Philippines - Creative cuisine

Spanish, Mexican, Chinese, Indian, Japanese, American: due to centuries of colonialism, Filipino cuisine combines a multicultural potpourri of different influences. This has given rise to a culinary movement that can be felt across the entire 7,641-island archipelago: from slow food communities to award-winning cuisine for all and dishes inspired by children's songs to eating with your feet in the waterfall. It's no wonder that food and the creative use of it are highly valued in the Philippines - it's not for nothing that "Have you eaten?" is a common greeting.

Kalinga Pasil: the first slow food community in the Philippines
In the north of the Philippines, between waterfalls and rice terraces, lies the community of Pasil, made up of indigenous Kalinga people, which was officially accepted into the global Slow Food network in April 2019 thanks to its long-standing commitment. The potential of local agriculture was recognized several years ago: Neither chemically nor genetically modified seeds provide healthy food from generation to generation. Since 2012, educational measures have not only been carried out to raise awareness of Slow Food among the local population, but local farmers have also been trained in how seeds can be preserved and cared for. In future, the Slow Food concept is to be marketed by the more than 148 members of the rice-growing community under one roof.

Margarita Fores Grace Park: From the farm straight to the table
In 2016, Margarita Fores was named Asia's best female chef, putting Filipino cuisine in the spotlight of the international culinary scene. If you think that only selected guests can enjoy her skills - far from it! Margarita's restaurant is located in a rustic industrial loft in a shopping center in the middle of Makati. Her concept: fresh ingredients from local organic farmers paired with a pinch of Italy - her dishes bear witness to a four-month stay in the European paradise of indulgence. The aim is to create a connection between product and emotion for the guest. In addition to countless pasta variations, there are also typical Filipino dishes such as Lechón: roasted suckling pig with liver sauce.

Toyo Eatery: modernity paired with a touch of patriotism
From Tuesday to Saturday, Toyo Eatery, which was included in the list of the 50 best restaurants in Asia in 2019, opens its doors in a converted warehouse. Urban chic meets Filipino decor here, with traditional handcrafted pieces joining the cool industrial ambience. The concept extends to the kitchen: Head chef Jordy Navarro combines simple ingredients with unusual flavors to create modern creations without neglecting the local culture. Guests can enjoy a selection à la carte or a ten-course tasting menu alongside local craft beer as well as classic but newly interpreted dishes such as lugaw (rice porridge) or rellenong pusit (stuffed squid). Young guests will also get a taste for it here: all 18 types of vegetables that appear in the popular children's song "Bahay Kubo" are combined in a specially inspired salad - for many, one of the most original dishes in modern Filipino cuisine. The name of the restaurant also reflects the chef's love of his homeland: Toyo means soy sauce. An everyday household ingredient that is complex to make - just like the food at Jordy's.

Villa Escudero: eating with wet feet
In the middle of a coconut plantation, Villa Escudero has been open since 1981, just two hours from the capital Manila. In addition to a museum, bamboo rafting tours, a traditional dance and music show and a swimming pool, the centerpiece of the resort, the waterfall restaurant, is the talk of the town. The special thing about it: while hungry guests enjoy the lunch buffet with traditional dishes such as rice with vegetables or fish, they sit right at the foot of the Labassin waterfall. In the Kamayan style (meaning "eat with your hands"), there is no unnecessary cutlery here. The good thing about it: you can wash your hands directly under the table after eating ...

Sonya's Garden: Dining among flowers and flowerbeds
As the name suggests, Sonya's Garden is surrounded by lush greenery, which means that guests not only dine in a flower-filled ambience, but are mainly served ingredients from the neighboring greenhouse. The oasis with its hanging vines and branches, mosaic tiles and rare plants makes the restaurant a popular retreat near the town of Tagaytay, especially among romantics. Chef and chef Sonya serves healthy, mainly vegetarian dishes such as salads, homemade bread and pasta.

About the Philippines Department of Tourism
7,641 islands and at least as many possibilities: Hospitality, cultural and natural experiences come together in the Philippines. Travelers discover the many facets of the island nation, such as the smallest volcano on earth, underground rivers or the "steps to heaven", as the lush green rice terraces of Banaue are known. Domestic flights as well as boat connections and ferries enable convenient round trips through the three island groups of Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao - from the capital Manila in the north with influences from the Spanish and American colonial era to the dream beaches on Boracay and the "Chocolate Hills" on the island of Bohol in the south. The biodiverse Pacific Ocean around the islands is home to 2,000 different species of fish and 400 different types of coral that delight divers from all over the world.

Further information about the Philippines can be found online at www.morefunphilippines.de,www.facebook.com/MoreFunPhilippinen, www.instagram.com/morefunphilippinenand at www.youtube.com/user/morefunph.

Images copyright: Philippine Department of Tourism