THE Slow Food Negros team of advocates, chefs, and volunteers invaded the Terra Madre Salon del Gusto in Turin, Italy, to showcase the traditional food products and dishes representing the island and the rest of Western Visayas, and other regions in the country.
Western Visayas Tourism Director Christine Manzinares joined the Slow Food Negros team members Reena Gamboa, Ramon Uy, Jr., his wife Francine, Virna Ascalon Tan, Teddy Cañete, and other slow food communities from the Philippines namely Daniel Maches from the Cordilleras, Chef Jam Melchor of Slow Food youth, Kalel Demetrio, a liquid master, and members of Slow food Manila headed by Chit Juan were among the delegation to Italy.
The team brought significant supplies of ingredients and products from the province and the Philippines to the venue for the five-day food fair set from September 22 to 26.
They set up the Philippine Slow Food booths that attracted Italians and other tourists.
The powered batwan fruit, the ingredient that the Negros Volunteer for Change (NVC) sourced from the farmer partners among the indigenous people, formed part of the various products and dishes sold to the Italians.
Italians crowded the first day of the food fair, which according to the delegation paid off their hard work.
The Slow Food Movement was established and recognized by Slow Food International in April 2012, highlighting that "Everyone has the right to good, clean & fair food."
Slow Food Philosophy Slow Food stands at the crossroads of ecology, gastronomy, ethics, and pleasure. It opposes the standardization of taste and culture and the unrestrained power of the food industry, multinationals, and industrial agriculture. We believe that everyone has a fundamental right to the pleasure of good food and consequently the responsibility to protect the heritage of Food, tradition, and culture that make this pleasure possible.
“Our association believes in neo-gastronomy- recognizing the strong connections between plate, planet, people, and culture,” the group in a statement said.
It added that they envision a world in which all people can access and enjoy Food that is good for them, suitable for those who grow it, and good for the planet.
Slow Food is an international grassroots membership organization promoting good, clean, and fair Food for all.
The group’s approach to agriculture, food production, and gastronomy is based on a concept of food quality defined by three interconnected principles.
These principles are- a good fresh and flavorsome seasonal diet that satisfies the senses and is part of our local culture; clean food production and consumption that does not harm the environment, animal welfare, or our health; and fair accessible prices for consumers and fair conditions and pay for small-scale producers.