Monday, November 07, 2016
By CARLA N. CAÑET

FOOD is best cooked from the heart and best shared with loved ones and company of friends.

The "1st ‘Kaon Ta!’...Silay Food Festival" held Saturday, during the commemoration of Cinco de Noviembre, at Balay Negrense in Silay City was organized by the city government, through the Office of the City Mayor, Tourism Office and Gaston family.

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Silay City Mayor Mark Andrew Golez said the food festival was held in cooperation with the community.

Five to seven people conceptualized this idea namely Joey Gaston, the great grandson of Victor Gaston, Tourism Officer Ver Pacete, Denise Gaston, my mom Tess Golez and several others, he said.

“We came up with this idea to showcase the delicacies and the food cooked by Silaynons. Through this festival, the people enjoyed how Silaynons cooked their food and how it tastes,” the mayor said.

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He said that he is happy to see the success of the food festival because of the cooperation of the Silaynons including the weather. “This will now become a yearly activity in Silay, which will form part of the annual celebration of the Cinco de Noviembre,” he added.

If the food is cooked by a Silaynon, it would surely tastes good, he said, adding that “manamit gid ang luto sang Silaynon!”

During the food festival, people had wide choices of food prepared and cooked by the locals namely the Silay Native Food Producers’ Association, Edna Renonos, Melca Laud, Deny’s Pastillas de Leche, Sinda Belleza, Jennifer Legaspi, Tita Isa’s Delce Gatas, Sibato Organic Farmers, Patag Organic Farmers, Fresh Start Organics, Kapehan sa Kilid Dalan, Emma Lacson, Chescafe, Mariel’s Bakery, Sir and Maam, Antonia’s Grill, Desteany, Ann Co, El Ideal, Cafe’ 1925, Chicken House, Cafe Jose, Seaside Floating Restaurant, Tama Plaza, Edgewater Seafood Restaurant, Barefoot Bistro, Cafe’s Velo, Owa’s Pangahan, Tito Chucks Native Restaurant, German Unson Heritage House, Victor Gaston Ancestral House, Association of Negros Producers-Our Food, POS Petron Gasul and Julian’s Ice Cream.

The nostalgic ambiance was cool at Balay Negrense grounds. People enjoyed the food and the good company of family and friends, exchanging pleasantries, shaded by century old trees, said Joey Gaston.