By Cyrus A. Natividad

“Namit” is an Ilonggo term that refers to food taste. Be it a dish, bread or a delicacy, one would express satisfaction. When it is delicious food, Ilonggos from all walks of life would say “namit!” NAMIT, a culinary tradition of Iloilo is an offshoot of Kain Na! (Eat now!), another project of the Department of Tourism in support of culinary tourism which introduces the specialties, as well as new dishes that mainly highlight various municipalities in Iloilo Province culinary produce.

This year’s four-day event involves activities at SM City Iloilo on November 21-24, 2022 showcasing the variety of culinary specialties of the province. The big culinary event was supported by The Council of Hotel and Restaurant Students of Central Philippine University, St. Therese MTC Colleges and Colegio del Sagrado Corazon de Jesus. The CPU College of Hospitality Management thru the Council of Hotel and Restaurants and Tourism Students (CHARTS), under Prof. Ismael Almajar, Jr., partnered with the activity by providing students to run the four day cooking demo, contest and food fair.

“The aim of NAMIT was to highlight the importance of segmenting and bringing a consensual definition of culinary tourism in the province of Iloilo as it focus on it as a market trend; recognizing the local makers and producers from their respective towns. It contributes to the recognition of more market strategies towards culinary tourism – paired with the respect for local heritage of our touristic destinations.”