Glamor in the kitchen

It was quite embarrassing at first, especially for someone used to the kitchen, the culinary school and all things related to it. But Quickfire host Rosebud Benitez is slowly getting used to being a celebrity.

After that near-fatal car accident where her vehicle turned turtle and she miraculously sustained only with minor cuts, thanks to that life-saving seatbelt, the Q-11 chef (her show airs thrice a day Monday to Friday and once a day on Saturday and Sunday) realized something else besides how lucky she is. Rosebud realized how many people watch her show.

“I’d go the mall with the friend who figured in the accident with me and people would ask how I’m doing. It got to a point where he would wonder aloud why the same people don’t even inquire about his condition. After all, his injuries are much, much worst than mine,” says Rosebud.

The answer is obvious: The friend may have suffered more. But he’s no celebrity like Rosebud.

The truth dawned on her all the more when she went to the doctor for her checkup after the accident. The star-struck doctor waived his professional fee altogether. And it’s not in exchange for a hearty meal Rosebud prepared in only 10 minutes.

Those perks are nothing compared to the kind of help Rosebud feels she gives working mothers like her every time they watch her show.

“I want to show working moms and career women that they can look good even while fulfilling their duties in the kitchen,” she relates.

Motherhood and kitchen duties, after all, are no excuse to look frumpy and unglamorous. Rosebud shows this in her cheerful face and smart attires. The cheerful face comes courtesy of her upbeat attitude on life. The becoming, no-fuss attires that look well-coordinated come from a clothes sponsor and stylist.

It wasn’t like this months ago. Back then, Rosebud was only one of the chefs who made up the Ka-Toque set of TV hosts. Sure, she had fun, along with her fellow chefs as co-hosts. But none of the chefs has the chance to prove his or her worth as an individual.

Now that she’s on her own, Rosebud is making up for lost time. Gone are the signs of awkwardness on cam. Gone, too, is the well-scrubbed look that made Rosebud look like her whole life revolves around her busy kitchen. What we see instead is a confident, glamorous host for whom whipping up dishes and serving them to guests in the comfort of her home is as easy as heating a frying pan.

What happened along the way?

Well, Rosebud just summoned the courage to be herself.

“I’m naturally talkative,” she reveals. Any host will tell you that’s requirement number one.

As the eldest child, her willingness to take charge, especially in sticky situations, surfaces all the time. It surfaced when she met the headline-hogging car accident. It continues to surface, not only on the show, but whenever she checks out how things are going at Fab Restaurant (Bocobo St., Malate), which she runs like clockwork.

The results are encouraging. Rosebud says the sheer volume of feedback and inquiries she gets via quickfire.multiply.com is overwhelming. Yes, Rosebud’s cup is overflowing.

“I’m glad I’m able to help and inspire others,” she gushes.

This knack for inspiring and helping others has become a magnet that attracts not just female, but male admirers as well. Rosebud doesn’t hide the fact that she’s seeking the annulment of her marriage to the father of her son, aged 11 and six-year-old daughter. Yes, behind that glowing face is a former battered wife who endured her nightmare of a marriage for seven long years.

Rosebud has not only put that dark side of her life behind her. She is proving that one need not turn bitter because of it. Instead, one rises to the challenge and meets it, head-on. Today, that can-do outlook is attracting a fair share of admirers.

“I do go out on dates,” she admits.

Something more interesting than tasty dishes is cooking in Rosebud’s life these days.