LUCENA CITY, Quezon – Officials and culinary experts in Quezon province vowed to intensify culinary heritage as part of their tourism showcase following the successful staging of the 6th “Quezon Kulinarya” or “Quezonarya” at the SM City Lucena event center early this month.
The culinary festival and cooking challenge themed “Modernizing the Classics: What’s Old is New Again” were staged by the Tourism Organization of Quezon Province Philippines Inc. (TOQPPI) and the provincial government, through its tourism office, to showcase the province’s famous delicacies.
TOQPPI president Chef AR Jose Ranido lauded on Thursday the unique competition and challenge and assured to sustain the culinary festival to boost tourism in Quezon.
"I consider Quezon as one of the culinary capitals of the South. Because of this, we are showing that Quezon Province is really a tourist destination not only for the sights and activities but also for its culinary showcase,” Ranido said.
He also described the culinary fest as one of the events that proves why Quezon Province is declared as the tourism destination of the year and finds reason enough to sustain the culinary challenge.
Quezon province joins the usually month-long culinary festivals across the country in observance of April as the “Philippine Food Month” in support of the Department of Tourism program on showcasing “Flavors of the Philippines” as a tourism strategy.
Ranido also said that the culinary event showcases the talents and skills among Quezon’s culinary artists–contenders in the culinary innovation challenge, banquet showdown and mixology competition as they prepared their best recipes.
Six culinary schools participated in the event through the assistance of professional waiters and chefs from private food establishments in the province.
TOQPPI Program Head and public relations officer Monching Leynes said the activities also gained headway in increasing knowledge and awareness among the Quezonian youths on the province’s culinary heritage.
“Nakakatulong ang mga ganitong aktibidad para iangat ang antas ng kamalayan ng turismo ng lalawigan. Sa pagkain pa lamang, naipapakilala na natin ang turismo ng Quezon. (These activities help in leveling up awareness of the province’s tourism potentials. In food alone, we could already promote tourism in Quezon,” Leynes explained.
He also said that the culinary festival is one way of showing to the new generation how they can help sustain and preserve the culinary heritage.
Meanwhile, Quezon Governor David C. Suarez has assured the support and assistance of the provincial government to continue the culinary events.
Suarez said that the cooperation and collaboration among the government and private sector and various stakeholders could scale up culinary tourism of the province. (Gideon Belen/PNA)
