CCA Manila Interactive - A Souffle Industry

A Souffle Industry

By Mio de la Cruz
July 06, 2008, Philippine Daily Inquirer

MANILA, Philippines – With so many cooking schools setting the local culinary scene on fire, it's bound to be the next casualty of the “hot pandesal syndrome,” where just about everyone rides on the current moneymaker. After all, with tourism pushing up the fine dining business, cruise liners demanding trained chefs and homecoming OFWs wondering where to invest their savings, students are flocking to culinary institutes to learn the hottest trade of the moment.

While most culinary schools in the country offer only short courses, a few of them offer both short- and long-term cooking courses, including the Center for Culinary Arts (CCA).

The CCA, for example, provides lengthier curricula, including a full two-year program on Culinary Arts and Technology Management and a one-year Certificate Program in Baking and Pastry Arts.

Graduates of the two-year program may initially serve as line cooks or, at times, chefs de partie in fine hotels, restaurants, and other food establishments locally and internationally until they become head chefs or restaurant entrepreneurs or celebrity TV hosts, like Rosebud Benitez of “Quickfire,” Christian Encarnacion of QTV, Nino Logarta, Miguel Alba and Darlo Lopez.

“Tourism is the single biggest factor that contributes to the growth of cooking schools in the country,” says JB Bolaños, CCA marketing manager. “With tourism comes the need for more restaurants and other food joints that cater to the needs of tourists.”

Not everyone, of course, is prepared - or able - to splurge close to P1 million for a cooking career or a simple cooking lesson. So, how does one choose a cooking school?

A major consideration will have to be what you want out of your education. Are you just seeking to improve your cooking skills or are you looking towards a career? If it's simply improving cooking skills and seeking a healthy recreational outlet that you're after, then the smaller, short-course culinary schools have more than enough cooking courses to satisfy your fancy.

But if you're after a definite career in the culinary field, then a special degree program may help you decide between the high-end Culinary Arts and Technology degree from the Center of Culinary Arts and the lower-end HRM and nutrition courses available in traditional colleges and universities.

In the end, your choice of a culinary school becomes a personal decision in terms of your budget and your reason for taking up cooking. If you are Judy Ann Santos and you love cooking, then your choice of school was perfect no matter what the cost was. But for Ryan Agoncillo and Derek Ramsay who needed just a little exposure in cooking for their roles in the telenovela “Ysabella,” then a one-day sit-in at the CCA was more than enough.

If you are determined to take up cooking as a career, then it is time to list down your preferences and narrow down your choice to the best school that is going to give you the best culinary education your budget can afford.

Link: Inquirer.net

Comments (0)

Write comment

You must be logged in to post a comment. Please register if you do not have an account yet.

< Prev		Next >

[ Back ]

Login Form

User Menu

CCA Blog

Member Profile

Submit to CCA Blog

CCA, Manila @ 11 (2007)

Philippines for Junior World Association of Chefs' Societies (WACS)

Visitors by Country

Totals Top 10
	67 %	Philippines
	13 %	United States
	3 %	Sweden
	2 %	Saudi Arabia
	2 %	United Kingdom
	< 1.0 %	United Arab Emirates
	< 1.0 %	Singapore
	< 1.0 %	Canada
	< 1.0 %	Japan
	< 1.0 %	Australia

Visitor Counters

Visits today:	74
Visits yesterday:	500
Visits month:	3602
Visits total:	114381
Max.daily visits:	541
occurred:	2009-1-6
Pages today:	675
Pages yesterday:	4031
Pages this month:	29756
Bots today:	13
Data since:	2007-11-28

Total Registered Users

	250 registered
	0 today
	0 this week
	0 this month
	Last: ma. lourdes lobrin santos

CCA BILLBOARD

(?)

Latest Message: 4 weeks, 1 day ago

Jam : hi ! can i know how much is the tuition fee in cca ? im still looking for a c.a school to enroll
darkangel_yuwe : hi! can anyone tell me how to qualify for scholarship offered by the CEF?please, please...thank you
darkangel_yuwe : hi!
trishie : hi there!!! i want to learn how to cook and be a chef...
leningco : Hi there! Watch CCA Alumni battle it out with KATOQUE chefs on December 6, Qtv Channel 11 at 11:00am. Replay is on Tuesday, 2pm. Chefs participating are Dee Luna, Jed Baluyot, Jen Pangilinan and Me, Len Ingco.
leningco : Hi there! Watch CCA Alumni battle it out with KATOQUE chefs on December 6, Qtv Channel 11 at 11:00am. Replay is on Tuesday, 2pm. Chefs participating are Dee Luna, Jed Baluyot, Jen Pangilinan and Me, Len Ingco!
lilmisschef : haluuu!
roxy : hello! can u please send me a copy of the tuition fee..so, that i can tell my mom how much..thx a lot
chum :
chum : i want to enroll but i dont know how much the tuition fee

Please Login to shout..