DOT launches Kain Na!
MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Tourism (DOT) simultaneously launched its Kain Na! food and travel festival in three cities last weekend, in line with its continued push to promote culinary tourism.
The festival was staged in Davao City, Pampanga and Laguna to showcase the food specialties and local cuisines of their respective cities.
“Travel experience, especially during the holidays, is really more fun when served with the fusion of the unique Filipino hospitality and delectable Filipino food,” Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat said.
The series of events, held in partnership with the Ayala Malls, aims to promote distinct regional Filipino cuisine and tourism destinations.
Davao City featured chef Paolo Garcia and Datu Shariff Khaled Pendatun with their recipes tinunuang pirit, kagikit + sinagapuna and pako ensalada + keso itum; and Bang Sibala with her Malagos dark chocolate cake, durian panna cotta and mangosteen peanut oat bars.
Meanwhile, Pampanga chefs and their recipes featured in the festival include: Atching Lillian, San Nicolas, prenda and suklating; Batirul chef Sau, sisig, bringhe; chef Vince, seafood paella; chef Cherry, catfish fillet on fermented rice and shrimp wrapped in mustard leaves; chef Josie, tollhouse baked mac; chef Jam, adlai; chef Don, sampayin; Apalit chef Heinz, bibingkang halayang ube with pastillas.
For its part, the Laguna leg of the festival featured CALABARZON chefs Angelica Costales and Joel Frago from Laguna, Alfonso Rafael Ranido from Quezon province, Vic Dimawano, Fabian Maximilian Cabriga and Gene Gonzales from Cavite, Nomer Maala from Batangas and Andre Vocalan from Rizal with their specialties.
Exhibitors included hotels and restaurants, farm resorts, agro industry groups, eco-farm adventure parks, transport operators and academe.
The local tourism offices also presented specialty food products, coffee, vegetables, juices, handicrafts and culinary tour packages.
The first edition of Kain Na! was launched with two simultaneous events in Legazpi City, Albay and Cebu City last October while the launch in Cagayan de Oro was done in November.
