Glenda Barretto inspects the cheese dishes on display. (Photos by RUDY LIWANAG)

Now here’s something really cheesy. 5,845 cheese dishes were displayed last Monday at the Araneta Coliseum to beat a previous Guinness World Record held by India. 

Hoping to make an inspiring Christmas after the devastation brought by Ondoy and Pepeng, Eden Cheese spearheaded the “YUMM - Your Ulam Mas Masarap” campaign, in an attempt to unite everyone in helping save Christmas for families who are still reeling from the challenges brought by the disasters.

The brand summoned the innate kitchen creativity of Pinoys to help make 5,000 cheese-inspired dishes to beat the previous record of “The Most Number of Dishes on Display, in a Single Day” of 4,668 set by India in 2007 in one big event. Eden has taken this further with a twist of ingenuity by infusing cheese into each dish.

The attempt’s initial target of 5,000 dishes was surpassed by more than 800 dishes. The culinary judges, tasked to make sure that no two dishes were the same, included big names such as restaurateur Glenda Barretto, Nancy Reyes Lumen, Claude Tayag, and Sau del Rosario.  

The Magsaysay Institute of Hospitality and Culinary Arts (MIHCA) contributed most of the research and student manpower in the making of the event, with the added help of other schools such as Regina Carmeli, St. Paul College, Centro Escolar University, Emilio Aguinaldo College, La Consolacion College, and Arellano University. At Eden’s website, www.sarapngbuhay.com, people were also encouraged to sign up and share their cheese recipes.

“During these challenging times, it is important to remember not what we have lost but what we still have as a nation,” says Alex Tacderas, Category Marketing Manager for Cheese and Spoonables, Kraft Foods Philippines. “We hold in our hands the innate Filipino creativity and love for food which, when put together, can empower our pride for our country.”

And to further strengthen its cause, Eden also organized the very first Keso de Gallo where Filipinos will use Eden cheese to creatively interpret the breadth of the country’s cuisine while providing a feast that will bring joy and delight to as many families as possible. In cooperation with ABS-CBN Foundation, people’s organizations, local government units, and Filipinos all over the country, Eden will relive the Filipino tradition of Misa de Galo and bring more goodness to this post-Simbang Gabi feast. Nine mornings with nine featured dishes in the town plazas of Bacolod City, Iloilo, Davao, Cagayan de Oro, Cebu City, Naga, Butuan City, Laoag, and Pampanga will be the event's highlights.

Next year, Eden Cheese hopes to again beat record by making 8,000 cheese dishes.