MANILA, Philippines - Nothing is impossible for a woman who is so passionate about everything she does — as a mother, homemaker, an actress, and TV host.
So we weren’t surprised when we found out that Janice de Belen just added another feather to her cap and another role: chef.
To celebrate her latest achievement, Alaska Milk, which Janice endorses, hosted a special mardi gras dinner at Ayala Alabang Village in Muntinlupa City.
The tables were decked with fresh flowers accented with metallic beads in purple, green, and red, while glittered masks served as tabletops. Excitement filled the air as guests eagerly waited for the new chef to come out of the kitchen.
Clad in a red chef’s jacket, black pants, and rubber clogs, Janice looked every inch a chef. Those who didn’t know would have thought she was just shooting an episode for her cooking show, Spoon, on Net 25.
“I’m now a certified chef,” Janice enthused, which drew applause from the crowd.
Janice had been toying with the idea of studying culinary arts and putting up her own restaurant for so many years. “I’ve always wanted to do this, but I was worried baka I couldn’t afford the tuition. Of course, schedule was another consideration. At first, I just attended lifestyle and short-term classes,” she shared.
Spoon and Alaska Milk are some of the reasons why Janice worked doubly hard to become a chef. “As a host of a cooking show, I wanted to be accurate with the things I say and do in the program. And since I also endorse Alaska Condensada and Alaska Evaporada, I wanted to be able to share my own recipes using these products as well,” she explained.
In 2008, Janice, in one of her many inquiry visits to Café Ysabel, finally decided to reach for her dreams. “I just went in and enrolled. That’s definitely one of the decisions I won’t regret for the rest of my life.”
Janice took up professional culinary, which is a one-year diploma course, under chef Gene Gonzalez of the Center for Asian Culinary Studies in San Juan.
For the mardi gras feast, Janice whetted our appetites with the flavors of New Orleans. “For our repertoire in school (final exam), we did a New Orleans-inspired dinner. Our group won for best repertoire. So, I thought of doing it again and tweaked the recipes a bit,” she noted.
For starters, we had shrimp and andouille beignets with lemon Tabasco aioli, followed by fresh greens with roasted chicken oranges and pecan vinaigrette.
The seafood gumbo soup was simply delish. The corn bread with hot pepper jelly complemented the richness of the broth.
The garlic pork roast and cream dory meuniere were equally tempting. The fish, which was dredged in flour then pan-fried, was rich and creamy. It went well with baby garlic potatoes and haricot verts.
“What makes these dishes yummy is the milk. I soaked the fish in Alaska Evaporada prior to pan-frying to make it succulent and creamy. The same goes with the pork,” boasted the lady chef.
For dessert, we just couldn’t get our forks off the strawberry cheesecake, molten choco cake, strawberry coulis, butter pecan ice cream, and candied pecans served on one huge plate.
“Of course, I also used Alaska products for the desserts. I used them not just as main ingredients but also as part of the preparation like what I did with the fish and pork,” Janice added.
Foodie At Heart
Janice started to dabble in the kitchen at the age of 10. It was her mom, Susan, who ignited her passion for all things yummy.
“While having breakfast, my mom gave me a recipe book. She wanted me learn how to whip up sweet and sour spare ribs on my own. Well, like a dutiful soldier, I followed,” Janice recalled.
That book not only tickled Janice’s palate to try the other tempting recipes, but also introduced her to the many flavors of Asian cuisine.
Dining out, Janice added, is one of the De Belens’ favorite bonding activities. Her dad, Philip, loves to eat. In fact, he would bring the entire family to try the specialties of a particular restaurant on Sundays.
“There was this Chinese restaurant — Hong Ning — that we used to frequent a lot. They served simple but delicious Chinese fare. We also loved the ham of Sunshine Grocery along Quezon Ave. Sadly, they closed shop na,” Janice said.
Now that she has her own family, Janice is passing on that tradition to her children. “My kids love to eat, too. In fact, I serve the dishes we feature in Spoon at home so my kids can try them. So far, wala naman silang reklamo,” Janice said with a grin.
Jill Of All Trades
As a single mom, Janice has done a commendable job juggling her time between her career and family. On top of this, she continues to inspire those like her to be tough no matter what life brings.
“Managing time isn’t just about fixing your schedules. It’s all about priorities. Once you’ve set your priorities, putting them in order won’t be a problem anymore,” she said.
Janice is, indeed, a Jill of all trades. Aside from being a hands-on mom to Luigi, Inah, Moira, Kaila, and Yuan, she co-hosts the daily noontime show, Sis, with her sister Gelli de Belen and a close friend, and stars in her own cooking show, Spoon, on Net 25. Janice has also been the celebrity endorser of Alaska Milk for over four years now.
“When we look for an endorser, we make sure that his/her values are aligned with the company,” explained Blen Fernando, VP for Marketing, Alaska Milk Corporation. “We also take into consideration how he/she works things out with his/her family. Alaska Milk kasi is a family-oriented brand and company so we want to make sure that our endorser has her family values intact.”
Suffice it to say, Janice and Gelli have all the qualities they were looking for in an endorser.
“What we also like about the sisters is that they have no pretensions. For Alaska Evaporada and Alaska Condensada, we wanted endorsers who have mass-based appeal and with whom our target clients can relate,” enthused Fernando.
As Alaska Milk’s celebrity endorsers, Janice and Gelli have no qualms about going to far-flung barangays, or doing mall shows to promote the brand.
“They clicked with the masses right away. In fact, they have contributed to Alaska Evaporada and Alaska Condensada’s becoming brand leaders. Today, both brands account for almost 60 percent of the sales in the category. It’s pretty evident that Janice and Gelli’s magic as endorsers really works. What’s also interesting is that hindi nila nasasapawan ang Alaska. Whenever people see them, they would greet them and say, ‘Halo na!’” Fernando added.
Janice, on the other hand, admits that she grew up with Alaska Milk.
“I don’t endorse a brand that I don’t believe in. As a kid, I used Alaska Sweetened Condensed Milk as a spread for hot pandesal. I also make yema out of it. You can actually whip up various dishes using Alaska Evaporada and Alaska Condensada and like the ones I served tonight. Well, I’m proud to say that laking Alaska Milk ako,” Janice said.
Now that Janice is a certified chef, putting up her own restaurant is next on the drawing board. “Hopefully, I get to start on it next year. I’m still looking for a place. Idea-wise, I’m pretty clear about how I want it to be. Implementation na lang and that’s a totally different playing field,” she added.
Asked what kind of fulfillment she gets from being a chef, Janice hastily replied: “When my kids appreciate the food I serve, and tell me, ‘You’re the best, Mom!’ It feels good. It’s like winning an acting award. Cooking brings out a different creativity in me.”
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For inquiries, visit Alaska Milk’s website at www.alaskamilk.com.