FoodFindsAsia | Mama Sita’s Mga Kuwentong Pagkain annual storytelling launches its Holiday Edition – “Pamaskong Pagkaing Pilipino” | Mga Kuwentong Pagkain (MKP), the annual storytelling contest launched by the Mama Sita Foundation in 2012 celebrates its 11th year with a focus on festive Filipino food fare.
Dubbed “Pamaskong Pagkaing Pilipino,” this year’s contest round aims to put a spotlight on Filipino holiday recipes and cherished traditions that bring family and friends together.
Anyone from anywhere in the world is invited to join the essay writing contest and share their holiday-themed Filipino food story. Entries may include heirloom recipes and their back stories, which could highlight a family or community tradition. The essay could also put an interesting spin on a particular ingredient or crop which is widely used in the region, or pay tribute to the people who put food on the table – from the farmers who grow them to the home cooks who prepare them.
The essay writing contest has a broad scope and allows for some degree of flexibility on subjects, settings, and focus. But through the years, MKP’s underpinning theme has remained the same, which is the power of Filipino food to nurture relationships and transcend barriers.
Entries must not exceed 1,000 words in English or in Filipino, and must be submitted in .pdf format via email (hello.mkp2023@gmail.com) or via this link (https://bit.ly/MKPForm2023)
Criteria for judging are the following: 40% Cultural Significance – or the entry’s ability to convey a cultural element in Philippine Christmas celebrations or holiday traditions built around Philippine cuisine; 20% Narrative Effectiveness which evaluates the entry’s storytelling in terms of clarity and pace; 20% Theme Relevance which looks for strong alignment with the initiative’s overall theme of uniting people through Filipino food; and the remaining 20% for Creativity and Originality which refers to the entry’s uniqueness in storytelling approach, style, and technique. Cash prizes and gift items from the Mama Sita Foundation await this year’s winners.
Deadline for submission of entries is on January 25, 2024. For more information, click these links: Rules & Mechanics ; Legal Guidelines
Please stay tuned for updates on the official MKP Facebook and Insta pages and the Mama Sita Foundation’s website.
The MKP initiative is inspired by Filipino food icon, Teresita “Mama Sita” Reyes, who dedicated most of her life to promoting Philippine cuisine in every corner of the world.
She believed in the power of Filipino food to strengthen family ties, nurture friendships, and bridge cultures. MKP is a tribute to her passion for food and people, and her unrivalled commitment to put Philippine cuisine on the global culinary map.
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ABOUT MAMA SITA FOUNDATION
Mama Sita Foundation (https://www.mamasitafoundation.com) is a non-stock non-profit organization birthed from the vision and legacy of Teresita “Mama Sita” Reyes, a Filipino food icon who was committed to spread awareness on Filipino food and Philippine-grown crops that deliver its unique flavors and tastes. Its initiatives are focused on promoting Philippine culinary heritage and agricultural sustainability.
ABOUT MGA KUWENTONG PAGKAIN
“Mga Kwentong Pagkain” (MKP) is an initiative of the Mama Sita Foundation which aims to preserve Philippine culinary heritage through the art of storytelling. Launched as a food writing contest in 2012, the initiative has since branched out to various endeavors that put a spotlight on Filipino foodways and culinary traditions. MKP is inspired by Teresita Reyes’ journal which revealed a lifetime’s worth of culinary adventures and experiences.
