Filipino Food Month 2025 was officially launched earlier this month at the Quezon Provincial Capitol with a vibrant cook-off that showcased the province’s rich culinary heritage. This Filipino Food Month 2025 event, titled Pamanang Lutuing Pilipino, featured a competition that brought together 15 teams from Quezon’s towns to celebrate local food traditions and the stories behind them.
The air was filled with the aromas of grilled pork, toasted coconut, and wood smoke as participants cooked dishes over open fires and served them in traditional banana leaves. The goal, during Filipino Food Month 2025, was not only to present flavorful food but to share the cultural significance and personal stories behind each dish.
“This isn’t just a celebration of flavor but a tribute to our farmers and the communities who shape the identity of our cuisine,” said Nesler Louies Almagro, the province’s tourism officer.
The teams were asked to use locally sourced ingredients and to create dishes that reflected their town’s identity. The competition was not about awards or prizes but about honoring the roots of Filipino cooking in the spirit of Filipino Food Month 2025.
One standout dish was Pork Inasal ala Plantsa sa Sinugnog Sarsa, Kaning Bumbay at Mikilog Salad, which was created by Bruce Gabriel Obdin and Troy Nichol Aldea from Lucban. The dish featured grilled pork with a smoky coconut sauce, turmeric rice, and a unique twist on egg salad, channeling the spirit of Lucban’s Pahiyas Festival.
Second place went to sisters Claire and Criselda Chumacera of Tagkawayan for their Tinuto Tagkawayan with Seafood Hardinera, a dish that combined land and sea to represent the dual identity of their town. The third-place prize was awarded to the team from Guinayangan for their seafood-stuffed version of Potchero Espesyal.
Most of the dishes featured coconut in various forms, from grated to smoked, as a nod to Quezon’s status as the Philippines’ top coconut producer. This emphasis on coconut reflected the province’s deep connection to its agricultural roots.
Filipino Food Month, declared by presidential proclamation, is observed every April and aims to promote and preserve the Philippines’ food heritage. Almagro emphasized that Filipino Food Month 2025 celebrates the entire food ecosystem, from farmers to chefs to storytellers. “It’s about recognizing our food culture as a collective experience,” she said.
The event also showcased the diversity of Quezon’s municipalities, with each dish highlighting the unique ingredients and traditions of its town. “We wanted participants to create dishes that represent their town’s identity, and we saw that in every dish,” said Almagro.
The local government plans to integrate the winning dishes into Quezon’s tourism offerings. Accredited “Tara Na Sa Quezon” destinations will be required to serve at least one local specialty made with regional produce. This initiative is part of a broader effort to make food a key component of the province’s tourism experience during Filipino Food Month 2025.
“We’re embedding food into the tourism experience,” Almagro explained. “When you visit Quezon, we want you to leave with stories — on your tongue and in your heart.”
