Bacolod to host first-ever Terra Madre Asia & Pacific

Terra Madre, the global gathering created by Slow Food and known for its biennial Terra Madre Salone del Gusto event in Turin, Italy, will hold its first-ever regional edition in Asia and Pacific in Bacolod City, Negros Occidental, from November 19 to 23, 2025.

Under the theme “From Soil to Sea: A Slow Food Journey Through Tastes and Traditions,” Terra Madre Asia & Pacific (TMAP) 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.

The five-day event will take place at the Provincial Capitol Lagoon and will feature 2,000 delegates from over 20 countries, including India, Japan, South Korea, Indonesia, Australia, New Zealand, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Pacific Island nations. With immersive exhibits, tastings, conferences, and community meals, TMAP 2025 is expected to attract thousands of visitors from across the region.

“This is a turning point not just for Slow Food in the Philippines, but for the entire region. Terra Madre Asia & Pacific is a space where grassroots wisdom can shape policy, tradition can spark innovation, and the lived experiences of communities take their rightful place in shaping our global food future,” said Ramon “Chin Chin” Uy Jr., Slow Food Councilor for Southeast Asia. “It’s time for Asia and the Pacific to take center stage in the global sustainable food conversation.”

“The first edition of Terra Madre Asia & Pacific marks an exciting new chapter for the global Slow Food movement,” said Paolo Di Croce, General Director of Slow Food. “This gathering celebrates the shared products and traditions that unite Asian and Pacific communities, while showing how food can connect people, pass on knowledge, inspire solutions, and help safeguard the planet for future generations. Starting with the next edition, the event will be held every two years, a milestone for our movement and for the Philippines. It also offers a unique opportunity to strengthen our global network through the creation of a new Slow Food Hub for Asia and the Pacific, and the launch of strategic initiatives such as Slow Food Travel.”

A regional hub for Slow Food

TMAP 2025 marks the designation of Bacolod City as the Center for Sustainable Gastronomy and Negros Occidental as the Organic Capital of the Philippines, an evolution of the Terra Madre Visayas events successfully hosted in 2023 and 2024. Modeled after the long-running Terra Madre Salone del Gusto in Italy, this regional edition is designed to highlight the culinary traditions and food systems of Asia-Pacific while connecting them to the wider global movement.

Thematic areas and highlights

The event will be organized around a series of thematic spaces and activities that reflect the diversity of Asia-Pacific food cultures:

• Foodways Exhibition: A centerpiece showcasing four iconic staples of the region — rice of Southeast Asia, spices of South Asia, soy of East Asia, and taro of Australia and the Pacific Islands. Through interactive displays and storytelling, visitors will see how these foods shape cultural identity and biodiversity.
• Education Pavilion: Programs for children and adults centered on taste education and sensory experiences, helping participants understand biodiversity and make informed food choices.
• Slow Food Coffee Coalition: An interactive journey from farm to cup, with tastings, workshops, and stories highlighting the region’s coffee traditions and the push for fair and transparent practices.
• House of Slow Food: A central hub introducing the philosophy of Slow Food and its global and regional projects.
• Public Talks and Conferences: Open forums where farmers, Indigenous leaders, cooks, youth, and policy makers discuss issues such as climate resilience, food justice, and sustainable agriculture.
• Terra Madre Kitchen and Taste Workshops: Guided tastings, chef collaborations, and cooking demonstrations showcasing regional ingredients and techniques.
• Slow Drinks, Market, and Street Food: Spaces dedicated to organic farmers, producers, sustainable drinks, and diverse regional street foods. These will highlight local ingredients while also featuring the Ark of Taste, Slow Food’s international online catalogue of endangered heritage ingredients that are sustainably produced, unique in taste, and rooted in distinct eco-regions. Sample Ark of Taste products from Negros Occidental and Western Visayas include batuan (Garcinia binucao), kadyos (pigeon pea), criollo cacao (such as Bago City’s heirloom cacao), artisanal muscovado sugar, and traditional salts like tultul and budbud.
• Community Kitchen: A communal dining area where representatives from all 61 barangays of Bacolod will cook and share traditional dishes, turning the event into a living expression of local heritage.

An impressive line-up of international and local chefs and mixologists will be participating in Terra Madre 2025:

International Chefs – Johanne Siy (Asia’s Best Female Chef 2023 – Singapore / Philippines), Wes Kuo (Michelin Green Star Chef – Taipei), Hafizzul Hashim (Fiz & Green Michelin Star Chef – Singapore), Lordfer Lalicon (Kaya, Michelin Green Star Chef – USA), Christina Rasmussen (Fura – Singapore / Denmark / USA), Melissa Miranda (Musang – USA), Romy Dorotan (Purple Yam – USA / Philippines), William Wongso (Indonesia’s Culinary Ambassador), Chef Ross Serai (Serai – Australia), and Ardika Dwitama Tjandra(August – Jakarta).

Local Chefs – Jordy Navarra (Toyo & Panaderya Toyo – Manila), Thirdy Dolatre and John Kevin “Nav” Navoa (Hapag & Aya – Makati), Miko Calo (Taqueria Franco – Manila), Chele González (Gallery by Chele and Asador Alfonso – Manila / Cavite), JP “Jepe” Cruz (Inatô – Makati), Stephan Duhesme (Metiz – Manila), Yuichi Ito – (Crosta Pizzeria – Makati), Don Patrick “Don” Baldosano (Linamnam – Parañaque), Antonio “Tony Boy” Escalante(Antonio’s Group – Tagaytay / Manila), Aaron Isip (Kasa Palma – Manila), Patrick Go (Your Local – Makati), Angelo Comsti (Offbeat Bistro – Manila), Rhea Rizzo (Mrs. Saldo’s – Cavite), Bettina Arguelles (Manila), Tina Legarda (Bamba Bistro – Parañaque), Inés Castañeda and Filippo Turrini + Roots Team (Roots – Siargao), Charles Montañez(Mamacita – Taguig / BGC), Datu Shariff Pendatun III (Manila / Mindanao), David Amoros(El Born – Manila), David del Rosario (CEV – Siargao), Dedet de la Fuente (Lechon Diva – Manila), Erwan Heussaff + FEATR (Manila), Miguel “Cabel” Moreno (Palm Grill – Quezon City / Mindanao), Chef Waya Araos-Wijangco (Baguio, Manila), Gerald Montelibano (Cibo di Marghi – Manila), Andre Malarky (Wild Siargao – Siargao), Rhea Sycip (Cavite), and JayJay Sycip (Cavite).

Negrense-Based Chefs – Don Colmenares (SAUMA – Negros Occidental), Nico Millanes(Portiko Cafe –  Bacolod), and Mark Lobaton (Enting’s – Sagay, Negros Occidental).

International Mixologists – Danny Childs (Slow Drinks – USA), Danny Park (Zest – South Korea), Agung Prabowo (The Old Man & PENICILLIN – Hong Kong / Indonesia), Sasha Wijidessa (FURA – Singapore / Denmark), Daniel Nguyen (Sông Cái Distillery – Vietnam / USA), Renate Spurlock (Kaya & Bayani Bar – USA), Anna Ye (Anna Ye Tea – Vietnam / USA), and Rishot Laloo / Sagar Neve (Shad Skye – India).

Local Mixologists – Niko Tiutan (Ito – Manila), Ron Cruz  (Fat Cat – Manila), Jessie Qi (Last Chance -Siargao), Kalel “Liquido Maestro” Demetrio (Agimat & Alamat – Manila), Ken Alonso  (Proudly Promdi – Ilocos Norte / Manila), Frances “Janelle Frances” Ang (Manila), Alyssa “Aly” Lorenzo (Xi by Cafe Guilt- Manila) and Arcadius Rybak (Pampanga).

The program includes events such as the Opening Ceremony, Mayor’s Lunch, Governor’s Night, and a Department of Tourism Welcome Dinner, as well as curated, ticketed dining experiences.

Collaboration across sectors

TMAP 2025 is made possible through collaboration between Slow Food, the City Government of Bacolod led by Mayor Greg Gasataya, the Provincial Government of Negros Occidental led by Governor Eugenio Lacson, the Department of Tourism led by Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco, the Department of Agriculture led by Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr., the Department of Trade and Industry led by Secretary Cristina Roque, TESDA Director General Kiko Benitez, Congressman Albee Benitez, Congressman Javi Benitez, and Senator Loren Legarda. Partners include Plus63 Design Co., FEATR, and the Slow Food Community in Negros.

The event also introduces a distinct visual identity inspired by archipelagic landscapes and handcrafted clay forms, reflecting resilience, biodiversity, and cultural interconnectedness designed and created by illustrator Dan Matutina.

 More info: https://terramadreasiapacific.com/