In the business of training world-class chefs

When helicopters were snatching people from the grounds of the American embassy compound during the panic of the final Vietcong push into Saigon, I was sitting in front of the television set shouting, ‘Get the chefs! Get the chefs! —Calvin Trillin, American food writer  

Now is the heyday of the chef. No longer relegated to slave in hot and steaming backroom kitchens, he has moved up in the world to become the immensely popular star of his own cooking show. As more of his ilk gains success and the adulation of a star-struck public, the luster of the occupation has amplified. The result is that aspiring chefs hotfoot their way into the best cooking schools, expecting better employment opportunities, recognition, and more than above-average pay.

Are the expectations valid? We asked Marinela “Badjie” Trinidad, vice president and CEO of the Cravings Group, the company that runs the Center for Culinary Arts (CCA), the pioneer culinary school in the Philippines.

“Yes, I think the expectations are well-grounded,” she replies. “There really are a lot of opportunities for our culinary school graduates. Aside from work experiences abroad, the chef is no longer confined to the kitchen. There are many fields that he can explore: research and development, writing, or consultancy in manufacturing companies. The chef can also choose to become an educator. Our role is to open up opportunities for our students so that they will succeed wherever their passion may be.”

It was Annie Guerrero, Badjie’s mother, who dreamed of going to formal culinary school, but could not do so since she was raising a family. That was the main impetus for putting up a world-class culinary school in the Philippines. “Before putting up Center for Culinary Arts, the family-owned Cravings Restaurant was already running for eight to 10 years,” says Badjie. “ We found that there was always something lacking in the hotel and restaurant graduates. We based our curriculum on: ‘As employers, what do we look for in the business?’” Collaboration with experts from the Canadian Northern Alberta Institute of Technology soon paved the way for a full culinary curriculum. “We came up with a list of competencies to look for in a chef. These were grouped together and courses were fashioned accordingly.”

Despite being warned that their culinary school would “lose money for the next five years,” the family persisted and their faith paid off. “As the pioneer, it was always a challenge for us to constantly try new things. It was financially risky when we started. But if you strongly believe in what you offer, it will work out. The market will come to you. If we didn’t risk putting up a school 10 years ago, we would not be where we are now,” says Badjie. Indeed, CCA is among the most respected schools in the region today, with a curriculum accredited by the American Culinary Federation (ACF).

What is the significance of the ACF accreditation? “Anyone can claim that the quality of their program is good, but there is a need to benchmark and validate the claim,” says Badjie. “The process of accreditation is very thorough and, from a recognized body like the ACF, accreditation gives us confidence that what we are giving our students is at par with world-class standards.”

To stay even more relevant, CCA has an advisory board that consists of food-industry suppliers, hotels and manning agencies. “We have strong linkages with industry, who more or less know the strength of the CCA graduate,” she continues. “It is no longer true that those who cannot hack the university program end up in a culinary program. The work is tough and the slackers are weeded out.”

CCA students who include university graduates and career shifters are encouraged to join various national and international culinary competitions. “We try to keep ahead by exposing our faculty and students to competitions to challenge them and expose them to new trends,” explains Badjie. “Although some are afraid to compete, thinking that their reputation is at stake, we always think that it is more important to do your best. Practice is important. Commitment is important.”

The spirit of volunteerism is also encouraged, and many CCA students have opted to teach culinary skills through the Culinary Education Foundation or volunteer at orphanages like CRIBS. The school program aspires to impart not just technical know-how but the holistic development of each student as well. “We are also very proud of our students who go back to the provinces and share their expertise there.”

What is CCA’s view on the phenomenon of new culinary schools setting up business in the Philippines? “We are proud that being a chef is now taken seriously as a career choice,” Badjie concludes. “It is always good for the students to have choices; to enroll in programs that are best for them. The new competition is good for everyone because all of us will try to be even better.”

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Center for Culinary Arts, Manila is at 287 Katipunan Avenue, Loyola Heights, Quezon City 1108 Philippines with hotlines 994-2520, 30 and 40,trunkline 426-4840 to 41 and fax 426-4836. Log on to www.cca-manila.com.