CITY OF SAN FERNANDO — The first-ever Manyaman Festival showcasing the innate culinary talent and expertise of the Kapampangans opened Monday, Dec. 4, at The Event Center of SM City Pampanga here.
With 20 food booths featuring popular Kapampangan dishes and desserts, the festival seeks to further promote the popular Kapampangan dishes that made Pampanga province as the acclaimed “Culinary Capital of the Philippines.”
Kapampangan chefs and even Aeta cooks whipped out popular Kapampangan and native dishes and followed authentic culinary procedures without embellishing them. The famous “sisig” presented in its purest form, said 2nd District board member Mylyn Pineda-Cayabyab, festival chair.
She urged Kapampangans and non-Kapampangans to visit the festival booths at SM City Pampanga featuring “all Kapampangan delectable delights” until Dec. 6. “Salamat po sa lahat ng sumuporta lalo na sa mga LGUs sa lahat ng bayan natin. Ang gagaling po ng mga mayors natin, yung mga tourism officers natin, mga taga Kapitolyo po, kung wala po sila hindi po magiging posible ito,” she enthused.
“Masarap lahat, busog na busog kami,” said Gov. Dennis ‘Delta” Pineda who led the ribbon-cutting rites opening the festival.
The Pampanga Capitol said the best booths will receive cash prizes of P20,000 for the 1st Prize, P15,000 for 2nd, and P10,000 for 3rd. Seven lucky winners will be awarded consolation prizes of P5,000 each.
For booth attendants with the best Christmas costumes: P10,000 for the 1st Prize, P7,000 for the 2nd, and P5,000 for the 3rd.
On Dec. 5, a cook-off will be held at the Capitol grounds for the “Best Arobu” and the “Best Kapampangan Dishes.”
On Dec. 6, also at the Capitol grounds, the second cook-off will be held, this time for the “Best Kapampangan Heirloom/Iconic Dishes.”
The festivity will be capped by cooking demonstrations to be led by famous Kapampangan chefs.
Marked as historical cultural milestone for its being the first-ever province-organized annual festival celebrating Kapampangan cuisine, the Manyaman Festival is expected to grow even bigger, better and more delectable in the coming years. Punto News Team
