In March, the Center for Culinary Arts, Manila (CCA Manila) will finally open its first-ever satellite campus in Makati, offering a highly intensive culinary program for both nonprofessional and professional individuals.
This time, it raises the bar in Philippine culinary education by forging a partnership with Institut Culinaire Disciples Escoffier (ICDE), a prestigious French culinary school based in Hong Kong.
“With Escoffier coming in as a complementary to our existing program, rigorous French cooking skills and competence will be taught by top French chefs or Michelin-starred chefs. That’s a big factor if you’re truly passionate about your craft,” said chef Melissa Oreta, CCA’s program director.
ICDE is the professional culinary school of Disciples Escoffier International, a nonprofit organization with over 25,000 members in 26 countries. It is guided by the standards established by legendary chef Auguste Escoffier, a culinary writer, pioneer in the fine dining and luxury hospitality
industry, and father of modern French cuisine.
Tradition, heritage
Escoffier in Manila will only be the second in Asia. The first was established in Hong Kong two years ago with Towngas Cooking Center as its local partner. Located at Lee Theatre Plaza in Causeway Bay, the school boasts of state-of-the art facilities with one student per cooking station.
The program is based on the traditions and heritage of French cuisine, while integrating some of the latest innovations in French cooking.
Students, mostly locals and professionals, are given 540 hours of intensive practical training in the kitchen classroom for nine months. Class size remains small—a maximum of 12—so that students benefit from the individualized coaching of one master chef-instructor and one assistant chef. A ratio of one instructor to four students is maintained.
“We concentrate on practical training to provide students with technical, applicable skills that are in high demand within the fine dining and luxury hospitality industry,” said Ben Grenier, ICDE chief operating officer.
Internship for students will be in prominent French restaurants in Hong Kong, such as Caprice (Four Seasons Hotel, two-star Michelin) and Amber (Landmark Mandarin Hotel, two-star Michelin and Asia’s Best 50 Restaurants).
“What sets us apart from other schools is that we give two diplomas—the Escoffier Grand Diploma in Culinary Arts and the National Diploma in French Cuisine from the French Ministry of Education,” added Grenier.
The French diploma is the practical equivalent to the one obtained by most French professional chefs. Students who are awarded the diploma are registered in a national database maintained by the French ministry.
Final exam, graduation
Inquirer Lifestyle had a chance to witness the students’ final exams before their graduation rites the next day.
Students had to cook on the spot at their respective workstations under the scrutinizing eyes of master chefs-judges who were flown in from France. Chefs Serge Robin and Pierre Barde closely checked the techniques and plating details of each student.
Over a four-hour period, Escoffier students had to produce three technically demanding dishes incorporating nine cooking techniques—Eggs Florentine, Sautéed Hunter-Style Chicken and Lemon Meringue Tartlets.
They were graded according to preparation, cooking, hygiene and sanitation, taste, seasoning and presentation.
Judges deliberated and encouraged the students to be bold enough to go out of their comfort zone and not be intimidated by the ingredients and seasoning. They were told to trust their palate to come up with exceptional food.
Fortunately, everyone passed the exam. After the nine-month culinary course, the second batch of graduates of the ICDE received their certificates and medals.
Jeremy Yeung was named the outstanding student and received a trophy from Vincent Leroux, chef-instructor and president for Disciples Escoffier Hong Kong, and Robert Fontana, Asia headquarters chair for Disciples Escoffier Asia.
Exact same classes
Leroux said there are already 60 people on the waiting list for the third and fourth batches of the Escoffier course. The courses in Hong Kong are conducted in the exact same way they are done in professional culinary schools in France, as will be in CCA Makati, he added.
Under Escoffier, students will learn more than 250 French cooking techniques including making dough, chicken jus and béchamel, and filleting fish.
“We give emphasis on respecting ingredients and working with your heart,” said Leroux. “We have a notebook to keep track of the progress of each student.”
“I’m excited at the partnership with CCA,” he added. “It’s a big school and we are so impressed at how hardworking the people are in CCA and their dedication to introduce intensive culinary programs to the country.”
Escoffier in CCA Makati will be a six-month program with a teacher-to-student ratio of one to five. Each student’s work station will have its own LED monitor for easier, more focused instructions.
The course fee is inclusive of two sets of chef jacket and pants, a set of Deglon knives, free use of Calcmenu (software for the kitchen), e-books, library facilities of the CCA main campus, lockers and ingredients. French master chefs will handle the classes.
Students should be at least 21 years old, a degree holder or with at least 10 years of work experience in any field.
Escoffier is ideal for those coming from different industries who would like to pursue a career in the culinary arts, undergraduates and graduates who are looking for first-time career opportunities, and chefs who are looking for more training to brush up on their skills.
School expansion
CCA Makati is part of the school’s expansion, with four more campuses opening this year at Bonifacio Global City, Intramuros, Pampanga and Cagayan de Oro City.
“We position CCA Makati as a food business school, where students will also be taught the rigors of setting up a food business, operations, menu expansion and the like,” said Oreta.
Aside from Escoffier as its flagship program, CCA Makati will also have courses for those interested in working in restaurants. Topics will include basic government requirements such as what taxes to file, how to calculate VAT (value-added tax) and labor laws, along with classes on core values and professionalism in the food business.
“I think we are the only culinary school with ethics and values as a class. That’s a very big thing to us,” said Oreta.
“It’s also a prerequisite to being a professional,” said chef Sau del Rosario, the school’s culinary director. “The values you learn will basically help you to think the proper way and eventually succeed in your profession.”
CCA Makati is located on H.V. dela Costa Street, Makati City. For inquiries, call 2188566 or email [email protected], or visit: www.cca-manila.edu.ph.
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