MANILA – Ten Filipino chefs are set to display their cooking prowess in this year’s most anticipated gastronomic event — Madrid Fusión Manila. Organized annually in Madrid, Spain since 2003, the locally dubbed Madrid Fusión Manila is the first in Asia. It will be held on April 24 to 26 at the SMX Convention Center, Mall of Asia, Pasay City.
Modern cuisine will be on center stage as the country’s most established chefs present the best the Philippines has to contribute to modern-day gastronomy. These culinary giants are: Fernando Aracama of Aracama; Margarita Forés of Grace Park; J Gamboa of Cirkulo; José Luis Gonzalez of Gallery Vask; Pepe Lopez of Rambla; Rob Pengson of The Goose Station; Bruce Ricketts of Mecha Uma; Myrna Segismundo of Restaurant 9501; Claude Tayag of Bale Dutung; and Juan Carlos de Terry of Terry’s.
These chefs will fuse with the culinary talents of Michelin-starred Spanish chefs Andoni Luis Aduriz of Mugaritz; Elena Arzak of Arzak; Quique Dacosta of Quique Dacosta Restaurante; Ramón Freixa of Ramón Freixa Madrid; Francis Paniego of Echaurren; Paco Roncero of La Terraza del Casino; Mario Sandoval of Coque; and Paco Torreblanca of Torreblanca Bombonerías and Asian culinary giants, chefs André Chiang and Alvin Leung.
“Madrid Fusión Manila will feature on-the-ground conferences, meetings, and exchanges on very specific culinary issues and opportunities — new inventions, new approaches — these will in fact revolutionize people’s outlook on culinary arts in the Philippines,” Department of Tourism (DOT) Secretary Ramon Jimenez Jr. said.
Congress delegates will also experience the best culinary offerings of the Philippines through regional lunches that will feature the varied and exciting flavors of the country’s three main islands – Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.
Tracing back over 300 years of cultural ties, gourmands and gastronomes from all around the world will witness a convergence of Spanish and Filipino gastronomic contributions through three exciting events: the International Gastronomy Congress where featured Spanish and Filipino chefs will discuss and demonstrate the latest trends and techniques that will transform the future of food; Trade Exhibition showcasing Spanish and Filipino premium products such as Spanish wines, cheeses, sausages, hams, beers, and sweets, as well as Philippine rice, cacao, coffee, mango, coconut, liqueurs, chocolates, cheeses, nuts and artisanal salts, and various world-class kitchen equipment; and a Flavors of the Philippines Festival, that will run the entire month of April, bringing together different malls, restaurants, bars, hotels, food trucks, exhibition halls to celebrate Philippine gastronomy through simultaneous food-related events in Manila and other parts of the country.
Madrid Fusión Manila is a joint partnership between DOT, the Tourism Promotions Board and Madrid Fusión organizers Foro de Debate and ARUM. For information on the chefs, the activities and registration, please visit http://madridfusionmanila.com.
