By Maricon Mae Gonzaga| Negosentro.com |
Good food creates good mood in every situation. Everyone almost have the same reaction on the sight of an appetizing meal.
However, not every person is given the special talent for cooking.
That is how chefs differ from other people. They are equipped with magic hands and meticulous taste buds which will surely bring delight to the people who consume their delectable and original recipes.
Chefs are usually distinguished through their skills and experiences in cooking. Culinary schools make a remarkable impact on the education and development of an aspiring chef. They provide trainings and workshops that will help the students appreciate the art of cooking. Various schools around the world are offering culinary courses to the students who are interested in cooking. Among these schools, a school with an exquisite name of International School for Culinary Arts and Hotel Management (ISCAHM) stands out. ISCAHM is an exceptional world-class training center where commitment and affinity to the hospitality industry are the trademarks of teaching and learning. It is owned, established, and managed by top international professionals who came from different parts of the country brought together by one goal: to provide students with comprehensive theoretical knowledge and practical hands-on experience.
During the open house in ISCAHM, Chef Jose Alfonso “Joey ” Herrera, a culinary arts instructor in the hospitality industry of ISCAHM Quezon City, discussed his opinion about the importance of quality education in becoming a successful chef based from his past experiences. According to Chef Joey, the program and curriculum of a school determine the extent of a student’s learning. After going back to the Philippines from studying in Australia, he discovered ISCAHM and was given an opportunity to be able to work there as a culinary arts instructor. Being an expert in the kitchen, Chef Joey had wanted to impart his knowledge to students and help them reach their dreams of becoming a chef someday. He also mentioned that through ISCAHM, the students will be exposed to international experiences and introduce them to a bigger and more sophisticated domain of culinary arts. In ISCAHM they show the actual kitchen operations to the students by facilitating kitchen classes wherein they feed not only a limited number of people but the whole school to have them experience how it is like to work in a large scale restaurant. Time pressure is also a part of the training because like Chef Joey said, culinary arts is the only art with a time layout. Working in the food industry is very challenging and in ISCAHM, they prepare the students for the real world so that after they graduate, they will no longer be a stranger to the kind of profession they will pursue.
The best thing of being a chef is having to meet different kinds of people. Motivating students to be the best version of themselves is what inspires instructors like Chef Joey to teach. He stated that love can also be expressed through food. Seeing your loved ones appreciate the food you worked so hard to make can be the greatest achievement every chef can attain. Chefs should not only have hunger for food, but also, hunger for knowledge and willpower to make the impossible possible. With hard work and determination, success will certainly follow. As per Chef Joey’s inspiring advice to the young hopefuls, “If you are a young entrepreneur, you can use prior experience and knowledge to your advantage. Because being young does not necessarily mean you are incompetent, rather, it means you are fresh; like a vessel waiting to be filled.”
