FILIPINO-AMERICAN Joel Javier, a chef based in New York, will help promote truly Negros ingredients by using these locally-sourced raw materials in creating dishes being showcased in various events abroad.
Javier and wife Rachel, who has relatives from Pontevedra town, met with Provincial Supervising Tourism Operations Officer Cristine Mansinares and representatives of various groups in Bacolod City on Tuesday.
These groups in the food industry include the Hotel and Restaurant Association of Negros Occidental, Slow Food Negros, and Organik na Negros Producers and Retailers Association.
Mansinares said the couple, who own a business called Flip Eats in New York, want to introduce Filipino dishes through their events.
They do not have a restaurant, what they do is go to events then curate the dishes served, she said.
Mansinares said the two are moving around the country to look for endemic ingredients in the provinces to be incorporated in their dishes abroad.
“They wanted to know the unique ingredients here in Negros as well as the different agricultural produce that can be a source of inspiration for them in creating dishes with Negrense touch,” she added.
Among the local ingredients they intend to bring to New York include powdered “batwan.” The fruit being used as a souring agent is endemic in Negros and other parts of Panay Island.
During their visit, Javier shared that there is currently no “specific” dish that can be associated immediately with the Philippines.
The “adobo,” he said, is also known as an ingredient in Mexico thus, it might confuse people abroad as to where it is really attributed to.
Mansinares said the New York-based chef will come up with not necessarily authentic dish being prepared in the province, instead a new one but still features a Negrense taste.
She said that bringing local ingredients to other countries will bring awareness to foreigners that Negros exists.
“Our local cuisine and the story behind it are introduced,” Mansinares said, adding that creating curiosity among foreign tourists would later lead them to Negros just to get a taste of its authentic dishes.