Halson Lapuz

As Halson Lapuz of Batch 13 continues to learn at First Gourmet Academy, he just can’t get through with what Chef Mats said to him and his batchmates one day inside the kitchen. Then, a week after that he got this phrase tattooed on his chest. Let’s ask Hal all about it as he narrates what really happened that day.

The phrase “Never ever say I just followed the recipe” strike me, next thing got tattooed on my left right upper chest. I want to remember the phrase until I die and pass it to everyone. Recipes are just guidelines. Following the recipe and did not taste the way it is, that’s the time you in your way of cooking will definitely make a good recipe out of it. That’s why you can NEVER EVER SAY I JUST FOLLOWED THE RECIPE.

When did you start getting tattoos? What made you do it?

I had my first tattoo when I was in Vegas. It was my birthday and it just an impulsive decision. Then the second tattoo, I got it a couple of months ago and it was related to things we are doing in the kitchen. I got that tattoo because the phrase that our instructor Mats Loo told us strikes me in my way of understanding on how to cook. I do it because getting a tattoo is part of my bucket list and it’s a part of me from being artistic and expressing my passion in culinary.

Tattoo is an art. It hurts but you get hooked to it. It’s an art expressing things that you like people to see and know.

What do you love most with First Gourmet Academy?

First Gourmet Academy gave me so much. The best learning experience I’ve ever had. The people are nice. The instructor is good, the facility is world class. And the experience is so much fun.

What made you study Culinary Arts?

My passion for cooking. I do think it’s cool on how you can change a bland food to a great food. And I want to learn different cuisines that exist on this world.

Where do you see yourself 5 years from now?

I see myself working in a hotel or having my own restaurant. I’ve learned a lot from First Gourmet Academy. I do hope I can have my own restaurant to apply all the things I learned from Culinary Arts.

What impact do you think will this tattoo give in your life?

It will give me confidence and I will remember why I got this tattoo; the people who made this experience unforgettable and of course First Gourmet Academy will always be a part of me and First Gourmet Academy made a difference in my life.

JP Militar

John Paul “JP” Militar is an alumni of First Gourmet Academy. He wanted to pursue culinary arts because of his passion for food and his family has been into the food business for quite some while. He was offered a job in Malaysia and left the Philippines last August 31. Thank you JP for participating in this interview and we hope you will succeed in your career and tell us about your adventure when you get back.

1. We heard that you got a job in Malaysia. How did you get a job there?

Well, my mom found an ad in a newspaper. She told me about it and asked me to go to that agency. But before that, I have already gone to other agencies. I had callbacks. But my only problem at that time was my passport. I applied last April 2011 then I just got it last July 2011. 3 months of waiting.

2. How are you feeling about it? Are you nervous?

Nervous and Excited. Nervous ‘coz i don’t know what will happen to me there. Excited because it’s a new challenge for me.

3. What is the name of the hotel? Can you tell us more about the place?

The Chateau Spa & Organic Wellness Resort. It is owned by Berjaya Corporation. It’s a destination spa and a hotel. It will be opening its doors this September 2011. It will be the first organic destination spa in the world.

4. Why do you want to work abroad?

To gain more experience and to earn some money. (I’ll be a hypocrite if I don’t say I don’t want to earn money.) It was not a easy decision for me to work abroad because I have to leave my family and friends here in the Philippines. But I also want gain more experience.

5. What are your future plans? How do you see yourself 5 years from now?

Future plans? Hmm… I want to travel. I want to see and taste other cuisine. To know other cooking techniques. To enhance my palate. 5 years from now? I don’t know what my future holds for me. Maybe have my own restaurant. Come what may as I say.

I want to thank First Gourmet Academy Family especially to Chef Mats for teaching me how to enhance my culinary skills. Without him, I will not make this far. Ma’am Emilou and Kuya Marlon – they mould me to become a better chef/person. To my classmates/Batch 5 – thank you for the competition and fun times.

Now Hiring: Culinary Instructor

Career Talk

This month started incredibly busy at First Gourmet Academy and with the Director, Mats Loo.

Last Sunday, February 13, the school was visited by Executive Chef Philip Flath of Ocean Edge Resort and Casey Barnes from Intrax Career Development. They held a culinary showdown at First Gourmet Academy to find students for employment at the resort. Since the Academy is new and has been around for only 2 ½ years, we did not have the amount of students needed. So we invited other schools from ISCAHM, MOST, The Kitchen Academy, AHA, and CCA to join us for this cook-off. The students were asked to cook one dish which was reviewed by Chef Philip, with the assistance of Chef Mats.

Friday, February 18, the school was visited by two companies who held a short presentation about culinary careers abroad. Both were also looking for potential graduates who are interested in this path. In this Career Talk, students learned about the different opportunities available abroad. This day is specifically set aside for students enrolled at First Gourmet Academy.

Mr. David Pascoe, the CEO of Recruitment Solutions Intl., the international recruitment counterpart of Horizon Recruitment Pacific Corporation together with Mr. Dave Fritz, the Managing Director of Chili’s Texas Grill, gave an exclusive brief presentation about the opportunities waiting for our students in Alberta, Canada and made themselves available for any questions regarding this great offer.

Also, from iMeets, Ms. Loreen Carlos, Chef Peter Schorer, and Ms. Pons Santillan gave expert advice to students who want to study with reputable education providers in Australia and New Zealand which can help them secure employment in those countries.

Chefs are in demand these days. Here’s our short interview with the First Gourmet Academy Director, Mats Loo, regarding his thoughts on this topic.

Why all of the sudden a lot of foreigners are coming to Philippines to find qualified chefs?

Filipinos in general have a very good reputation. I’ve worked with different Filipino people in cruise ships before so I’ve seen how they get their job done. They are hard working and also good in English.

Why do you think they chose First Gourmet Academy?

We’ve been only in the industry for 2 ½ years but managed to have good reputations with hotels and restaurants here in Manila. Aside from that, we also have a couple of students who are training abroad. So now, we have connections. I see to it that I give students international experience or training unlike other culinary schools in Manila. So students from First Gourmet Academy have a good chance of getting jobs abroad.

What hotels/restaurants are you working with now?

Hotels and restaurants in the Philippines are extremely happy with our students. They get positive evaluation from these institutions. Now, we’re working with agencies that are helping students get jobs in USA, Canada, New Zealand, and Australia.

What advice would you give your students so they can be successful as a chef in today’s market climate?

They have to work hard in school and of course, have passion for food and will to succeed. I always tell them it is not an easy job. You are required to work long hours in a hot environment. But this is a rewarding career. You have to have a right mindset and personality. With all this being said, it boils down to your attitude, whether you train hard or you are prepared to sacrifice things to achieve your dreams.

We’ve learned it takes more than hard work to achieve a successful career. But even though being a chef is a tough career, we should not let that discourage ourselves and remember that this world is full of wonderful opportunities to expand your culinary horizons.

FGA Wins Pencil Box Culinary Challenge

First Gourmet Academy bags Championship award at Chefs on Parade’s Pencil Box Challenge last February 11, 2011. Held at SMX Convention, the event was packed with people as 12 individuals competed in a cook-off challenge.

Pencil Box is a unique competition, which aims to encourage young student chefs to participate individually in a competitive environment using quality Australian Red Meat. Competitors have to create, cook and present within 2 hours 2 main course dishes: a Beef Main Course dish and a Lamb Main Course dish. The meat and 10 secret ingredients provided at the beginning of the event must be incorporated in the dishes. No ingredients are to be brought in by the competitors.

Grechelle Chua, only 17 years old, represented First Gourmet Academy. Among the competing participants are students from CCA, The Kitchen Academy, Benilde, Enderun, MOST, GCIC, and others. And the panel was made up of three chef judges.

Every student has to come up with the best and most flavorful dish. The criteria for judging include creativity, planning and work flow, cleanliness, culinary skills, presentation, and taste. In the end, it was Grechelle who brought home the trophy, gold medal and cash prize.

Congratulations to Grechelle for winning the Young Chef Pencil Box Culinary Challenge! The first champion in the Philippines! We’ve only joined three contests but we’ve somehow managed to win them all.

Red’s OJT Adventures in Bali

We’ve seen students from First Gourmet Academy expand their culinary experiences abroad. First, we met Regina Lansang who had her internship at Hyatt Regency Florida. Now, here’s another inspiring story of Red Mataragkas who’s currently having her OJT at Bali, Indonesia.

1.    Tell us a little about yourself.

I had a very different career before, as a SAS programmer. But after getting married in 2006, I stayed as a housewife because we had to move to different countries many times. This is when my interest for cooking started. I had to learn how to cook especially Western meals like Greek food since my husband is Greek. I like cooking very much so I decided to take it to another level by taking a professional course. I chose FGA because I think it has the best facilities plus the backgrounds of the instructors are impressive.

2.    What made you decide to have your training at Bali?

Since my family is based in Jakarta, I made a research on the best possible places of where I can do my internship. I focused a bit more on Bali, being one of the top tourist destinations in the world for decades. I have the impression that the hotels here should have acquired high standards to meet the demands of tourists. Then I narrowed it down to St. Regis Hotel. I have read a lot of good reviews from various magazines and newspapers and from tourist sites. I wanted my first experience to be top notched and from the best possible mentors which is why I chose this hotel.

I was very fortunate to be accepted as an intern at St. Regis. The restaurants, Kayuputi and Boneka, have been dining destinations even for outside guests. Also, the afternoon tea at King Cole Bar is very popular.

3.    How was your training so far?

I started last September 20 and was assigned in the Pastry section. I will be here until the end of December and then move on to the hotel’s signature restaurant, Kayuputi. I still haven’t finished my Baking and Pastry module in FGA when I left so I had zero knowledge in pastries. But m colleagues at work have been very patient and helpful with me. I didn’t have any interest in pastries at all before but that has changed permanently. Although I know that my culinary knowledge and prowess is at its infancy, I also know that having a solid foundation is important. So I try to absorb as much as I can everyday. Whenever the chefs say titbits of knowledge, I write it down on my notes so I won’t forget. My French pastry chef would sometimes correct me with the mistakes I make and say, “It’s the little things, but for me… they are important too!”

4.    Describe your workplace.

We have a nice and spacious kitchen. Guests from Gourmand Deli can see what we are up to in the kitchen. All the ingredients used are of best quality. Some of the ingredients are imported like the luxurious Valrhona chocolate while fruits are fresh from local areas like the famous Bedugul strawberries.

We have a French Maitre Patissier, Vincent Stopin, who is a genius at what he does and we also have an equally talented Balinese Pastry Sous Chef, Wayan Laspina. It is a joy to work with these two chefs. I never had a day that goes by without learning something from them.  The rest of my colleagues are highly skilled local Balinese who have extensive experience in this field even prior to working in St. Regis. Then we have our Executive Chef, Oscar Perez, who is a Danish with Filipino lineage. He has a lot of experience handling 5-star hotels, including W Retreat and Spa Maldives. Seeing how this guy works is truly inspirational. He is very generous when it comes to sharing his knowledge and advice. He is now the Director of Kitchens for both St. Regis Bali and soon to be for Laguna Resort and Spa Bali. Another reason for me to be a proud Pinoy. And he speaks fluent Tagalog too! I also have met a lot of friends and acquaintances throughout the hotel from different sections, and all I can say is that the Balinese people are really friendly and kind.

The St. Regis Bali Hotel is THE address to have when you are in Bali. It is called 5-star not without a reason. They are known for their bespoke attention to the guests’ every desire. Check out their website or reviews from guests and find out why.
Oscar Perez personal website – www.falgui.com
St. Regis Bali F&B website – www.balibeyondgourmet.com

5.    Describe a typical day.

WORK, WORK, WORK! But it also means LEARN, LEARN, LEARN! A typical day usually means a highly adrenalin induced state of work frenzy. My schedule changes from week to week. But there are mainly 2 options, either 8AM-6PM or 2PM-11PM. Then I have 2 days off per week. I usually help in preparing fruits and desserts to be served for the afternoon tea and buffet dinner. I also help in setting up and clearing up the desserts. Most of the time, they give me a recipe then guide me through it the first time then afterwards, I can do it on my own. All ingredients should always be measured carefully and the technique is important too. The use of thermometers and refractometers is common especially in pastry section. The chefs always check the quality of our work before it goes out. They always emphasize the meticulous attention to detail so that whatever comes out of the kitchen is perfect and not so-so.

Whenever I have questions, they are always willing to fill me in. Food safety and hygiene is of utmost importance throughout all the kitchens of the hotel. We always have to check for food temperature in all aspects like reheating, cooking, and cooling. Sometimes when we have weddings or events, I’m on standby at the pastry corner to assist guests with the ice cream and do refilling of the pastries. During my off days, if I’m not in Jakarta, you can usually find me in the beach with some Bintang and relaxing, reading a book, or going to an internet cafe to do some culinary research. Sometimes, I also go out to dine and check out the menus of other restaurants.

6.    Do you like it there?

Very much! The chefs, the food, the surroundings, they all inspire me to learn more. I would definitely come here as a dining guest or in house guest after training is done.

Bali is so interesting culturally. All the colors, nature, people, food, dances, faith, language; they are all new to me and so alluring, I want to explore them all! I especially love the beach here, they have so many and are very accessible. And of course, there’s Babbi Guling, Balinese version of our lechon.

7.    What are your future plans?

While I’m still here, I plan to learn as much as I can and instill in me the discipline and techniques that the chefs have taught me and continue to do so.

When I’m done with my internship, I plan to come back to FGA and finish the rest of the courses. And then go back to Jakarta and try to find a job in one of the hotels there to continue the learning process. Hopefully, St. Regis Jakarta will be open by then or maybe I will be given another opportunity to work again under Chef Oscar Perez, probably in a different hotel or his own restaurant in the future.

Culinary Adventures Abroad

After we graduate, we often ask ourselves the question, “Now what?”

At First Gourmet Academy, we have a student from Batch 7 is having her OJT in Bali, Indonesia. Then 2 graduates have an ongoing application at US. Just recently, we received the news that a graduate from Batch 2 got accepted at Marriot Hotel in Florida. This doesn’t end here. These students also asked themselves the same question before. But, they believed that what they’ve learned should be applied in order to further sharpen the skills they have acquired in order to meet their professional goals. We are certain that more of our graduates will have this opportunity that can help them mold their future career as chefs.

With this, we decided to interview one of our graduates who’s currently having her training at Florida for more than a month already.

Shortly after graduating at First Gourmet Academy, Regina Lansang from Batch 3 had the opportunity to apply for a 9-month internship program at Hyatt Regency in Florida. She took this chance and got accepted. Here’s her story.

1. Tell us a little about yourself and your connection to First Gourmet Academy.

Cooking and baking began as a hobby. I was only trying out recipes for my family and friends. After college, I wasn’t sure about the career path I wanted to take so I decided to take another course. Thankfully, my parents supported me with my decision and allowed me to enroll for a diploma course in Culinary Arts at First Gourmet Academy. I chose FGA because of the student-instructor ratio they have. Classes are more personal because the kitchen is not so crowded so you will really learn a lot and have great interaction with the chefs. I also love that our kitchen at FGA has a beautiful view that is so inspiring and very conducive to learning.

2. What made you decide to have your training at Hyatt Regency?

I am actually fortunate that when my application was endorsed to the Cultural Exchange Program sponsor in the US, Hyatt Regency Clearwater chose my application and scheduled me for an interview with their executive chef via Skype video. I got accepted for a 9-month internship that started October 17, 2010.

3. How was your training so far?

So far I am learning a lot especially that I am working at the restaurant kitchen line for lunch. I didn’t have any experience in the restaurant during my previous OJT at The Richmonde Hotel in Manila. It took me a few weeks to adjust and I am still continuously taking in all the experience I can get with this opportunity.

4. Describe your workplace.

The hotel just opened last February 2010 so everything is new. All employees are very friendly and approachable. We have a big kitchen so we’re very free to move around. I find it very exciting to work with different kinds of kitchen equipment and most especially get to use ingredients I’ve never seen before or things I‘ve only watched on cooking shows.

5. Describe a typical day at work.

My shift starts at 8AM until 4:30PM. In the morning, I have to prepare everything we need for the line. After the breakfast shift ends, we move in to set up since we have an open kitchen at the restaurant. There are two sides in the restaurant kitchen, and I work on the grill/fryer side. At the same time, I also do plating of desserts. We serve lunch until 3PM but we still get orders from room service and the bar in the afternoon.

6. Do you like it there?

Yes. Aside from getting a chance to work for Hyatt, I love Clearwater Beach. Since it’s a tourist destination, I feel that I am on a vacation everyday. It is wonderful here and you get beautiful views of the beach everywhere.

7. What are your future plans?

After my internship, I have to go back to Manila. If given a chance, I will try to apply again for an employment opportunity in the US. If not, I will definitely apply in 5-star hotels in Manila since my internship will give me an edge because of the training and knowledge that I gained in Hyatt.

FGA Christmas Raffle

Simply suggest to your friends to like FIRST GOURMET ACADEMY in Facebook and you are already qualified. The more friends you invite, the more chances you have of winning.

MECHANICS:
1. Invite as many friends you have in Facebook to “Like” First Gourmet Academy.
2. Make sure that friends you invite will post the following on First Gourmet Academy’s wall: “I was invited by (your full Facebook name)” so we can keep track of your entries.
3. 3 friends liking FGA = 1 raffle entry
4. 3 lucky winners will be randomly selected.
5. Cut off for receiving entries: December 16, 2010.
6. Announcement of winners: December 17, 2010.

1st prize: Gift certificate for a complete short course + Moulinex La Moulinette
2nd prize: Gift certificate for a complete short course + Moulinex Multitrio
3rd prize: Gift certificate for a complete short course

*Gift certificates are valid for one year.
*Prizes are transferable but cannot be converted to cash.

Soon.

The Great Dessert Bake-off with Batch 9

Another batch went through a challenge in the Baking and Pastry module. Their task is to create their own layer cakes with 2 or more different fillings. Once again, the kitchen was filled with sweet scent that will make you tingle.

Our judges include Emy Ramos and Yoli Naluz, and the criteria for judging are as follows:

• Taste, Texture and Variety – 30 points
• Presentation and Overall Impression – 30 points
• Technique and Degree of Difficulty – 40 points

The judges had a hard time choosing winners, however only four students were recognized for their outstanding achievement.

4th place – Bryan Martell

3rd place – Karhen Igarashi

2nd place – Dianne Cartujano

Winner – Kathleen Jimenez

Congratulations Batch 9! Well done!