PHL's top chefs, restaurateurs tap Negros' organic producers

BACOLOD CITY, Philippines  — Some of the country’s top chefs and restaurateurs have begun dealing with organic farmers in Negros Occidental for the supply of organic ingredients.

Negrense Margarita Fores—owner of CIBO, Café Bola, Pepato, Sostanza Health Line, and Fiori Di M—said she and other top chefs have toured the organic farms in the province and have identified potential sources of their ingredients that are not of sustainable supply in Manila.

Fores said she uses organic squash and herbs from Negros Occidental. “If chefs believe in the need to protect environment and to eat healthy, they should support the organic produce of Negros,” she said.

“As the demand increases and more farmers go into producing organic food, prices will further improve according to the law of supply and demand,” she said, adding that they already made contacts with local farmers. “The deals have started already,” she said.

Fores was with several renowned chefs who participated in the CookFest, a cooking demonstration of the country’s top chefs of their special menus using local and organic food and ingredients, as part of the 6th Negros Island Organic Farmers Festival that opened on December 16 and will run until December 20.

The other chefs were Junior Master Chef hosts Chef Fernando Aracama of Republiq and Chef JP Anglo of Mushu—both Negrenses—Ilonggo native Chef J Gamboa of El Cirkulo Restaurant, Chef Ariel Manuel of Lolo Dad’s, Chef Sau Del Rosario of Le Bistro Vert and Chef Ian McKenzie of the Philippine Airlines.

They met with the local farmers and fishermen at an activity called Market Matching, which was facilitated by the DTI.

Aracama said they are looking at Negros Island as a major source of organic products because they cannot find them by bulk or with consistent supply in Luzon for their respective restaurants in Manila.

With the successful organic agriculture program in Negros and a guarantee system for organic products, they expect to source their ingredients supply from here, he said.

Ramon Uy Jr. of the Organik na Negros! Organic Producers and Retailers Association (ONOPRA), one of the organizers of the festival, said the Organic Farmers Festival is an opportune time for the buyers and consumers to meet.

“Going organic does not only affect the farmers, but also the consumers, community, wildlife and the environment. We need to work together because our food system is at stake, that’s why everyone is involved,” Uy said.

Del Rosario added that it is just practical to source their ingredients locally. “We don’t need to import a lot. We have a lot of these in our own backyard,” he said, adding that buying products from organic farmers is a way of supporting them so that more will go into organic farming.

The ongoing 6th Negros Island Organic Farmers’ Festival, which has 100 exhibitors of organic products, bears the theme, “One Food, One Island, One Life,” which highlights Negros Island as a major producer of organic food in the country. (FREEMAN)