RISING star Chef Don Angelo Colmenares and foodie Doreen Alicia "Reena" Peña combined their gastronomic creations during the Cookout dubbed as a "Taste of Negros" held at Casa Gamboa in Silay City, March 17, 2021.
The "Taste of Negros" campaign was in collaboration with Victorias Food Corporation (VFC) with products tagged as truly Negros.
Peña said many chefs recommend VFC products that are of good quality.
"It has to start with us Negrenses. We should patronize what is ours because this is ours. It would be nice to campaign first to fellow Negrenses to appreciate Negros products. About food, it is not only sugar here, but we also have companies like Victorias Milling that have gotten into products and most of them are of high quality. Negros are known to be 'foodies.' Maybe the most critical client is the Negrense," she said adding that, "Since I opened Casa A. Gamboa, part of the excitement is the creation of something new in our menu. And that is my bonding with my mom because I can conceptualize ideas. I have been to other countries where you taste different kinds of food."
Chef Don Colmenares said the Negrense taste is very unique compared to other areas in the Philippines. Their taste is not so adventurous and they stick to what is familiar, that is always the classic taste in Negros.
The recipes they came up were basically something they can be familiar with, he said.
Among the recipes they prepared were Tortilla de Patata con Hamon, Pasta di Sarde "Sardines Paste with Garlic and Kesong de Bola," Bangus Empanada, Bangus Dip, Ham Sandwich, and Chorizo Pate.
Recently, a similar cookout was held in Iloilo City where VFC launched the 15 recipes, exclusively created by Chef Tope Arañador using Victorias Foods Spanish Style Bangus and Sardines in Soya Oil and which will be included in the VFC food packs sold in selected outlets nationwide.
Colmenares is the owner of Berbeza Bistro est. 2018 in Bacolod City and has extensive work experience despite his young age. A graduate of the famous Enderun culinary school, he had his apprenticeship at the 2-Michelin Star Moulin de la Girce, Lemoges in France.
After getting his Bachor's Degree in International Hospitality Management-Major in Culinary Arts at Enderun, Chef Don became the head culinary instructor at the Visayan Maritime Academy and the University of Negros Occidental- Recoletos.
In 2016, Colmenares represented the Philippines as demo chef at the Madrid Fusion in Spain and again at the Tuna Route Festival in Porto Santo, Portugal in 2019.
Peña, on the other hand, is a law graduate whose passion has always been in the creative industry and has been a long-time active member of the Associated of Negros Producers (ANP) which she chaired from 2004 to 2006. At present, she is the president of the ANP Foundation for Enterprise Development and Slow Food Community Negros.
Last year, Peña was involved in the publication of two cookbooks --"Slow Food Negros Heritage Cooking" and "Adobo Chronicles"-- which features adobo recipes of celebrities and winners of the annual Adobo Festival in Silay sponsored by the Negros Cultural Foundation.