Mangan Taku 2021: Let’s Celebrate Cordillera Food!

The Department of Tourism Cordillera Administrative Region will stage the Mangan Taku: Cordillera Food Fair this month of April as part of the Filipino Food Month celebration. The festival runs from April 27 to May 2, featuring various hybrid events that ensure adherence to strict health and safety guidelines, while highlighting the creative cuisine of the region through food conversations, a Chef’s competition and, a food crawl, among others.

Mangan Taku is on its third run, following successful and well-received stagings last 2019 (at the Rose Garden) and 2020. This year, DOT-CAR and its partners will provide a venue for tourism stakeholders in the food and restaurant industry directly hit by the pandemic, to promote and sell their products, while providing the public with the opportunity to learn and explore local Cordillera cuisine and appreciate the region’s food landscape.

Food Conversations and More

On April 27, 2021, a live talk show called “Mangan Taku” Food Conversations will feature conversations and interviews with selected guests from the local food industry to talk about Cordillera cuisine, food experiences and, the importance of food in tourism destination branding. This will run from 9:00 am to 12:00 noon and will be live-streamed on the DOT-CAR Facebook page.

It will also feature live and recorded food demonstrations of how heritage dishes of the Cordilleras are prepared. Currently, a production team commissioned by DOT-CAR is shooting video footage on heritage dish preparation in Mountain Province, Kalinga, Apayao and, Benguet. This special documentary will premiere on April 27, at 5:00 pm, also through the DOT-CAR Facebook page.

Showcase of Creativity and Ingenuity

The Mangan Taku Cordillera Chefs Fair (A Mangan Taku Take-Out Edition) will be held from April 28-May 2, 2021 with controlled on-site activities to be conducted at a spacious area of the Sky Terrace & Atrium at SM City. This component of Mangan Taku is in cooperation with SM Baguio and with the Cordillera Chefs organization.

On-ground activities will be conducted with six (6) food booths to be set up, with onsite selling that provides take-out options to limit on-site eating. All food will be prepared and packaged following strict safe and healthy food preparation practices. This event will provide income opportunities for chefs and other displaced workers in the food industry.

Following a call for amateur chefs to join a Chef’s Competition as part of the festival, five (5) winning chefs will be showcasing their culinary creations at the Mangan Taku Food Crawl from April 29 to May 2. From the shortlisted finalists, a panel of judges will be choosing the five entries based on food presentation, taste, and execution as well as how their dish is able to convey an interesting narrative about Cordillera food. Media influencers such as food bloggers, selected tour operators and other personalities will be invited to join the 3-day food crawl. Winning entries will serve and present the food entrées to the guests for tasting, appreciation, and enjoyment.

DOT-CAR and its partners in this event believe in the importance of this event to help sustain tourism development and branding of Baguio City and the Cordillera and that this event will be realized, for as long as strict health and safety protocols are followed.