THEY PREPARED FOOD THAT WOWED THE WORLD

Terra Madre is a Slow Food International event that happens in Turin, Italy every two years.

- PEPPER TEEHANKEE

This year, the Philippine pavilion was a very big hit! Slow Food is a global movement acting together to ensure good, clean and fair food for all.

Founded by Italian activist and author Carlo Petrini in 1986, the organization promotes local food and traditional cooking. It has since spread worldwide and strives to preserve traditional and regional cuisine, encourages farming of plants, seeds, and livestock characteristic of the local ecosystem, and promotes local small businesses and sustainable foods. It also focuses on food quality, rather than quantity and is against overproduction and food waste.

I wrote the good news last week that Bacolod City, Negros Occidental is now the official hub of Slow Food International for Asia and the Pacific. Filipino food has become so popular over the last few years and the number of people who visited the Philippine pavilion at Terra Madre proves it is getting more popular! So, who prepared what at Terra Madre 2024 that made the Philippine pavilion the most popular and most visited international booth? It is interesting to note that the pavilion was one of the biggest and one of the few that had its own kitchen where our talented Filipino contingent cooked and served hot and freshly cooked food! The first day served coffee by Coffee Coalition Minoyan Murcia. Criollo hot chocolate was served by Chris Fadriga. Criollo cacao currently makes up just 0.01% of cacao grown in the world and is at risk of extinction.