International Journal of Research Studies in Management
Divine Word College of San Jose Special Issue
2026 Volume 14 Issue 2
Available Online: 2 April 2026
Author/s:
Abiog, Kevin O.
University of Nueva Caceres, Philippines (kevin.abiog@unc.edu.ph)
Abstract:
This paper investigated the gastronomic framework of local cuisines in Calabanga, Camarines Sur, by examining culturally rooted dishes, gastronomic identity, tourist motivations, and the development of a systems-based gastronomic model for culinary tourism. The research addressed the need to understand how local culinary resources and traditions contribute to tourism experiences and community identity in a coastal municipality. A sequential mixed-method research design was employed, integrating qualitative and quantitative approaches. Qualitative data were collected through focus group discussions and cultural mapping to identify unique local dishes, ingredients, culinary practices, and food traditions. Quantitative data were collected through a survey of 191 local tourists, using a five-point Likert scale to assess motivational factors influencing engagement with local cuisine. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis for qualitative responses and weighted mean and ranking for quantitative results. Findings revealed that seafood resources, coconut-based ingredients, and traditional Bicolano cooking practices strongly influence Calabanga’s cuisine. Common dishes such as tiniktik, ginataang seafood, gulay na natong, and traditional delicacies reflect the municipality’s coastal environment and agricultural resources. Culinary traditions are largely preserved through family practices and intergenerational transmission of recipes. Visitors also associate Calabanga’s gastronomic identity with community hospitality, fiestas, and shared dining experiences. Among the identified motivational factors, curiosity and experience motivation ranked highest (M = 4.54), indicating that tourists are strongly motivated to discover unfamiliar dishes and explore new culinary experiences. Other factors, including food-related activities (M = 4.26), food involvement (M = 4.25), social motivation (M = 4.22), cultural and nostalgic motivation (M = 4.20), and gastronomic or sensory motivation (M = 4.11), also showed strong influence. Based on these findings, the study proposed a Systems-Based Gastronomic Framework composed of three interconnected components: production, processing, and consumption. Production represents the culinary resource base derived from coastal seafood and coconut agriculture; processing represents the cultural transmission of culinary knowledge through traditional cooking practices; and consumption represents tourism engagement and market interaction through food experiences. The study concludes that Calabanga’s gastronomy functions as a community-based cultural system where ecological resources, cultural traditions, and tourism activities interact to sustain local culinary identity and support sustainable tourism development.
Keywords: Calabanga cuisines, cultural gastronomy, food tourism, gastronomic framework
DOI: https://doi.org/10.5861/ijrsm.2026.26026
Cite this article:
Abiog, K. O. (2026). Gastronomic framework of local cuisines in Calabanga, Camarines Sur. International Journal of Research Studies in Management, 14(2), 179-190. https://doi.org/10.5861/ijrsm.2026.26026