Culinarium

INTRODUCTION

KULIAT FOUNDATION INCORPORATED was formed in March 1999 to serve as a vehicle to preserve the rich history, culture and tradition of the Angeleños.

Our province, Pampanga, has always been regarded as the gourmet province of the Philippines.

Generally speaking, Pampangas produced more exotic, imaginative and fancy foods, including a wide variety of pastries and confections that set them apart from their neighbors.

As progress marches on, have almost forgotten the art and heart of traditional preparation of meals; the tradition passed to us by our Kapampangan forbearers.

Recognizing that food and its preparation are as much cultural and historical art as are painting, architecture, sculpting and such, Kuliat Foundation, Incorporated have developed a plan to establish a Culinary Museum in the Philippines, at the Museo ning Angeles building, to preserve and perpetuate the traditional Kapampangan culinary arts.

This project involves

 Live kitchen for cooking classes and food demos;

 Exhibits of the old kitchen including variety of cooking implements;

 Turn of the century dining room; and

 A culinary library that will benefit students, food enthusiasts, mothers and the general public.

This facility will be the first culinary museum in the Philippines, possibly the first in Asia.

THE MUSEO NING ANGELES
" CULINARIUM PROJECT"

The design of a museum (a) dedicated to Kapampangan culinary art and science in particular and (b) with extensive interest in Philippine food history in general, is developed from the basic concept that food preparation is a heritage and a legacy worth preserving, not only by exhibit or collection but most importantly, by continuous practice of this living tradition.

This is an idea that has been taken far more seriously in the Kapampangan Region like Pampanga, than in any other parts of the Philippine archipelago.

In food and in cooking, the presently existing Museo ning Angeles aims to reconstruct itself, from a common place history and lifestyle community museum to an innovative culinary center that is to become known for the depth of its research, extensive and engaging nature of its collection and its interactive service like cooking demonstration and documentation on Kampampangan vis-à-vis with the regional and international cuisine practice.

CULINARIUM MISSION

 To keep and perpetuate the traditional Kapampangan culinary arts.

 To pass on to succeeding generations, the tradition passed to us by our Kapampangan forebears;

 To draw national and international interest to our Kapampangan culinary heritage.

CULINARIUM SECTIONS AND FUNCTIONS

 A LIVING KITCHEN
To serve as the area for regular lectures on food, cooking demos, product demos, cooking classes, tasting sessions, interactive activities.

 OLD DINING AND KITCHEN EXHIBIT
An exhibit of the turn of the century kitchen and dining for the illustrado family that includes various collections of old kitchen utensils and heirloom kept collections.

 CULINARY LIBRARY
This section will house the collection of cookbooks and books and articles written by food writers. It will be a research and information center.

CULINARIUM FUNDING REQUIREMENTS

 To further renovate the existing old building back to its circa 1920 architectural glory.

 To acquire modern kitchen equipment for the live cooking demos e.g. gas ranges, chillers, freezers, boilers, pressure cookers, ovens, pots, pans etc.

 To acquire multimedia equipment, (projectors, audio-video apparatus, computer sets) and other museum furnishing (chairs and tables, tableau, platforms, cabinets, vertical organizers etc.) needed to fit the following venues for interactive activity, displays, in the kitchen demonstrations, lectures, and audio visual presentations.

 To acquire a collection of old and current ethnographical materials and archeological artifacts e.g. cooking utensils and other kitchen implements.

 To acquire a few pieces of turn-of-the-century dining, kitchen furniture and cooking implements for exhibit purposes.

 To acquire a comprehensive collection of cookbooks and history related books on food.

PRESS RELEASE FOR CULINARIUM

The province of Pampanga has always been regarded as the gourmet province of the Philippines. In general, they produced more exotic, creative and labor intensive cuisine, that includes a wide variety of pastries that distinctly set them apart from other regions. The Pampango cuisine reputation back a long history during the Spanish colonial times. In the early days, the recipes were kept secret by the proverbial selfishness of cooks. In time, the culinary heritage were passed on to Kapampangan kitchens.

But as progress marches on, people migrated to fast food outlets and dine-in restaurants. As this evolution continues, people have almost forgotten the culinary tradition passed to us by our Kapampangan forebears.

Thus, recognizing that food and its preparation are cultural and historical art, Kuliat Foundation Inc. have developed a plan to establish the CULINARIUM at the Museo ning Angeles (Old City hall Building, Angeles City) to preserve and perpetuate the Kapampangan culinary arts. The facility will be the first culinary museum in the Philippines and possibly in Asia.

The CULINARIUM will have three sections, A LIVING KITCHEN, To serve as the area for regular lectures on food, cooking demos, product demos, cooking classes, tasting sessions, interactive activities; OLD DINING AND KITCHEN EXHIBIT, an exhibit of the turn of the century kitchen and dining for the illustrado family that includes various collections of old kitchen utensils and heirloom kept collections; and the CULINARY LIBRARY section that will house

the collection of cook books, culinary related books and articles written by food writers. It will be a research and information center

This coming October, coinciding with the Angeles Fiesta month, the Kuliat Foundation Inc. will hold a soft launch of the CULINARIUM. Along side will be the inauguration of one of its section, the Culinary Library, A grateful acknowledgment is extended to Mr. Ronnie Alejandro for donating his collection of culinary books, magazines and other printed materials, that tremendously helped the CULINARIUM to start its library

Manila born, New York based Reynaldo Gamboa Alejandro learned how to cook from his grandmother. The first Filipino graduate of the New York Restaurant School, he is the author of several books including Philippine Cookbook, Flavors of Asia, Restaurant Design, Philippine Hospitality, Classic Menu of the New York Public Library, Specialty Food Packaging Design, Food of the Philippines, Recipe Book of Filipino Cuisine and Lamesa: The Philippine Table. A former curator of the New York Public Library’s Culinary Collection, he was food director of the Food and Wine Institute. A member of the Culinary Historians of New York, he has a catering service in Manhattan and has lectured on Filipino Cuisine in Europe and in the United States.

Kuliat Foundation is encouraging the food afficionados and also its patrons to donate items like turn of the century kitchen and dining furniture, cooking implements, artworks, culinary books and materials. Pledges may be given on its soft launch to be held on October 6, 2007 9a.m. at the Museo ning Angeles building.

MODEL PLANS FOR CULINARIUM

DONORS TO CULINARY LIBRARY

Adoracion S. Tayag
Carmen T. McTavish
Claude S. Tayag
Cook Culinary Lifestyle Magazine
Food Magazine
Ronnie G. Alejandro
ANVIL Publishing Inc.
FILWAY
UNIChef

Launching of Culinarium October 06, 2007

Related Link: Culinary Museum of Pampanga