(HANMI) — The Hotel Association of the Northern Mariana Islands and the culinary program of Northern Marianas Technical Institute are teaming up again in May 2025 on a cook-off featuring the mouth-watering island staple chicken kelaguen.
The HANMI-NMTech chicken kelaguen cook-off will be held on the evening of May 24, 2025, at the 26th Annual Taste of The Marianas International Food Festival organized by the Marianas Visitors Authority in celebration of Marianas Tourism Month.
“NMTech is excited to work together with HANMI for a third year in a row,” said Aaron Tomokane, marketing & outreach coordinator for NMTech. “Our chef competitions always aim to showcase the talents of our former and ongoing students…also to help promote the unique flavors & ingredients of our Marianas. We would like to thank HANMI and MVA for another opportunity to promote our students.”
What makes a tasty chicken kelaguen? The basics are shredded roast chicken seasoned with lemon, green onions, and salt and wrapped in a warm corn or flour tortilla — shredded coconut or “donne sali” hot pepper are optional.
“HANMI is excited to partner again with NMTech this year to highlight that part of hotel operations that we all love — F&B,” said HANMI Chairman Dennis Seo. “As NMTech continues their important work of training more individuals in the many aspects of culinary arts that keep hotel guests satisfied, we are looking forward to the seeing the chefs’ creativity and cooking skills in action at Taste of The Marianas. Thank you to NMTech for the valuable work they do in training industry professionals that serve at our local hotels.”
Registration for this year’s competition is open to former and ongoing students of NMTech’s Culinary Arts Program. Registration opens on April 1, 2025, and is free. Two-man teams or solo entries are welcomed. To register, visit NMTech at Lower Base, Saipan, or contact Tomokane at aaron.tomokane@nmtechcnmi.org. Cash prizes will be awarded.
About the Taste of The Marianas
The Taste of The Marianas offers affordable dishes from local hotels and restaurants, live entertainment, nightly contests or food demonstrations, and arts and crafts sales. The festival will be held every Saturday in May at American Memorial Park in Garapan, Saipan beginning at 5 p.m.
