The Biggest and Most Festive Cebu Lechon Festival Set at The Mactan Newtown

Top Cebu lechoneros and premier Cebuano chef Myke “Tatung” Sarthou are set to bring the heat at the biggest and most festive edition yet of the Cebu Lechon Festival happening from August 30 to September 1 at The Mactan Newtown, Megaworld’s 30-hectare integrated township at Mactan Island in Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu.

Lechon-makers and lechon houses from various cities and municipalities in Cebu province, including lechon hotbeds Carcar, Talisay, Lapu-Lapu, and Cebu City, will gather at The Mactan Alfresco to take part in the sixth edition of the annual gastronomic and cultural festivity. The festivity, which is just one of two major festivals held yearly at The Mactan Newtown, is held in partnership with the city government of Lapu-Lapu, the city tourism office, and the Department of Tourism.

The three-day festival provides a unique gustatory adventure for tourists, visitors, and foodies as they can all enjoy a rare opportunity to savor the widest and most diverse selection of the world-famous Cebu lechon, known for its crackling skin, tender meat, and mouthwatering flavors.

Highlighting this year’s festival is a mouthwatering competition where participating lechon houses will battle for the inaugural Best Lechonero Award. Each lechon house and lechonero are set to showcase their skills, preparations and recipes, and cooking methods for the ultimate recognition and title as Cebu’s finest lechon-maker.

Adding star power and culinary prowess to the festival is Cebuano pride and celebrity chef Myke “Tatung” Sarthou, who will be headlining a lechon pairing session and demonstration on August 31.

Chef Tatung will also be joined by esteemed and skilled chefs of Megaworld’s homegrown hotels, Savoy Hotel Mactan and Belmont Hotel Mactan, to create mouthwatering dishes out of the famed pork roast in another cooking demo alongside the celebrity chef that will surely satisfy every visitor’s palate.

Aside from the Best Lechonero, schools and culinary students within the locale of Lapu-Lapu City will be battling in the Paksiw Wars, to establish mastery of the lechon paksiw, a popular dish made from the famous pork roast itself and oftentimes served alongside it.

Apart from tasting the best Cebu lechon varieties, the festival has to offer, visitors can also immerse themselves in the best of Cebuano culture through various activities such as live roasting at The Mactan Alfresco lechon pit, where accomplished chefs skillfully craft whole pigs into delectably crispy and succulent masterpieces.

Guests can also embark on a gastronomic journey at the Grand Food Bazaar, which showcases the most delicious lechon varieties and other Cebuano delicacies from the region for the entire three-day festival.

Lastly, cultural performances by the Banauan Cultural Group a talented that will bring their dynamic and captivating performances to the festival on the opening date, August 30. Exceptional entertainment from Cebu’s hotbed of local talents, including bands, will be performing live concerts each evening at 7 p.m. from August 30 to September 1. To top off each festival night, dazzling fireworks displays will also light up Lapu-Lapu City’s night sky.

“Championing the heritage and culture of places where we are present is a big part of what we do at Megaworld Lifestyle Malls and Cebu has a lot to offer given its rich history and being a hotbed for culinary discoveries. More than shining the spotlight on Cebu Lechon, this annual Malls. the festival is also an opportunity to endear and immerse tourists to the unique and colorful Cebuano Lifestyle Megaworld culture,” shares Graham M. Coates, head of Megaworld Lifestyle Malls.

Megaworld Lifestyle Malls is the retail and commercial development arm of Megaworld Corporation, one of the Philippines’ largest real estate companies, and pioneer of lifestyle malls. Among the malls in its operations are: Eastwood Mall, Eastwood Citywalk, Lucky Chinatown, Venice Grand Canal, McKinley West, Uptown Bonifacio, Newport Mall at Newport World Resorts, Forbes Town, Arcovia City, The Clubhouse at Temple Drive, California Garden Square, Paseo Center, Three Central Mall, San Lorenzo Place Mall, Alabang West Parade, Greenhouse at Village Square Alabang, Twin Lakes Shopping Village, Festive Walk Iloilo, Mactan Alfresco, Southwoods Mall, Broadway Centrum, Boracay Beach Walk, Northill Parade, and San Antonio Place. (MCN)