Iloilo Gastronomy Book and the art exhibition Timplada offers a mirroring of expressions that is worth experiencing by both the Ilonggos and visitors to Iloilo City. It is on show at the Iloilo Museum of Contemporary Art. 

See in reel: Iloilo Gastronomy Book and Timplada: A Mirroring of Expressions

The momentous release of the book, Gastronomic Expressions of our City, Iloilo: Nature, Culture, and Geography last month and the opening of the art exhibition Timplada: Creative Culinary Expressions celebrates Iloilo City’s second year as a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy. 

The restaging of Timplada provides a rich, immersive backdrop for the book launch, seamlessly intertwining the realms of gastronomy and the visual arts. Both events reflect the deep culinary heritage of Iloilo, capturing its traditions through the lens of highly esteemed artists.

Curated by Janine Cabato in 2021, Timplada showcased the region’s evolving culinary landscape, while the book follows the artistic framework set by renowned gastronomy scholar Guillermo “Ige” Ramos. The book’s content and visual aesthetics align with the creative direction and insightful guidance of Iloilo City’s first couple—Rosalie S. Treñas and Mayor Jerry P. Treñas—who have long been recognized as passionate patrons of both the culinary and artistic communities.

Two artistic expressions

The Iloilo Gastronomy Book and Timplada mirror each other’s artistic expressions. The exhibition reintroduces the artistic interpretations of 12 notable artists on Ilonggo cuisine at the Hulot Gallery of ILOMOCA, while the Iloilo Gastronomy Book showcases literature by Ilonggo writers, academics, and government officials. 

Its elegant layout design offers a stunning visual appeal, featuring a gallery of food photographs by Ilonggo photographers and watercolor illustrations of local ingredients by two remarkable painters—Kevin Fernandez and Vic Nabor—whose works are also featured in Timplada. A painting titled “Calle Real” by artist Mark Vincent G. Java showing his Wimmelbilderbuch style is also featured—all of these show the vibrant local art scene and collaborative spirit between the local government and the creative sector.

Watercolor illustrations by Kevin Fernandez and Vic Nabor. 

This mirroring of artistic expressions highlights Iloilo City’s goals for the UNESCO Creative Cities Network, emphasizing the promotion of cultural understanding, heritage preservation, and community engagement. It also seeks to protect Ilonggo cultural heritage and establish Iloilo as a gastronomic destination. These efforts are further complemented by ILOMOCA’s vision to enrich the community life of Iloilo through exhibitions and outreach programs.

The six chapters of the book serve as an exposition of Iloilo’s culinary roots, discussing its history, its development into what it is today, and the new innovations and technologies shaping its future. The writings explore the framework and structural system of Iloilo’s gastronomic identity by Ige Ramos; an exploration of terroir and geography by Vicente Segovia Salas; a symphony of flavors and the story of food, place, and people by Hazel Palmares Villa; a discussion on ingredients as the heart and soul of Ilonggo cuisine by Glenda S. Tayona and Rylene Mae S. Socias; and a detailed section on recipes that showcase the bounty and celebrate Ilonggo cuisine, written by Iloilo City First Lady Rosalie S. Treñas.

The book also features a blend of technique and technology, linking traditional practices—considered part of Iloilo’s heritage—with modern culinary innovations, through this writer.

Mayor Jerry P. Treñas expertly sets the stage by emphasizing the deep connection between food and childhood memories, drawing readers into a sensory journey that evokes the sights, sounds, and aromas of a home kitchen. With a touch of nostalgia, he reflects on the cherished meals prepared by his mother, Nena Perez Treñas, whose home-cooked dishes not only nourished the body but also strengthened family bonds around the dining table.

The 244-page book was edited by the renowned gastronomy and food editor Michaela Fenix and printed by Makinaugalingon Press.

The Art of Ilonggo dishes

The Timplada exhibition offers a rich exploration of food through the lens of art, where each piece invites viewers to savor the flavors and traditions of Iloilo’s culinary heritage. It showcases the interpretations of 12 notable artists: Eric Barbosa Jr., Margaux Blas, Kristoffer Brasileño, Marrz Capanang, Marge Chavez, Noel Epalan Jr., Jeanroll Ejar, Kevin Fernandez, Jecko Magallon, Vic Nabor, Alex Ordoyo, and Rosa Zerrudo.

Among the works on display are interpretations of Brasileño, Magallon, and Ordoyo on iconic Ilonggo dishes like chicken inasal, pancit molo, and the quintessential La Paz batchoy—a dish that recently gained online attention when the posh Makati-based restaurant Hapag presented a deconstructed version of the beloved noodle soup as part of its tasting menu.

Margaux Blas’s work takes a more stylized approach to tambo, a seasonal dish made from bamboo shoots, capturing its essence through vibrant and expressive strokes. Marrz Capanang’s piece, on the other hand, tenderly honors another Ilonggo culinary treasure, binatwanan—a savory soup flavored with batwan (Garcinia binucao), a green souring ingredient native to the region.

One of the most intriguing works in the exhibition is Timplada Hablon Borda Book, a soft sculpture that unfolds like a book. This unique piece highlights Hiligaynon terms for taste and the names of local fish, brought to life through hand-embroidered details by Rosa Zerrudo. The artwork is a collaborative effort, created in partnership with hablon weavers and women artists who are persons deprived of liberty (PDL) in Iloilo City, weaving together tradition, language, and social impact.

Rounding out the exhibition are the works of Eric Barbosa Jr. and Jeanroll Ejar, who each offer their personal takes on traditional Ilonggo kakanin. Barbosa Jr. delves into the rich textures of baye-baye (grated young coconut mixed with corn, pounded and rolled), while Ejar explores the delicate layers of ibus (glutinous rice flour with coconut milk and sugar wrapped in coconut leaves), further enriching the exhibition’s tribute to the region’s food culture.

Ingesting Culture

The first iteration of Timplada in 2021 garnered much public interest in Iloilo’s gastronomy and its connection to art and culture. It earned a place as a special featured story in the Iloilo Gastronomy Book, titled “Ingesting Culture,” written by this author.

This concept draws from Japanese anthropologist Naomichi Ishige’s idea that eating is an act of “ingesting the environment,” which was expanded by the late renowned Filipino food critic and cultural historian Doreen G. Fernandez as “ingesting culture.”

“Ilonggos are innate food lovers with a strong sense of practicality and resourcefulness,” says art curator Janine Cabato of Timplada. “Even with the abundance of produce in the region, the origins of their well-known regional dishes can be traced to the food sources in their backyards,” she adds.

 “The availability of ingredients and the mild flavors of Ilonggo cuisine make it an easy choice for a Filipino meal. Timplada revolves around these nostalgic food experiences of familiar tastes and familial heirloom recipes,” expressed Cabato.

Culture Ingested offers a definition and a brief discussion of the word timplada in the context of the Ilonggo culinary setting and experience.

Timplada refers to the mixture of ingredients that creates the overall taste of a dish. It helps us discern whether food is manamit (delicious) or has an unbalanced flavor, as when a dish is, for example, maasin (salty) or maaslum (sour). Timplada also “elicits dialogue on the proportionality of ingredients and the proper timing of cooking so that both the texture and the taste of the food are complementary and well-balanced—an essential part of the Ilonggo sensibility in cooking and eating.”

Gastronomic collaboration

The book project is a manifestation of Mayor Jerry P. Treñas’ collaborative leadership, fostering engagements that harness the talents and skills of various stakeholders and community players.

“It takes a village to realize a book project of this magnitude,” says Ige Ramos.

Indeed, the book project was energized by a “village,” with a technical team led by Rosalie S. Treñas, Lenny Ledesma, Lea Lara, Matty Treñas, and Dannah Julez Nilay, along with the Iloilo City MICE Office and the Iloilo Festivals Foundation, with Allan Tan and Joyce Ann Clavecillas at the helm.

Also read: Gastronomic Expressions of Iloilo, a biography of Ilonggo food

This team worked tirelessly for close to a year, coordinating and facilitating efforts with cultural consultant PJ Arañador, the Mayor’s Office Social Media Team, the Public Information Office under Lucy Sinay, as well as with writers, artists, editors, photographers, chefs, restaurants, schools, partner government agencies, local government offices, community organizations, the publisher, and the printing press, all the way up to the book’s launch.

For Ige Ramos, “Creating books is an expression of love and a way of expressing patriotism,” and this project was made possible by “a group of people working together with a common sense of purpose, pride, and passion,” he added.

The release of the book is a testament to all the groups in Iloilo City who are moving as one, rising above the challenges of the times as a unified community, emphasized Mayor Treñas. He also noted that the book must be relished by all Ilonggos.