11/03/2026
As a chef who has spent years working in real kitchens and engaging with Filipino food traditions, I believe our culinary heritage deserves honesty, accuracy, and accountability.
If a book claims to represent Filipino food culture especially one supported by public funds, it must be open to scrutiny and correction. Questioning inaccuracies is not an attack; it is part of protecting the integrity of our cuisine and the communities behind it.
Filipino food is not just content for publication or promotion. It carries the stories, identities, and traditions of our people. Because of that, those who document and represent it have a responsibility to do so with care, respect, and truthful research.
Silencing criticism does not protect our food heritage. Honest discourse does.
NOW: John Sherwin Felix, food heritage advocate and founder of Lokalpedia, holds a press conference as he faces a libel case for criticizing inaccuracies in the recipe book 'Kayumanggi: A Kaleidoscope of Filipino Flavors and Food Traditions' published by the Department of Trade and Industry.
