Kiangan showcases delicacies in DOT event

KIANGAN, Ifugao — The Department of Tourism Cordillera Administrative Region launched last week the first “Cordillera Heritage Culinary Journey” here to showcase authentic and exotic food prepared by the Kiangan Homestay Owners Association (KHOWA).

Jovi Ganongan, supervising operation officer of the DOT-CAR said the activity aims to promote indigenous food of the region for visitors to taste, aside from seeing the different tourist attractions.

A cooking demonstration was witnessed by six prominent chefs – four are instructors at the College of Hospitality and Tourism Management of the University of the Cordilleras (UC) and another from the University of Baguio. The other is an authentic chef in Baguio City.

Prior to the cooking demo, the chefs first visited the tourist destination of Kiangan like the Open Air Museum, which is a two-hour trek where one can see the simple lifestyle of the residents living within the museum.

During the cooking demo, members of the KHOWA, showed the indigenous foods like the “inlagim chicken,” “appaku salad,” “pihing initum,” “pinunnog with itab,” “duck inlagim” an “aggudung” which were lauded by the chef-tourists.

While cooking, local residents shared and explained to visitors ingredients as well as detailed the manner of cooking – aimed at educating the chef-tourists and also for their appreciation of the culture, where food is a big part.

The delicacies were served to the visitors while having an interaction with the local cooks and regional chefs/cooks to ensure a healthy exchange in cooking techniques and food presentation.

“DOT’s culinary journey project is a mind opener both benefitting the locals and tourists. There is more to what the eyes can see. It’s a venue for culture to be shared and cherished not just thru sights but also thru taste,” said Charlynne Macalalag, HRMT instructor at UC.

She said Kiangan cuisine is a classic example of how Cordillerans have survived through the years. They used what nature has to give them and in return they take care of their natural environment. “The Kiangan cuisine has high potential and can be shared in Baguio City with the right innovation, without destroying the concept, one can definitely serve it there,” she added.