MALL GOERS flocked to the different food stations of Mindanao Kain Na! in the Ayala Centrio Mall, Cagayan De Oro.

CAGAYAN DE ORO — Some of the best food in from Mindanao was brought together at the Ayala Centrio Mall at Cagayan de Oro City for the Department of Tourism’s Kain Na! food festival.

From Nov. 22 to 24, the cuisines of the Zamboanga Peninsula, Northern Mindanao, Soccsksargen, Caraga, and Lanao del Norte was featured in the festival.

Ayala Centrio Mall is the fourth Ayala Mall to host local cuisine and chefs in this year’s edition of Kain Na! following stops at Baguio, Alabang, and Manila Bay.

Among the chefs who participated was Queny Villarante from Region 9 who prepared daral, a coconut sweetmeat crepe; biyaki, steamed corn sweet tamales; and jaa, a crispy rice flour treat. Neal Roa and Rowel Gomez from Region 10 cooked pineapple chicken stew and Bukidnon roast beef, while Precious Pearl Valdez and Dina Tuan from Region 12 served samples of Gensan rolls and tuna sushi.

Paolo Lumbres and Leo Calub from Region 13 prepared buntaa, coconut-stuffed crabs in coconut milk, and kinilaw, a raw seafood dish. Roseller Fiel from Lanao del Norte cooked chicken biryani, beef randang, and browa.

“The DOT has been at the forefront of promoting food tourism for more than a decade now. We continue to strengthen this fruitful partnership with the Department of Agriculture, Department of Trade and Industry, and Ayala Malls championing food and farm tourism,” said Tourism Assistant Secretary Roberto Alabado III. “Tourists now are becoming more curious of the Philippines because we are now presenting to them there’s more than beaches in the Philippines. We have food, we have textiles, we have so much more to offer and this is what tourism is all about.”

The food samplings and cooking demonstrations were complimented by Food and Farm Travel Exchange between the local food suppliers and their tour operator counterparts. DOT-accredited travel agencies and tour operators across the region presented “Eating your way through the Philippines: Fun Food Trips & Farm Tours.”

Capping the three-day event was a Mindanao Fashion exhibit featuring designs by the Oro Fashion Designers Guild.

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