Iloilo City, long known for its rich culinary heritage, was declared a Creative City for Gastronomy by Unesco (or the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) on Oct. 31, 2023. 

To further promote Ilonggo cuisine worldwide, the city launched a book, “Gastronomic Expressions of Our City, Iloilo: Nature, Culture, and Geography,” last Dec. 14 at the Iloilo Museum of Contemporary Art. 

The book is intended to serve as an essential resource, highlighting the unique flavors, techniques, and cultural significance of Ilonggo dishes, and blending the region’s natural resources with its vibrant traditions. It took almost one year to produce. 

With its release, Iloilo City’s commitment to celebrating and sharing its culinary identity is now officially documented, offering both locals and visitors an in-depth exploration of its gastronomy.

Heart and soul 

In her foreword, Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco proclaims Iloilo as “a beacon of cultural pride and culinary excellence, inspiring us all to cherish and celebrate our unique gastronomic heritage.” 

Leafing through the pages allows one to “discover the heart and soul of Iloilo—from its verdant landscapes, proud history, vibrant culture, and the strength of spirit of its people,” Frasco said. 

In his preface, Eric Babar Zerrudo, executive director of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts, cites his childhood memory of the popular La Paz Batchoy as an “iconic part of the Ilonggo cuisine, defining the experience, the people, and the place.”

A native of Ajuy, Iloilo, Zerrudo recalls Sundays spent with his parents enjoying a bowl of batchoy at the La Paz Public Market after church.

Mayor Jerry P. Treñas describes Ilonggo food as “a love language in the City of Love,” and cites the enduring Ilonggo trait of always being concerned with what to eat for the day—from breakfast to dinner and snacks in between.” He points out that the daily lives of the Ilonggos revolve around food. 

The book “chronicles the Ilonggo food culture for the next generation to know, love, and preserve the rich heritage of our cuisine,” Treñas writes, adding: “We are truly elated that Iloilo City was designated as the first Unesco Creative City of Gastronomy in the Philippines, which introduced the city to the global culinary scene.”

First of its kind 

The book is considered a definitive publication on Ilonggo gastronomy. It is the first of its kind that touches on the multidimensionality of Ilonggo food following the conceptual framework developed by Filipino scholar, writer, and book designer Guillermo “Ige” Ramos of the Ugnayan Center for Filipino Gastronomy.

It was Ramos who designed and conceptualized the book with its technical team and project management, which was headed by Iloilo City’s First Lady Rosalie S. Treñas as the project executive director.

“Creating books is an expression of love,” Ramos said upon the completion of the project. He said it is also “a way of expressing patriotism and a result of a group of people working together with a common sense of purpose, pride, and passion.”

“It takes a village, so to speak, to realize a project of this magnitude,” Ramos added. 

The book is enlivened by insights that are academic, philosophical, historical, cultural, and even experiential and anecdotal.

The back cover blurb is accentuated by the academic wisdom of Dr. Clement C. Camposano, chancellor of the University of the Philippines Visayas, who provides a cohesive summary of the various historical and cultural functions of food. 

Dr. Laya Boquerin Gonzales’ afterword underscores cultural memory, identity, supply chains, food security, and climate change, among other issues. She is an assistant professor and chair of the Department of Arts, University of Asia and the Pacific, and a member of the International Council on Monuments and Sites Philippines and of the International Council of Museums.

The book is voluminous at 8.5 x 11 inches and 244 pages, and comprises six major sections written by Ilonggo professionals, writers, and journalists: Geography by Vicente Segovia Salas, Ethnicity by Hazel Palmares Villa, Ingredients by Glenda S. Tayona and Pearl Rylene Mae S. Socias, Technology by this writer, and Recipes by Rosalie S. Treñas.

The chapter on Ingredients showcases watercolor illustrations by Ilonggo artists Vic Nabor and Kevin Fernandez.

Thematic stories, community recipes

The book carries special focused stories on Guimaras mangoes as the country’s first labelled product awarded with Geographic Indicator Status by the International Property Office of the Philippines, and the local ingredient “roselle plant,” locally known as labog, which is also a prominent and meaningful embellishment in the traditional panubok design of the Panay Bukidnon Indigenous Peoples. 

It draws attention to Ilonggo women who are shaping Iloilo’s culinary scene and identifies the intersection of food, art, and museums that exhibit food ingredients, history, and economy.

The chapter on Recipes is a compendium of Ilonggo dishes with more than 80 pages of photos and recipes that highlight local ingredients, cooking methods, and processes by revered Ilonggo chefs and restaurateurs: Cidj Jalandoni, Miguel Cordova, Miner del Mundo, Raymundo Robles, Maridel P. Uygongco, and Rosalie S. Treñas, among others. 

It presents a perspective from the ground with recipes from the communities, like the Citywide Farmers’ Association, the Office of the City Agriculturist, and students from the Technical Institute of Iloilo City together with the micro and small entrepreneurs engaged in rice cakes and snacks popularly called kakanin.

It discusses Green Gastronomy and food maps intended for visitors to the city who like to go on a food crawl, offering a good selection of Iloilo Culinary Heritage, Street Food Adventure, Sustainable Eats, and top picks by Ilonggo chefs. 

The book’s editor is the respected Michaela “Mickey” Fenix, who has chaired the Doreen G. Fernandez Food Writing Award since its inception in 2002. Fenix has edited more than a dozen books and is an award-winning author of various books on Philippine food and gastronomy.

“The Gastronomic Expressions of our City, Iloilo: Nature, Culture, and Geography” is available in two versions, hardbound at P1,200 and soft cover at P950. For orders, contact the Iloilo Festivals Foundation Inc. at 0960-420-2129 or visit their office at the Ground Floor, Iloilo Freedom Grandstand, Muelle Loney Street., Iloilo City.

Read more: ‘Namit!’ highlights the tastes and aromas of Iloilo food