The Culinary

Connection
On its second year, Madrid Fusion
Manila celebrates the centuries-old
exchange of spices, tastes, and culture
since the sailing of the Manila Galleons.
By JOANNE VILLANUEVA

Reimagined
food at the
forefront
during the
2015 congress.

ANILA TURNED
HEADS WHEN
MADRID FUSION, the
authority in gastronomy,
allowed her to host the 2015
congress and exhibition. In
fact, just after our hosting,
CNN.com ranked the
Philippines second among the
destinations with the worlds
best food, said Secretary
Ramon Jimenez, Jr. of the
Department of Tourism (DOT).
But Madrid Fusion did not put
Manila in the gastronomical
maprather, it helped people
remember why Manila is
deserving of its place. This years
theme celebrates the Manila
Galleon, the trading ships that
sailed from Acapulco to Manila
and back, from 16th century to
1815, facilitating exchange of
goods from porcelain to spices.
In more ways than one, we are
34 MABUHAY MAGAZINE | APRIL 2016

in everyones way, said Jimenez.

He continues, Not a lot of
people know that the Galleon
Trade, for example, facilitated
the transfer of the Philippine
technique of cooking of raw
meat with vinegar to other
cultures such as Peru. We are
talking about ceviche, which
spread throughout the Latin
America from the Philippines.
Therefore, if you removed the
Philippines from the picture
300 years ago, the global
economy would be nothing like
it is today.
If you want to learn from top
chefs, you dont have to go to
Spain, as some of their 3-star
Michelin chefs are coming
here, said Chief Operating
Officer Domingo Ramon C.
Enerio III from the Tourism
Promotions Board (TPB),
DOTs marketing arm.

The International Gastronomy

Congress brings the Spanish
dining scene somewhere
closer, and sets Manila as a
venue of choice for discussions
between highly regarded chefs
and food enthusiasts, while
putting Filipino techniques and
ingredients at the center of the
conversation.
This year will have a wider
lineup of chef stars, not just
from Spain. A few big names
are Yoshiro Narisawa, the
3-Michelin-starred Joan
Roca (of Celler de Can Roca,
No. 1 in the Worlds 50
Best Restaurants for 2015),
2-michelin-starred Dani Garcia,
and the Philippines very own
Michael Aspiras. For those who
cant make it to the congress,
theres the month-long Flavors
of the Philippines Festival
involving mall shows, film

showing, gourmet markets,

and cook-off. Enerio advised to
look out for the program logo
on restaurant and store doors,
and find out the special menu
they have been cookingfood
that are also featured at the
congress. The roving exhibition
will make a return in Tapas:
Spanish Design for Food at
the Metropolitan Museum of
Manila starting March 31. Chefs
like Dani Garcia (Spain) and
Chele Gonzalez (Philippines)
will be part of Dinner with the
Stars, to be held in some of the
leading hotels and restaurants
in Makati and Manila. If these
arent enough, the Philippines is
also holding the World Street
Food Congress at Bonifacio
Global City from April 20 to 24.
For updates, visit
madridfusionmanila.com.

MADRID
FUSION MANILA
When: April 7 to 9, 2016
Where: SMX Convention
Center, Pasay City
Theme (2016): The Manila
Galleon: East Meets West

1. The Trade Exhibit opened with a sharing of Cebus lechon (roasted suckling pig) 2. ISO Certification
confirms TPBs excellence 3 & 4. Margarita Fors and Chele Gonzalez are among chefs that have reached a
rock-star-like following 5. With President Aquino at the Malacaang Palace 6. TPBs Chief Operating Officer
Domingo Ramon C. Enerio III, all smiles 7. Eastgate Team members Anika Ventura, Kim de Leon, and Simeon
Ventura with Nedalin Miranda of TPB (third from left) at the Anvil 2015 Awards 8. Mario Hardy (CEO, Pacific
Asia Travel Association/PATA), Gerard Panga (Tourism Attach, Market Development Group), and Maria
Helena de Senna Fernandes (Macau Government Tourist Office) at the 2015 PATA Awards.

TPB MAKES IT MORE

FUN IN THE PHILIPPINES
A lot goes into consideration
when picking the destination
for your next trip, but theres
no denying that travel
packages and deals make
you move some places to the
top of your list. And if great
deals become accessible to
a country as diverse and
beautiful as the Philippines,
you wouldnt have to decide
for long. Since 2015, or Visit
the Philippines Year, travelers
boarding passes have been
their tickets to discounts
and freebies. TPBs Visit the
Philippines Year campaign
is an offshoot of the Its
More Fun in the Philippines
campaign, but highlights more
on the non-traditional events

that will take place all over

the country all year round,
explained Enerio.
The fun continues as 2016 is
Visit the Philippines Again
Year. April may be the
month for the foodies, but
TPB has events for other
interests as well.
The 35th ASEAN Tourism
Forum held in Manila last
January kept the ball rolling,
and in March, the very first
Philippine-hosted Routes
Asia, a premiere event for
the aviation industry. And in
September, theres the annual
Philippine Travel Exchange, a
B2B meeting ground for tour
operators, as well as a diving
and resort travel show.

None of the hard work put

to make the Philippines a fun
destination goes unnoticed.
Certification International
Philippines, Inc. (CIP)
awarded them their ISO
9001:2008 Certification on
January 21, and a Certificate of
Registration on February 16.
For sponsoring the publication
of the Best of the Best:
Philippines book of Eastgate
Publishing Corporation, the
book won a PATA Award for
Travel Journalism and a Gold
Anvil Award for being the
Best PR Tool. As TPB delves
into all forms of media, the
Philippines is climbing up
everyones lists. n

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