of them go there for food and culture. Traveling is not complete without keepsakes, so the Thai government also made beautifully-packaged products available for tourists. 

“That‘s the beauty of gastronomy, diplomacy, and tourism. If you have the government with you, working side by side with you, then it becomes a very powerful and organized campaign.”

Budget, government alignment, and private sectors are three necessities for the implementation of such gastrodiplomacy campaigns.

Following Thailand’s lead, South Korea also launched the “Kimchi Diplomacy” campaign to promote their cuisine and culture. They began producing and publicizing Korean movies, stars, music, and more.

“They just have to follow the same example. Suddenly, Korean restaurants are dominating different parts of the world.” 

Seeing the efforts of these two countries, Garcia explained, “If you present the traditions [to the world], there will be a sense of appreciation. If you start sponsoring international food and travel shows above it, then it will create curiosity among viewers. They would want to go where you’ve featured kimchi and learn the process, and meet the people they see on the screen.”

Embracing Filipino culinary heritage 

In our case, events like Filipino Food Month give every region in the Philippines a reason to celebrate our culinary heritage, which is expected to develop in time, says Garcia.

When it comes to preserving and promoting Filipino cuisine and culture through gastronomy and tourism, Garcia remains optimistic, adding, “We can do so much more collectively.” 

Traveling locally and supporting local businesses is one way we can help, especially in the midst of the epidemic.

As a local tourism champion, Garcia says, “Sustainability has never been more relevant than now. We have to take care of our environment [and of our heritage] because it defines us as a people and as a destination. If we lose that, who are we going to be? Who are you as a Filipino?”

The KainCon or Kain Conference webinar series covers a variety of themes and features local food industry champions. It goes live online every Tuesday and Thursday from April 7-28, 2022. 

KainCon also includes cookfest and culinary films that aim to raise awareness of preserving Filipino heritage and traditions. This event is led by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), Philippine Culinary Heritage Movement (PCHM), and Slow Food Youth Network Philippines (SFYN).

First Class Philippine Made in Spain

Appetizer of Kinilaw na Isda, Barquillos with Bihon Guisado, Chicharon with Chive Mousse, Kadyos (Negros Black-Eyed Peas) with Batwan

For the first time in the history of Madrid Fusion—the biggest gastronomic trade fair in Spain—Filipino chefs and products were given the spotlight under this year’s theme of Traveling Cuisines.

Achara, pili nuts a hit

A Philippine booth was set up by the team of Tourism director Verna Buensuceso that was strategically located at the entrance of the trade venue.

The booth boasted of Philippine products from north to south, curated by Agriculture Undersecretary Berna Romulo Puyat. These included: Manille liqueur, pili nuts, dried mangoes, taba ng talangka, etc. Visitors also got the chance to taste the products of Mama Sita and Nana Meng Tsokolate.

It was fascinating watching the reaction of the foreigners to Philippine products. Many asked if the achara is ceviche. The booth tenders had to explain that achara is not ceviche, and that it accompanies our savory dishes like adobo and piniritong isda.

Kinilaw variations

The Spanish were curious at the use of peanuts in Bulacan hot chocolate, while the pili nuts were a hit, with guests in awe of its texture.

Madrid Fusion Manila

On the last day of the gastronomic congress, Madrid Fusion Manila was officially launched. Philippine Ambassador to Spain Carlos Salinas took to the stage and invited the world community to visit the Philippines from April 24 to 26 at the SMX Convention Center. Because of our common heritage, he thanked the organizers for choosing the Philippines as the venue for Madrid Fusion in Asia.

Filipino chefs led by Myrna Segismundo, Margarita Fores, Claude Tayag and Chele Gonzalez were then called to the stage and were proudly presented as the ones who would be giving talks during the Madrid Fusion in Manila.

Philippine chefs were then joined by the most acclaimed chefs of Spain, Elena Arzak, 2012 World’s Best Female Chef, and Andoni Luis Aduriz of the restaurant Mugaritz, considered one of the most influential chefs of our time.

Excited

In an interview with Chef Arzak, the humble and charming chef said that for 10 years, she had wanted to go to Manila. She then invited everyone to come to Madrid Fusion Manila, describing it to be an important event in Asia (see video in margauxlicious.com).

Meanwhile, Chef Aduriz and Pastry Chef Paco Torreblanca both said that they would go to Manila not only to participate in the congress, but also to learn of Philippine flavors and ingredients so that they could use them at their world-renowned restaurants.

Filipinos shine

It wasn’t only during the day that our chefs wowed Madrid Fusion audiences. Come dinner time, our chefs presented their brilliant culinary skills at various events.

Chefs Juan Carlos de Terry, Bruce Rickets and Gonzalez took over the kitchen of Ramses Restaurant for the press cocktails for Madrid Fusion Manila, while flairtender Dennis Hipolito got the prestigious guests buzzed with his cocktails using Manille liqueur and Don Papa Rum.

Margarita Fores takes over the kitchen of the Ritz Carlton Madrid.

Chef Segismundo was the honorary chef at Relais & Chateaux Hotel Orfila, one of the best hotels in Madrid.

She proved to Orfila dinner guests that Filipino cuisine can match the best of fine dining anywhere in the world.

She served a humble monggo soup, but used Iberico ham. For appetizers, she served chicken inasal and tinapa mousse. And, as she and Fores had given an extensive talk on kinilaw the day before—another first for Filipino chefs—she also very elegantly presented three kinds of kinilaw, including a lobster kinilaw, to dinner guests.

Unbeknownst to guests, Segismundo was being assisted by celebrities in their own right: acclaimed Philippine gourmet Tayag, and Nina Daza Puyat, who happily made the gata for dessert.

On the final evening, Fores basked in the Madrid moonlight as she took over the kitchen of the high-brow Ritz Carlton.

Fores proved that Filipino food can take on an avante garde experience, with her pass-around medley of kinilaw, barquillos with sauteed fish roe, chicharon and chive mousse, and Negrense kadyos and batwan.

As usual, Fores’ attention to detail was remarkable.

Fores made it a point to highlight products being promoted by Undersecretary Romulo-Puyat, such as adlai, a little-known indigenous crop from Bukidnon that resembles rice, which she paired with sugpo and taba ng talangka. And, knowing that adobo is the most known Filipino dish the world over, she also served adobo as an option for entrees.

History

It can be said now that the Philippine delegation wowed Madrid Fusion audiences and made history with the first Philippine booth. Fores and Segismundo gave especially impressive performances as they delivered the first talk by Filipino chefs during the congress, and as the first Filipinos who were invited as guest chefs of Madrid Fusion.

Appetizer of chicken inasal, sisig and chicharon mousse

As early as the first night, many already signed up for Madrid Fusion Manila, curious to learn about Filipino food.

Congratulations to Tourism Secretary Mon Jimenez for the brilliant idea of bringing Madrid Fusion to the Philippines, and to the Economic and Commercial Office of the Embassy of Spain, the Spanish Foreign Trade Institute (ICEX), as well as the Spanish Chamber of Commerce (La Camara) led by executive director Barbara Apraiz de Encio, on their efforts to make this project a reality.

After this marvelous introduction in Spain, we must work doubly hard to make sure that Madrid Fusion Manila becomes the success we envision it to be.

To register for Madrid Fusion Manila, visit madridfusionmanila.com. For updates, visit the Madrid Fusion Manila page on Facebook, or visit the Madrid Fusion section in margauxlicious.com.

(C) 2015 by Philippine Daily Inquirer