DUMAGUETE CITY, Negros Oriental, Oct. 16 (PIA) –This year’s 9th Buglasan Lutong Garbo cook fest is set to present the 12 chefs vying for the annual indigenous foods cooking challenge on Saturday, October 25 at 8:00 a.m. at the Provincial Agriculturist Office, along North National Highway, Dumaguete City.

Over P70,000 is up for grabs for the local culinary talents who will join the indigenous cooking competition among the participants from various local government units (LGU) in Negros Oriental. 

Lutong Garbo Committee Chair Sylvia Uy has enjoined the LGUs to submit their entries on or before the deadline on October 16.  

Uy said this food festival promotes Negros Oriental’s native cuisine in celebration with the Buglasan Festival of festivals which showcases what the province has to offer to tourists. 

Winners for this competition will all receive a trophy and P10,000 for the first prize; P7,000 for the second prize and the third placer gets P5,000. 

For non-winners, consolation prize of P2,500 cash and certificates of appreciation will be awarded by the Lutong Garbo Competition committee. 

Food preparation will be judged according to the following criteria: palatability, 40 percent; originality, 40 percent; texture, 10 percent and dish presentation, 10 percent.

All participants of the cooking contest must wear appropriate white cooking attire with hair bonnet and provide his or her own cooking utensils and equipment. These will be inspected including the ingredients before the cooking time. 

The main dish or recipe entry must feature ingredients indigenous to the area represented as part of the criteria of the contest; and the use of ingredients such as monosodium glutamate, canned goods, imported products, and artificial seasonings are not allowed. (mbcn/JCT/PIA7-Negros Oriental)