Slow food in motion

The first Terra Madre Asia and Pacific in Bacolod brings together chefs, farmers, and delegates shaping the future of food

- FELICIANO RODRIGUEZ III

On the first night of Terra Madre, I watched chefs whose names I will keep to myself — pour tequila straight into the mouth of another chef in a light moment after a long day. They had spent hours talking about food, farming, and the principles that define Terra Madre, then cooking for guests from around the world. I turned to a fellow journalist and said, "These chefs do know how to party.” They do, and after the work they put in each day, they have earned it.

By morning, the city felt quieter. Bacolod carried a kind of warmth after the previous night’s revelry, the air still holding traces of broth, garlic, and the sweetness that seems to cling to Negros. The week of Terra Madre Asia and Pacific (TMAP) had only begun, yet the atmosphere suggested something historic was unfolding. Delegates, cooks, farmers, and producers moved toward the Capitol Lagoon, which had turned into a temporary village for conversations about the future of food.