Chef Jam Melchor turns a new page with “Kayumanggi” to get more people to explore, celebrate, and acknowledge Filipino food
If there is one word that best describes chef Jam Melchor’s new book, it would be essential. And not just because you could get it for free.
Over the years that I’ve known the down-to-earth founder of the Philippine Culinary Heritage Movement, Melchor has worked tirelessly to champion and preserve Filipino food heritage.
“For the longest time, Filipino food was held in the quietude of the household. Loved but never shared,” said the Kapampangan chef back in 2018.
“It’s great that in recent years, we have been very proud of what our country has to offer in terms of food, restaurants, and produce. The positivity towards it now will continuously push it to be better understood by everyone around the world, including ourselves. In effect, these developments will help Philippine cuisine really take off.”
And take off it did, given where we are right now on the global culinary map (especially with the arrival of the Michelin Guide in the Philippines) and the sustained state of appreciation for Filipino cuisine locally.
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Melchor has also played a role in this renewed importance and interest in Filipino food heritage and culture. From representing the country at events such as the Le Tavole Accademiche (Academic Tables) of the University of Gastronomic Sciences in Pollenzo, Italy in 2017 and the ASEAN Heritage Train Conference last year to conducting talks at universities and lobbying for policies in support of his advocacies, each gentle step in Melchor’s journey speaks loudly of the ways with which he has bolstered the narrative of Filipino food’s power.
Each gentle step in Jam Melchor’s journey speaks loudly of the ways with which he has bolstered the narrative of Filipino food’s power
Now, just a couple months before Filipino Food Month (a celebratory labor of love that Melchor himself passionately spearheaded), another pivotal moment is leading us to a stronger future for Filipino cuisine: the introduction of his first book “Kayumanggi: A Kaleidoscope of Filipino Flavors and Food Traditions.”
Launched on Feb. 19 at Sheraton Manila Hotel, the first of two books in collaboration with the Department of Trade and Industry is a marathon feat of dedication, planning, and things falling into place that makes it worthy of being stacked together with staples like “Let’s Cook with Nora” and “Also Filipino: 75 Regional Dishes I Never Had Growing Up,” among a slew of notable Filipino cookbooks.
“Back then, I had the idea of publishing a cookbook… however the realities of production costs put that dream on hold,” Melchor says. “Years later, while working at the US Embassy, the idea of this cookbook resurfaced. I realized that I had, over time, compiled a collection of heirloom recipes and dishes that I carefully gathered through research and travel and perfected over the years. Many of these recipes accompanied me on official missions abroad where I proudly represented and showcased Philippine cuisine on the global stage.”
“Many of these recipes accompanied me on official missions abroad where I proudly represented and showcased Philippine cuisine on the global stage”
“Kayumanggi” touts over “150 well-loved regional Filipino dishes” from Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao with engaging illustrations that hark back to the cookbooks of yesteryears. For the first edition, he starts off with the classics that are “at risk of being forgotten in the way of globalization,” including misua patola, lumpiang sariwa, chicken galantina, kalderetang baka, and sansrival that were all exclusively prepared and served by Sheraton Manila Hotel executive chef Andrea Burzio during the book’s launch.
“Kayumanggi” touts over “150 well-loved regional Filipino dishes” from Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao with engaging illustrations that hark back to the cookbooks of yesteryears
But make no mistake. While Melchor deeply explores regional flavors and food origins and expounds on traditional cooking techniques, “Kayumanggi” isn’t solely about recipes.
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“It’s about preservation, education, and advocacy. It is a call to action,” he says, demonstrating his belief that freely distributing “Kayumanggi” to support local food MSMEs, culinary entrepreneurs, and creative industry stakeholders can fuel more community change.
Says Filipino culinary historian and author Felice Prudente Sta. Maria, who also wrote the prologue in “Kayumanggi”: “Every sip and every bite into a Filipino meal are ways we can celebrate and keep alive what we like as Filipinos, what we admire and what we respect in Filipino heritage.”
“‘Kayumanggi’ serves as a guide for future generations, ensuring that the beauty of Filipino cuisine is cherished and never underutilized,” shares Jam Melchor
It’s a telling guiding vision meant to teach Filipinos of the value of heritage and culture, of provenance and sustainability, of documentation and legacy—exactly what Melchor’s “Kayumanggi” intends to do as it begins rolling out to the public sometime in April 2025.
“‘Kayumanggi’ serves as a guide for future generations, ensuring that the beauty of Filipino cuisine is cherished and never underutilized,” Melchor shares. “Through the book, the roots and inspirations behind these dishes are revealed, encouraging readers to explore, celebrate, and appreciate the food that has shaped the nation.”
And that, for all its simplicity, is what makes the book essential—transcending its printed tangibility to transform into a volume that carves out a distinct sun-kissed identity.
