CALAMBA, Laguna - A 31-year-old eco-tourism entrepreneur is taking her passion for cooking to another level by introducing Filipino culture and cuisine online to foreigners.
Through a popular lodging and tourism platform, travel agency owner Ailyn Magno offers an online experience called "Philippines, Food, Drinks, History." The project initially started as a way to accommodate old clients and referrals who wanted to visit the country but couldn't do so because of travel restrictions.
To give participants a taste of local cuisine, Magno allows them to pick a Filipino dish upon booking. She then sends them a list of ingredients to buy and suggestions on where to get them. On the day of the online session, Magno walks them through the cooking process through Zoom.
"My aunt on my dad's side of the family was a carinderia owner. My mom would help out when we were younger. We, kids, would end up helping too," Magno told the Manila Bulletin.
"I was surrounded by my family members who were all good cooks, and I didn't even realize that I retained all the information I learned."
During the virtual cooking class, Magno offers insights into Filipino history and culture and even wears a traditional Filipiniana costume. Priced at USD 14 per participant, her virtual experience currently has a 4.92 rating with 65 reviews.
Besides allowing foreigners to get a glimpse of Filipino culture, the virtual tour also paved the way for a walk down memory lane for some.
"I remember an American family. The participants were around 60-70 years old. They said their dad was a missionary here in the Philippines and their two siblings were even born here. They studied here until high school but they had to go back to the US eventually, and never had a chance to come back," Magno recalled.
"They were so happy because they said they missed the Philippines, the culture, the people, and the food," she added. "I was happy that I got to help them reminisce and taste authentic Filipino food they missed so much."
