Manila — Kain Na!, the Department of Tourism’s (DOT) food and travel festival returns for its more fun and delectable 2019 run to promote culinary and farm tourism.
Organized in partnership with the Ayala Malls, Kain Na! will be held in various cities in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.
The first event this year was held September 27 until the 29th at the Ayala Malls Manila Bay, Macapagal Blvd., Parañaque City. The event showcased the food and farm tourism offerings of Central Luzon, CALABARZON, Bicol, Bacolod, Eastern Visayas, Cagayan de Oro and the Davao region.
DOT Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat noted that “ Kain Na! will not only showcase our richly diverse Filipino culinary heritage but also serve as a venue for business-to-business meetings in the “Food and Farm Tourism Exchange,” where regional culinary and farm tourism sellers will meet with Manila-based buyers and tour operators invited though the Tourism Congress of the Philippines (TCP), the Philippine Tour Operators Association (PHILTOA), and the Philippine Travel Agencies Association (PTAA).”
Meanwhile, Ms. Jenylle S. Tupas, President of AyalaLand Mall, Inc., stressed, “ What makes this installment of Kain Na! more exciting is that we are featuring a cross-regional farm and culinary tourism fair. Each mall adopts and promotes sellers, farmers and tour operators from specific regions, taking them out of their natural centers of commerce, and giving them an even wider platform at different Ayala Malls nationwide.”
Last year’s run proved to be well-attended, drawing hundreds of international and domestic food enthusiasts.
This year’s edition will highlight a food and farmer’s market where suppliers of iconic Filipino heritage cuisine and delicacies will be selling their wares along with local farms that will sell a variety of fresh agricultural products. There will be culinary and farm tourism presentations to whet the appetite of visitors to go on food trips to explore and discover the many flavors of the Philippines.
Exhibitors include regional farm tourism associations, farm owners and operators supported by partner agency, the Department of Agriculture (DA) as well as regional tour operators who will be selling various culinary and farm tourism packages.
Seven regional chefs will treat food enthusiasts to cooking demonstrations during the three-day culinary extravaganza, including chefs in Luzon: Ian Q. Jocson (Region 3), a 12-year veteran known for Kapampangan cuisine and specialties in Mediterranean, Korean and American cooking; Andre Perdigon Vocalan (Region 4A), who was “born to cook” local dishes like pansit-pusit, minanok na maruya, sinaing na tuligan, minaluto and hardinera; Rechie “Aya Medel” Hayakawa (Region 5), an actress turned-multi-awarded international chef whose originals include the Mayon 360, pinatos na bangkuli, and ensaladang pako buda baluko, and many more.
Representing the Visayas are Chef Nico Millanes (Region 6), who enhanced his local training with stints in the United States and Paris, France and whose specialties include Bacolod favorite Kadyos, Baboy and Lanka (KBL), and currently the Chef Patro of Terrasse Bistro and Banquets, Portiko Café, and Lounge, and Catch of the Day; and Chef Sabino Resos (Region 8) who prides himself for his tahong salad with pomelo in chili sour dressing and tahong in wok-friend flat noodles with egg and vegetables.
Featured from Mindanao, are Chiko Arvin Cacanindin (Region 10), a multi-awarded young chef whose signature recipes include native chicken surol, beef rendang and sinuglaw.; and Darence Patrick Co, a 23-year rising superstar from Davao City who turned professional at age 18, and then opened his first restaurant, The Fat Cow, in 2016, followed by the Asian Fat Cow in 2018.
Slated next are the Kain Na! editions on October 4-6 at Alabang Town Center (ATC), Muntinlupa City, with the participation of Regions 7 (Central Visayas) and 4B (MIMAROPA); on October 11-13 at Ayala Technohub-Baguio, with Regions 1 (Ilocos), 2 (Cagayan Valley) and the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR); on November 22-24 at Ayala Malls Centrio, Cagayan de Oro, with Regions 9 (Zamboanga Peninsula), 10 (Northern Mindanao), 12 (SOCCSKSARGEN), and 13 (Caraga); and, on December 6-8 at Ayala Malls, The Strip, Iloilo City, with Region 6 (Western Visayas) taking the spotlight.
