Most people know Laguna for Laguna de Bay, buko pie from Los Baños, wood carvings of Paete, and Pagsanjan Falls. But three chefs from one family in the provincial capital of Sta. Cruz are making a strong case for the rest of the province.

Siblings and fellow chefs Gel Salonga-Datu and Theodore Day Salonga own and run Ted’s Kitchen, Ted’s B&B, Ted’s Events Warehouse, and Aurora Filipino Cuisine all located at their old family farm and rice mill in Sta. Cruz. Together, they founded ‘Sa Pantalan: Biyaheng Pangkatagalugan’ Food & Heritage Festival in 2017. This writer had the privilege of attending that inaugural event and I remember being amazed at the artistry each town had to offer despite living in Laguna for a total of eight years.

“While town festivals [in Laguna] also promote local products, I saw that there was still an opportunity to create a much more targeted and focused event for even the smallest business, food producer ,and skilled craftspeople,” shared baker and entrepreneur Gel Salonga-Datu, the founder of ‘Sa Pantalan’.

Sa Pantalan sa Laguna, 2023 Gel Salonga-Datu

She added, “In those big events, either there is a rental fee for the space or products can get lost and overwhelmed by the sheer number of sellers. We thought that if we do it for free, and ask help from media friends, we can better and more efficiently put the spotlight on these people and their products.”

Aside from bridging the gap between local manufacturers and businesses, Chef Gel also saw the need to help farmers in promoting their own produce.

“I also think farmers are underrepresented in other festivals. That’s why we also try to invite farmers and let them mingle and have dialogues with people who give their time to really help the agricultural sector,” she explained, pointing out key people like Ms. Chit Juan of the Slow Food Movement, the Philippine Coffee Board, and EchoStore; and Joel Pascual of PEPTarsus Corporation, one of the leading events company in the Philippines, who played a significant role in helping farmers from Benguet.

“Our focus is connecting our exhibitors to possible clients whom they can have bigger and steadier business with. That’s why we also try to invite friends that are active or are involved with export, trading, or who can connect them to others,” Chef Gel explained.

Chef Gel Salonga-Datu

Like many things during the pandemic, ‘Sa Pantalan’ was put on hold for years. But this year, this festival of homegrown goodness came back with a vengeance. And this time, Chef Dino Datu (of COOK Magazine and Sunday Lunch Club), Chef Gel’s husband, joined the team.

In celebration of the festival’s return, the organizers put together a feast filled with Laguna's heritage dishes and locally grown ingredients. The feast was organized by Chef Day and brilliantly executed with the help of Chef Gem Tee of Salta!, a popular Italian restaurant in UP Village. We enjoyed unique delicacies like Minanok (banana fritters topped with ‘minanok’ or shredded banana hearts with dried dilis, a signature dish from Aurora Filipino Cuisine), Kulawo Rosti (a traditional Laguna dish made with eggplant), Kalabasa Longganisa Croquetas (using their home-made garlic longganisa), Binatog-stuffed Cochinillo (which was absolutely genius), Sinugnong Tilapia (grilled Cavinti Tilapia stewed in coconut milk), and Canton Bulaklak (pancit canton with locally grown edible flowers). The desserts are equally amazing, especially the Cassava Bibingka and Santa Cruz Bibingka Cheesecake.

The trio brought the best of the Laguna under one roof for a day — even the Laguna Provincial Jail Livelihood Program had a booth, as well as demonstrations of local artistry like wood carving, ice carving, fruit carving, and embroidery. With such a jam-packed event, there was a consensus among attendees and digital spectators hoping that the next ‘Sa Pantalan’ Festival will last all weekend long.

Here are some of our favorites from this year’s diverse list of exhibitors.

Barong ni Nay Gina (Lumban) - Imagine a local atelier for bespoke Filipiniana made with piña, jusi, and cocoon cloth with all the intricate designs painstakingly hand-embroidered by third-generation embroidery artisan Gina Aniciete Osio and her team of local artists. Each piece is custom made to fit perfectly. I didn’t miss the chance for Nay Gina to get my measurements for my very own traditional bolero. A traditional barong would cost between P4,000 to P8,000 (or higher, depending on your chosen design), while a traditional bolero for women starts at only P1,200. For inquiries, contact Nay Gina at 0935 451 1596 or 0909 759 0569.Barong ni Nay Gina

Chocobutiog Food Products (Nagcarlan) - If you love tableya, look for Chocobutiog! Aside from their deliciously comforting hot chocolate (which we shamelessly had numerous samples of), they also have soft and chewy suman with their homemade Tableya Spread (a deeper, richer cousin of the hazelnut spread but with more character). Owner Jake Butiog shared that the key to their creamy yet light hot chocolate is using condensed milk.Chocobutlog Food Products

Dream Nature Farm (Pagsanjan) - Have you ever tried freshly made ricotta cheese? Thanks to Rosel Buban of Dream Nature Farm, we got to try homemade Ricotta for the first time. It was light, creamy, and subtly salty. I could imagine this being a staple in many charcuterie boards this coming holiday season. Aside from ricotta, the farm also makes yogurt, chocolate milk, and fresh milk.Dream Nature Farm

Marcel Philippe (Calamba) - I fell in love with the Ylang-Ylang room & linen spray made by Terry De Guia-Tuason of Marcel Philippe. Its floral fragrance was strong but not overwhelming or headache-inducing; it’s just enough to keep your room smelling like a five-star spa. And at only P350 for a 250ml bottle, that’s a bargain. Aside from room sprays, they also make fragrances and essential oils in handy little roll-ons.Marcel Philippe

Dina Buli Pandan (Luisiana) - Woven bags and boxes are nothing new, but we saw something different at ‘Sa Pantalan’. Double-layer bayongs made of pandan and buli are perfect for elevating your gift baskets, especially this Christmas season. Ate Dina’s bayongs are minimalistic, strong, and ideal for romanticizing your next trip to the supermarket. For orders, contact Dinalyn Oblepias at 0933 829 8951.Dina Buli Pandan

Hills & Berries (Pangil) - Did you know there’s a 35-hectare farm in Pangil, Laguna with roughly 14,000 black mulberry trees? The farm grows, harvests, and makes black mulberry jam, juice, wine, and leaf teas, which was enough to pique this writer’s curiosity. The juice was tart with just the right amount of sweetness, refreshing when served cold; while the jam is another must-add to your charcuterie board or breakfast spread. Check out their website for orders or visit Healthy Options.Hills & Berries

Aloha KESOrbetes (Sta. Cruz) - I will bravely go on record and say this is the bestkesong puti ice cream I’ve ever had. Made by Arlene Macalinao, the ice cream uses their homemade kesong puti, which gives the treat a hint of saltiness and a lot of creaminess. Hoping Metro Manila restaurants will carry Aloha KESOrbetes in their menu soon! Aloha KESOrbetes

Rural Improvement Club of Santa Cruz, Laguna - The KKK Project stands for Kabuhayan sa Kakanin ng mga Kababaihan by the non-government organization aimed to help the local women of Sta. Cruz. For ‘Sa Pantalan’, they made binatog (steamed white corn with toppings like shredded coconut, muscovado sugar, or salt), perfectly gooey kalamay, and the traditional delicacy Undi-Undi, a variation of the kalamay except the rice cake and peanut sauce are separate. Rural Improvement Club of Santa Cruz, Laguna

Paul Hilario (Los Baños) - Paul Hilario is just one of the many local artists who showcased their work at ‘Sa Pantalan’. He was born and raised in Los Baños and earned his degree in Biology from the University of the Philippines (UPLB). After working for the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) for 14 years, he decided to turn his painting hobby into a career. Now, he’s a full-time artist and draws inspiration from his days at IRRI where rice became his biggest inspiration. His artwork is vivid and textured — eye-catching in the best way. Paul Hilario

Victoria’s Best Delicacies (Victoria) - The town of Victoria is best known for its ducks and duck products — in case you missed the gigantic ducks playfully and proudly displayed at the town entrance. For the food festival, Victoria’s Best Delicacies served traditional duck dishes like kinulob na Itik, Adobong itik, kalderetang itik, and even bibingkang abnoy, which is made with rotten duck eggs. The aroma of these dishes will make you think of fiesta! Victoria’s Best Delicacies

Rolyolikha (Pila) - This booth had everything one needs for that perfect rustic yet chic home aesthetic you’ve been trying to achieve. Rolyolikha offers sustainable handicrafts made of water lily fibers like woven mats, food baskets, hampers, handbags, storage boxes, home decors, and even laptop bags! They gather their own water lilies from Laguna de Bay and process it to turn into fibers for weaving. Rolyolikha

Sierreza (Los Baños) - Described as “community-supported agriculture”, Sierreza brought products from various indigenous communities to ‘Sa Pantalan’. One of the products that stood out to me was the hibiscus wine made of roselle blossoms. The blossoms are harvested and processed by one of their partner Dumagat farmers in Daraitan, Tatay Avio. The wine has a mild sweetness with a fruity flavor, which I imagine could go really well with cocktails, too. Sierreza

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