Writing the next food chapter: Doreen Fernandez’s legacy lives on
Doreen Gamboa Fernandez (DGF) is one of the few food writers who was able to make me spend long hours on the couch, with my head buried in “Tikim,” her collection of essays on Filipino food. Not even Ruth Reichl could keep me that glued to words. But the late great Filipino journalist, instructor, and culinary advocate managed to do so with ease, as she painted an immersive narrative with her relatable prose.
I never got to meet her. But 2016 was perhaps my closest brush with Fernandez, as I won in the food writing competition named after her. It was the first (and only, so far) time I joined, with my piece, “Leaving a Sour Taste in the Mouth,” getting second prize. It tells the story of Eddie Marcelino, who harvests sap from nipa palm trees and ferments it to become sukang sasa.
The literary contest has been running for over two decades now. In 1998, Myrna Segismundo invited Fernandez for lunch at the now defunct Restaurant 9501, which the former used to operate. “I asked for her advice regarding my plans to include a category in food writing as part of my chairing Chefs on Parade,” Segismundo says.
Though the seeds were planted then, it had to be postponed due to the economic crisis. Sadly, Fernandez died June 2002 and never saw the fruition of the project. But that didn’t stop Segismundo from realizing her dream. The contest began that year, and as a loving tribute, was named after the culinary historian: the Doreen Gamboa Fernandez Food Writing Award or DGF Award.
Follow in her footsteps
“It is important for her body of written work to be kept alive and to encourage today’s writers to follow in her footsteps, including those in social media platforms: vloggers, TikTok, etc,” says Segismundo. “I feel that Doreen will find a way to join the bandwagon and set the benchmark for it, too! Our objective is to discover and encourage more Doreens to step up and be recognized for their writing skills and talents.”
Former magazine editor and newspaper columnist Micky Fenix supervised the annual competition for the last 20 years. Starting with the 21st edition, which is this year, Segismundo is taking the reins.
Two books have already been published to immortalize the past winning works: “Savor The Word,” which contains pieces from 2002 to 2012, and “Sangkap,” which covers 2013 to 2017. The topics from the former range from fish to hometown specialties, while pieces about rice, coconut, herbs, vinegar and bagoong fill the other.
This Sept. 28, the third collection will be launched. Titled “Sangkap 2,” the book will contain essays that touch on the following subjects: livestock, shellfish, seafood, fowl, roots, fruits and vegetables. It will be introduced to the public with a merienda cena by chefs Tina Legarda of Bamba Bistro, Sau del Rosario of Sawsaw, Kevin Navoa and Thirdy Dolatre of Hapag, Francis Lacson of Francesco’s, and Jackie Ang Po of Fleur de Lys.
Awarding
Together with the book launch will be the awarding of this year’s DGF Award winners, who all wrote about inihaw. Judged for content, research and style, An Mercado Alcantara’s piece won top honors, beating over 50 other entries.
Her account reads, “What a surprise! The cream distilled all the irresistible goodness of inihaw into a savory dressing, thick with the aroma of char-grilled flavors, spiked with garlic heat and wonderfully cut by sour vinegar. It tasted like liquid inihaw na baboy—without the meat. Thus, a cooking method was invented. Kulawo, it will eventually be called.”
“Linagpang: A Grilled Soup” by chef Francis David Selorio won second prize, while Resty Odon’s “In Inkblot Country,” ranked third.
Fives essays were awarded honorable mentions, namely, “Savoring the Skies: Mystique of Inihaw na Tagakbanwa of the Tagbanwa Tribe of Palawan” by Wilson Lee Flores, “Ode to the Inihaw na Bangus” by Eugene Paul M. Lorenzo, “Chicken Inasal, Bardagulan, and All” by Vincent A. Morales, “Chicken Inasal: Ilonggo by way of Mexico” by Horatius Mosquera, and “The Premise and Patience of an Ilocano’s Tinuno” by Kaye Leah Cacho-Sitchon.
Asked what it takes for essays to be a notable read, Segismundo appropriately drops wise words from Fernandez. “It is not the vocabulary that counts, or diction, syntax, sentence structure. It is getting the reader to see through the words to the experience.”
“Sangkap 2,” a sumptuous merienda cena, book launch and awarding of winners of the 2023 Doreen Gamboa Fernandez Food Writing Award, will be at the Palm Grove, Amorsolo Square in Rockwell, Makati on Sept. 28, 3 p.m. For inquiries, contact tel. no. (0917) 827-1480.
Follow the author at @fooddudeph on Instagram.
