Flavors of the Philippines offers tastier menu this year

Longer, grander and more delicious. 

This was how Tourism Secretary Wanda Corazon Teo described this year’s Flavors of the Philippines (FOTP) cultural and food festival.

The FOTP, which started on March 11 and runs until April 30, is a component of the upcoming Madrid Fusion Manila, one of the biggest gastronomic events in the world.

This event, to be held at the SM Mall of Asia’s SMX Convention Center in Pasay City from April 6 to 8, will showcase the best in Filipino food and drink in hundreds of venues across the country’s 17 regions.

Set to be featured during Madrid Fusion Manila are native-cuisine cooking, local food festivals, gourmet fairs, dining with celebrity chefs, specialized menus, roving food trucks, food tastings, bar crawls, cook-off challenges, food bazaars, and farmers’ market tours.

These events will be held in popular destinations, with participants interacting with local communities and immersing in their culture.

Teo expressed excitement in what she described as an “enriching celebration of Philippine history, arts, culture, tradition, literature, and music through the language of food.”

“Flavors of the Philippines aims to present our country to all food lovers in the world as a hub for different flavor profiles even those of foreign origins, while establishing our country as center of culinary excellence in Asia,” Teo said.

She invited the public to join the series of events that are meant to make Filipino food “the next big thing on the global stage.”

For her part, Department of Tourism Market Development Group Director Verna Buensuceso said the FOTP and Madrid Fusion Manila are both “instrumental” in promoting Philippine cuisines to foodies worldwide.

Buensuceso noted that both the New York Times and Condé Nast Traveler magazine reported that Philippine food is becoming a major trend in the world. PNA