Chef Fernando Aracama and Kojak: Best of buds

There probably isn’t a better dream human friend for a dog than a chef. All those glorious odors wafting from the kitchen … pieces of cheese left on the counter accidentally un-watched … crumbs of good stuff that fall to the floor, which our human friends are usually happy that we clean up like organic vacuums. Less sweeping for them, more fun for us!

Meet chef Fernando Aracama. I’m sure you are all familiar with him, being one of the mainstay judges o

n the last seasons of Junior MasterChef and MasterChef Philippines. Keeping busy with developing menus for Philippine Airlines and “making sure everybody has a great time when they visit Aracama (his namesake resto) and our sister establishments. We’re also drumming up a new concept in 2014 but can’t say what just yet!”

Warm, friendly, with that Visayan charm and his fun signature dark-rimmed glasses — it’s no surprise that he is a dog lover and a hands-on one at that, taking care to bathe his doggie friend personally every other day! “I grew up in Bacolod and we had a farm in northern Negros Occidental. We had livestock around us — sheep, goats, pigs, chickens, and for pets we had dogs. I’d always wanted to get a dog but had to wait till I lived in a house with a backyard or a garden and more space than my apartment then.”

Get to know a little more about chef Fern, as his friends like to call him, and his Instagram-famous bulldog Kojak. “I kept the name Kojak for my potential future English bulldog for the last 15 years or so. My mind was set on the breed long, long before. I mean, that face! Who couldn’t love that face? And every day I discover how true it is that bulldogs are just about the sweetest dogs anyone can ever own. Cariñoso!”

As with most other pup owners, no matter what sort of ideas they have in their head, they aren’t choosing us. We choose them! Am I right, doggies? They can never resist our puppy eyes! Their story is absolutely classic! “When I first went to the breeder, Kojak and his siblings were just two months old and I had the chance to play with all of them. I had a great time with each one but Kojak really put on the puppy-dog eyes for me. He was the least noisy of the litter and just kept his focus on me the whole time I was there. That sealed the deal. I knew I’d found Kojak. I came back a month later when he was ready to move in with me.”

Read on as Kojak shares some fun snippets about their cozy little home life.

Name: Kojak 

Breed: English Bulldog 

Age: 7 months old

PHILIPPINE STAR: Describe yourself in three words.

KOJAK: Best. Dog. Ever.

Describe your relationship with your human. What do you guys like to do together? He is always so busy! How do you get to spend some time with each other?

I live with a bunch of humans and after three months of living in our house, I pretty much know how to make things happen for me. 

My master and I see each other in the morning. Best time of the day because it’s playtime! We play fetch with my favorite ratty chew toy all over the house. We wrestle a lot and play tug of war until he gives up. Then we just hang out. I get belly rubs. I love belly rubs. Master’s good at belly rubs. 

Every other day master gives me a bath. He likes to do it himself. He even lets me drink from the hose. This is all great until it’s time to trim my nails. Dog, that clipping tool and spinning filing machine, freaks me out. Master has to pin me down just to get it done. Wish he’d stop doing that. He’s serious about his “dogscaping.”

Most of the time, when my master is home, I stick with him. Under his desk when he works. Under his chair when he eats. And when his friends are over for a party, I’m allowed to stay up as late as I want! 

Name one time you got into major trouble and how you got out of it.

I ate — well, chewed — a few of master’s big cookbooks. I swear I thought they were food. They had that kitchen smell on them, like food. He was more upset with the other humans than with me but he was kind of cold that day and didn’t pet me much. I chew magazines now more than books. Nobody seems to get upset when I do that.

What’s a typical day like for you?

First thing in the morning, I roll out of bed and get served breakfast. I like ice in my water dish. It’s very refreshing; you should try it. 

Soon after I get out of the house and do my business in the garden. It’s fun walking around on the grass — way softer than the floor and really ticklish sometimes. 

I love air conditioners and electric fans so that means I stay indoors most of the time. The fan wind on my face — best thing ever! I feel like I’m in a really fast convertible. Then it turns into naptime. I love taking naps. I do it everywhere. My coat gets brushed a few times a day. I shed all over the house but no one seems to mind. 

I get called when it’s time for lunch and dinner but I need a good wipe-down after my meals and throughout the day. You see, I have these folds of skin all over and they need some kind of light maintenance. It’s a bulldog kind of thing.

What are your fave hobbies?

I tried skateboarding. Yeah, it was fun but it took a lot of running around and that got me tired fast. Master got a Frisbee for me and I was like, hello, I’m a bulldog, we don’t do Frisbees. I think he wants me to try out swimming and jogging someday but I have to check with my vet first if I’m allowed further physical activity. I love my vet; she lets me chew her bag when she comes for a house call.

You must be lucky! Your human cooks soooo well. Share a little about that. Do you get to have yummy treats? Have you stolen anything from the kitchen?

I know I can never have chocolates. What a shame, because master likes chocolate. He has a big stash in his fridge all the time. But it’ll kill me, literally. Master wants me to be a healthy pup, so he made me try apples, bananas and papaya. They feel weird in my mouth, unlike my crunchy puppy food. When I got sick a few weeks ago, master put peanut butter on my Scooby Snacks to hide my pills. He gave me a whole pan de sal with peanut butter this morning. Peanut butter’s the bomb!

Your fave food? And if you could have anything in the world, even “forbidden” stuff, what would be your ultimate meal?

I hope master loosens up and lets me try new treats! I can’t believe my puppy eyes don’t work on him anymore. Got to think of ways to beguile him. I’ve watched master cook in his kitchen a lot, but he enjoys cooking more outdoors on the grill. Master loves steak. I dream of the day that master will fork over a slice of his steak. It smells really, really good. Drool.

Describe your dream vacation and where would it be?

Master always talks about the beach. I’d like to go to one and see what the fuss is about. Boracay, maybe?

What would be your ultimate happy moment?

I’m happiest when I get belly rubs. I love belly rubs.

Also please share five secret things about your human, chef Aracama, that only you would know.

1. Before I moved in I heard he stayed up late and was never up before 9 a.m. Nowadays, I see him sneak down the stairs to surprise me before 7 a.m. and we have breakfast together. I’d like to try coffee someday. Smells good!

2. He’s a patient trainer. He took the time to housebreak me and now all I need to do is shout out a few barks by the door and he knows I’m ready to do my business outside. Plus! He gives me a treat when I do and calls me a good boy. 

3. Master has a secret stash of his human treats up in his bedroom. I don’t know where it is, exactly, but I can smell that they’re somewhere close. I know it.

4. Master loves to have his family and friends over to his place and he loves to cook for them. I love master’s sister when she visits because she spoils me. I climb all over her and she never says no! Some of his friends have little human puppies that are just about the same size as I am. We get to play and wrestle together. Run around. And everyone pets me, gives me belly rubs, and scratches my ears. Ah, good times.

5. He’s a homebody. If he’s not at work, he’s always home, which is great for me. Because I get belly rubs. Did I mention that I love belly rubs?