Sign the Petition: Chef Calls for Support on Filipino Culinary Heritage

 

A lot of things can identify Filipino culture, but perhaps none as immediately (and with great reception) as food.

Filipino food has been under the radar in the global food scene – until recently, of course, when Filipinos from around the world have started recreating and modernizing Filipino classic dishes, impressing their diners and making just about everyone curious to try this odd new cuisine.

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There is a petition that has been making rounds online, hoping to get signatures to keep this curiosity on Filipino food going, but more significantly, to celebrate and keep the culinary traditions that define Filipino culture.

“The Philippines has all the right ingredients to become an international culinary destination,” says Chef Jam Melchor, owner of Healthy Eats and the author of the petition. “So long as we can cultivate a homegrown appetite for and interest in our local cuisine, global recognition will soon follow.”

Called the Petition for the Preservation of the Philippine Culinary Heritage & Gastronomy, this appeal addressed to the National Commission for Culture and the Arts, seeking to make April as an official month for culinary celebration (in line with annual culinary events such as Madrid Fusion), as well as celebrate Filipino cuisine through a food festival in the National Arts Month every February.

The petition also aims to increase awareness among Filipinos on the importance of preserving culinary traditions by having culinary heritage part of National Heritage Month.

 

“Philippine food has been receiving a lot of recognition in the global food scene lately. Many have predicted that it will be the next big thing in food,” says Chef Jam. “But I personally think that there is still work to be done to encourage our countrymen and women to learn about, appreciate, and honor our rich culinary traditions as a strong pillar of our national cultural identity.”

Show your love for Filipino food and support the petition here.