Iloilo City is celebrating a major cultural milestone after its gastronomy book, Gastronomic Expressions of Our City, Iloilo: Nature, Culture, and Geography, was named Best in the World at the 31st Gourmand Cookbook Awards.
The title won in the B25 UNESCO City of Gastronomy Book – Best Publishers Series category, besting publications from other UNESCO Creative Cities of Gastronomy. Former Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Treñas announced the win, calling it “isa naman ka dungog para sa aton tanan nga mga Ilonggo.”
Far from a traditional recipe collection, the book presents an academic and cultural exploration of Iloilo’s food heritage. Creative director Guillermo “Ige” Ramos said its strength lies in its multidisciplinary approach to understanding local cuisine through the city’s culture, geography and history.
“It takes a city to create a book,” Ramos wrote, crediting the collaborative effort behind the project.
Conceptualized by former Iloilo City First Lady Rosalie Sarabia Treñas, the publication brings together respected cultural practitioners: consultant PJ Arañador and veteran food writer Michaela Fenix, who edited the volume under Vibal Foundation’s Gastronomia Filipina imprint.
The book contains six chapters by Ilonggo scholars, covering topics such as geography, ethnicity, endemic ingredients, culinary technology and a curated selection of heirloom recipes. Iloilo officials praised the work as a landmark contribution to Philippine food literature and the preservation of Ilonggo identity.
