After completing the Diploma in Culinary Arts program in Manila, I joined the kitchen Roca Moo, 1* Star Michelin Restaurant in Barcelona, Spain, for a 1-year internship as a junior cook. This has been one of the most humbling and wonderful milestones that I have ever experienced. I believe that joining IDE has opened opportunities for me that I could never have imagined a few years back. It has given me a strong foundation to keep up with the pressure and standards a Michelin-starred kitchen demands.

I always loved cooking, but it came to a point when I used up all my existing skillset, and I needed to advance. So I signed up for this course. It’s a personal pursuit, but to be honest also an investment to me. I’d like to use the skills I learned here to maybe expand my F&B business. I’m now well equipped to launch a restaurant, but right now I want to explore social media, my goal is to help people cook something that looks good and is easy to do.

The learning curve is quite steep at first, but it gets easier towards the advanced part of the Diploma program… I run three restaurants, and I’m now applying a lot of my new skills in my F&B operations. The customers appreciate it, especially the sauces.

What I was really looking for was professional training. The Diploma program is focused a lot on the techniques, you learn everything from the cutting techniques, sauce making, plating – we covered a lot of areas… French cuisine is delicate, beautiful, and it tastes good at the same time! As a wedding planner, now I have started to bake cakes for my clients.

I’ve learned so much during this training program…Beyond the techniques, it gave me culinary ideas and inspirations that will serve me well for the rest of my life.