BAGUIO CITY, April 21(PIA)– In celebration of Filipino Food Month this April, Cordillera cuisines and indigenous foods are set to take center stage once again as the Department of Tourism–Cordillera (DOT–CAR) and its partners bring back the “Mangan Taku” food fair starting today.
Mangan Taku, a Kankana-ey word meaning “let us eat” was launched by DOT – CAR, in partnership with the city government of Baguio and the Department of Agriculture, in April 2019 featuring indigenous cuisines and food products from the Cordillera provinces of Abra, Apayao, Benguet, Ifugao, Kalinga and Mountain Province.
After taking a break in 2020 due to the pandemic, the food festival is back this year taking into account the needed health and safety protocols in the new normal.
The food fair opens with the Mangan Taku Chef’s competition wherein, from April 21 – 23, amateur cooks and chefs in the Cordillera will focus on creative dishes that are delicious blends which are results of local indigenous and modern cooking techniques.
The top five competitors shall then join the Mangan Taku Food Crawl set for April 29 to May 2, wherein chefs s and featured restaurants will serve their winning food entries to invited guests for tasting, appreciation and enjoyment
Scheduled for April 27 is the Mangan Taku Food Conversations where selected guests will talk about Cordillera local food delicacies, experiences and the importance of food in tourism destination branding. The event which will also feature videos of heritage dishes and cooking demonstration will be live-streamed on facebook by DOT– CAR.
Another feature of the Mangan Taku this year is the Cordillera Chef’s Fair-Take Out Edition set at the SM City Baguio on April 28 to May 2. In partnership with the Cordillera Chef organization, food booths will be set up for the general public to enjoy or have a taste of Cordillera cuisine and indigenous food products.
DOT–CAR OIC Regional Director Jovita Ganongan outlined that the Mangan Taku Food Fair aims to provide an avenue for stakeholders in the food and restaurant industry who are also directly hit by the pandemic to promote and sell their products while providing the general public the opportunity to learn and explore local Cordillera cuisine and appreciate the region’s food landscape, both onsite and virtually.
The event will be conducted under strict and safety guidelines and will also be utilizing the most appropriate platforms that adapt to the new normal, Ganongan added. **JDP/CCD-PIA CAR
