CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY (PIA)–After the COVID-19 pandemic, a lot of small players went into the industry of hospitality, especially in the food business, where a spirit of adventure is infused into the food choices, says Joanna Yu, board member of the Cagayan de Oro Hotel and Restaurant Association (COHARA).
In Talakayan sa PIA, a media forum at SM CDO Downtown Premier, Yu shared, “Kinahanglan lang gyud ta [we need to be] open to trying things, and I think what is evolving now is that people want to have that element of openness, and that is what we are trying here sa [in] COHARA and Kumbira, showcasing the skills and talents of our competitors.”
Kumbira, a Culinary Show and Live Competition by COHARA in Cagayan de Oro for 27 years, will stage another special competition this year on August 19 and October 11–13 with a special feature on the Mindanao Coffee Festival.
Yu pointed out the importance of using local ingredients to highlight available produce and try to put some signature quality into the dish, as well as the appreciation and value of different cuisines.
“What we are seeing now in the industry is that there is specialization in terms of different cuisines—a lot of Korean, a lot of Filipino, a lot of Japanese—a lot of different cuisines coming to Cagayan de Oro. That’s exciting for everybody because then we can have our choice of different restaurants to go to,” she said.
Now in its 27th year, since the inception of Sinuglaw as the signature dish of Cagayan de Oro, where Kinilaw and Sinugba are combined, this time the group is looking into making another signature dish, which is the Chicken Humba.
“Using our local produce, we can push for all these healthy trends,” said Yu.
This year, there are two Kumbira events: the first one in August is a prelude to Kumbira; the teaser is “Hala Kumbira,” and the next day is a talk with Chef Myrna. She will be talking about regional food, how it is promoted, and how it attracts tourists.
In October, Kumbira will be a three-day event from October 11–13, which will also feature the first Mindanao coffee festival. (JMOR/PIA-10)
Talakayan sa PIA, media forum with Cagayan De Oro Hotel and Restaurant Association (COHARA) to discuss the 27th year of Kumbira, a Culinary Show and Live Competitions, SM CDO Downtown Premier. (DCC/PIA10)
