MANILA, Philippines - As the region prepares to create a single market and production base, the Philippines had started to attract even the world’s top pastry chefs.
World-renowned pastry chef Jean Francois Arnaud leads a group of acclaimed international chefs to open a branch of the region’s top pastry school, which will be known here as the Academy of Pastry and Bakery Arts Philippines.
Arnaud, who is one of the judges invited to the ongoing World Food Expo (WOFEX) competition in Manila, is the co- founder of the Academy of Pastry Arts Malaysia, the current holder of the Asia Pastry Championship title. Another branch of the school was recently opened in India.
The Philippine branch opened on August 5 at the Metro House building in Gil Puyat Avenue, Makati City.
According to Arnaud, the Philippines being the most dynamic economy now in Asia is strategic to the food and beverage industry in the region. “To maximize the potential of the region, we have to invest in talent. Given the training skills that we provide, Filipinos can take master classes and in less than a year acquire craftsmanship that could make them competitive in the global economy,” he said.
Multi-awarded chef and the managing director of the school Niklesh Sharma revealed that many students, including Filipinos, go to Europe or the United States to undergo pastry training, where the courses can be very expensive.
“We feel the Philippines is a great destination to open up an academy looking at the number of Filipinos working in hotels within and outside the Philippines. We want provide organized and structural training for students looking for a career in the hotel industry, pastry shops, and those who want to put up their own businesses,” he further said.
The training at the Academy, according to Sharma, prepares students to world class skills Manila has never seen before. “We can provide an even higher level of training here at 40% of the cost students spend in other local pastry schools. In the next six to nine months, our students can be at par with seasoned hotel pastry chefs in the Philippines,” he said confidently.
The academy is a recipient of numerous world and regional awards including the World Pastry Cup, Lyon 2015 for Best Chocolate Display; 4th position in the world for the World Pastry Cup, Lyon 2015; 4th position in the world, Mondial de Sucre Paris 2014; and Most Outstanding Pastry Chef – Malaysia in 2011.
The Academy of Pastry and Bakery Arts Philippines are offering full-time and part-time (weekend) programs.
The full-time program includes a three-month certificate course in Pastry & Bakery, a six-month diploma course in Pastry & Bakery. Both programs will run for twelve weeks and graduates will receive an international certification from the City & Guild London.
The part-time weekend program will run for 12 weekends with a new topic to be covered each week.
“The program is cyclic, so that if you miss one, you can take it up later in the next cycle. This makes it very convenient for working people,” Sharma concluded.