Suzuki drives chefs at Madrid Fusion Manila 2017
Madrid Fusión Manila (MFM) is the first and only Asian edition of Madrid Fusión, the most important gastronomy event in the world, celebrated annually in Madrid, Spain since 2003.
This year, MFM 2017, which was held at SMX from April 6 to 9, had three components the International Gastronomy Congress, Fusión Manila International Gastronomy Expo and ongoing for the month of April, Flavors of the Philippines.
With the theme “Towards A Sustainable Gastronomic Planet,” the MFM Congress had a total of 20 of the world’s top chefs from countries including Spain, Belgium, UK, US, Indonesia, France and the Philippines.
The discussion at the Congress centered on the ability to transform gastronomy to respect environmental limits and enhance cultural traditions while fulfilling gastronomic wants and needs. This was a platform for innovation and a relevant take off point for the discussion of the future of food in the 21st century. The theme was very relevant here in a country of 7,107 islands — known for its natural attractions, its high level of biodiversity and endemism both on land and under the sea, and its rich cultural heritage.
Equally important was the Trade Expo, which is a Culinary Tourism Travel Exchange, a brainchild of Tourism Secretary Wanda Tulfo-Teo. The objectives of the exchange were to create awareness about Culinary Tourism and Farm tourism, exchange ideas for further development and promotion, mobilize Philippine sellers for culinary and farm tourism, invite international buyers specializing in culinary tourism and gastronomy tours, and catalyze tourism trade development through the organization of a Culinary Tourism Travel Exchange through one-on-one B2B meetings between sellers and buyers, which would eventually support the development of culinary tourism packages and destinations by key stakeholders in the country.
And of course, there is the monthlong Flavors of the Philippines, which features different food events all over the country for this month.
MFM 2017: A SUCCESS
For an event of this magnitude, many partners and sponsors were tapped to help make it the success that it was. Among them was mobility partner Suzuki Philippines.
Suzuki provided five vehicles for the exclusive use of some of the chefs including Simon Rogan and his sous chef Dan Cox (Ciaz), Julien Royan and his sous chef Wan Khai Lun (Ciaz); Foro de Debate’s Lourdes Plana, Jose Carlos Capel and Julia Perez Sanchez (Ertiga); and Inigo Canedo and chef Sally Camacho Mueller (Vitara).
As anyone knows, getting the chefs and organizers to their destinations safely, on time and comfortably, is a must — and the vehicle they use to get there is the right start on that journey.
At the end of MFM 2017, one of the guest presenters, Simon Rogan @simon_rogan, in his instagram post, had this to say, “Thank you Manila for your hospitality @madridfusionmnl a quite inspiring trip to a beautiful country with beautiful people xxx.”
With the Suzuki vehicles, MFM 2017 's chefs and organizers traveled safely and smoothly around the metro as they experienced firsthand the Suzuki way of life.