Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez said the festival continues to celebrate Bacolod’s chicken inasal industry and promote its unique culinary heritage while promoting tourism and bringing economic gains, especially, for microentrepreneurs.
“We invite you to indulge in our savory celebration,” the mayor said as the three-day festivity, which will be staged in four different venues, focuses on “creating platforms and portals for the global and national audience”.
At SM City Bacolod, the opening day will feature the Inasal Culinary Battle at 1 in the afternoon.
Aspiring chefs and cooks will take on culinary challenges in preparing chicken inasal – both the classic version and presentation with a global dish.
Another highlight at SM City Bacolod is the Bacolod Chicken Inasal Awards tomorrow, 7 p.m., at the mall’s Main Atrium.
The event will honor business establishments and organizations that represent Bacolod in gastro and culinary conversations.
From Friday to Sunday, 12 p.m. to 12 a.m., inasal lovers can enjoy grilled chicken at the Manokan Country located right across SM City Bacolod.
The SM Super Pets Club Barbecue will be held on Sunday, 4 p.m.
Councilor Celia Flor, festival co-chair, acknowledged the support of the business sector in helping mount the festival, which promotes not just the chicken inasal, but also the Manokan Country an icon of Bacolod.
The proposed redevelopment of Manokan Country will soon transform it into a future-ready tourist destination as part of the major infrastructure projects that will rise in Bacolod in its bid to become a super city.
As part of the city’s culinary heritage, the grilled chicken recipe, which was developed since the 1970s, has helped alleviate the economic situation of hundreds of micro, small, and medium enterprises and their dependents, particularly, those who have been grilling at the Manokan Country.
Councilor Jason Villarosa, chairman of the City Council’s committee on tourism, said that through the Bacolod Chicken Inasal Festival, the city positions itself as a prime food lovers’ destination.
At 6 p.m. today, Benitez and other city officials will lead the festival opening rites at the North Capitol Road, which will also feature the inasal tasting and beer pairing.
The Barangay Chicken Inasal Cook-Off will be held tomorrow, 2 p.m., at the Ayala Malls Capitol Central.
Also on Saturday, the Chicken Inasal open style dance competition will be held at Megaworld’s The Upper East, which will also be the venue of the arena dance competition and the closing ceremony on Sunday.
To celebrate the festival, videos of Bacolodnons taking on the Bacolod Chicken Inasal dance craze have also been posted on social media.
“After discovering its roots and paying homage to its history, it’s time to share the Bacolod Chicken Inasal Festival with the rest of the world,” the city government said in a statement. ||
