AT LEAST 100 world-renowned chefs from Aisa and the Pacific will join in the Terra Madre & Pacific (TMAP) 2025 in Bacolod City on November 19 to 23, 2025.
Among them are Filipino chefs including from Negros Occidental who will work alongside global and regional culinary masters in showcasing local ingredients and techniques.
More than 2,000 delegates from over 20 countries across Asia and the Pacific, including India, Japan, South Korea, Indonesia, Australia, New Zealand, Sri Lanka, and Thailand, will converge at the Provincial Capitol Lagoon for the five-day event.
The culinary talents will collaborate to showcase the region's rich culinary heritage creating dishes that elevate local food systems and celebrate the philosophy of good, clean, and fair food.
Terra Madre, Slow Food's premier global event, is making its regional debut in Asia and the Pacific. After years as a biennial event in Turin, Italy, TMAP 2025 will mark the first regional edition, to be held in the Philippines.
TMAP 2025 is not only a gathering of culinary talents but also a momentous occasion that solidifies Bacolod City's designation as the "Center for Sustainable Gastronomy" and Negros Occidental as the "Organic Capital of the Philippines."
The event is an evolution of the successful Terra Madre Visayas events previously hosted in 2023 and 2024, demonstrating the region's growing importance in the global Slow Food movement.
With the theme "From Soil to Sea: A Slow Food Journey Through Tastes and Traditions," TMAP 2025 will bring together farmers, fishers, indigenous leaders, chefs, cooks, academics, youth, and cultural advocates to celebrate food biodiversity and advance sustainable food systems rooted in tradition, fairness, and care for the environment.
More than just a conference, TMAP 2025 will feature immersive exhibits, hands-on tastings, insightful conferences, and vibrant community meals, drawing thousands of visitors from across the Asia-Pacific region.
Ramon "Chin Chin" Uy Jr., Slow Food councilor for Southeast Asia, earlier said this landmark gathering solidifies Bacolod City's role as the newly designated Slow Food International Hub for Asia Pacific and marks the evolution of successful Terra Madre Visayas events hosted in Bacolod in 2023 and 2024.
"This is a turning point not just for Slow Food in the Philippines, but for the entire region," he added.
At the Terra Madre Salone del Gusto in Turin, Italy last year, Bacolod City Lone District Representative Alfredo Abelardo Benitez, then city mayor, signed the memorandum of agreement with Slow Food International for Bacolod's hosting of the event this year.
Benitez said Terra Madre is considered the largest event dedicated to food politics, sustainable agriculture and the environment.
He said slow food is a movement that started in Europe that is promoting sustainable gastronomy.
"It is an honor to see Bacolod City chosen as the host of Terra Madre Asia & Pacific 2025. Let us support this milestone as we showcase to the world Bacolod's heritage, diverse flavors, and strong commitment to sustainability," he added. (MAP)