New chef instructors & courses at First Gourmet Academy

MANILA, Philippines - First Gourmet Academy has two top international chefs as teachers — Michael Westelius and Dennis Schnitzler. They will join First Gourmet Academy’s director, Swedish chef Mats Loo, who is at the helm of the school’s kitchen as chief instructor.  

Chef Mats has a university degree in Social Science and a diploma in Culinary Arts from Virginska Skolan in Örebro, Sweden, and is a veteran of European restaurants and global cruise ships.

After studying five years of culinary arts in the Netherlands, 33-year-old Dutch chef Dennis Schnitzler worked for several hotels and the three-star Michelin restaurant de Librije. After establishing a fine dining restaurant that received a 3 AA Rosette level, chef Dennis worked for the Avila Hotel in the Island of Curacao in the Carribean and set up a fine-dining restaurant there. He later joined the Royal Caribbean Cruises as an executive sous chef, which he holds till now.

Michael Westelius attended culinary college in Hotelloch Restaurang Skolan, Sandviken, Sweden. He took on a chef de partie post at fine-dining restaurant Erik’s Gondolen in Stockholm, followed by a stint in The Waterside Inn, one of the best restaurants in the UK, as a commis chef. Chef Michael worked for M/V National Geographic Endeavour in 2003 as a sous chef and later became its head chef. At present, he is the executive chef of M/V National Geographic Explorer.

First Gourmet Academy announces two new course offerings: the Asian cuisine and European cuisine.

The school is accredited by Waiariki Institute of Technology. Students of First Gourmet Academy may pursue further studies in New Zealand’s state university. Waiariki will credit all modules taken up in First Gourmet Academy. 

First Gourmet Academy offers two diploma courses — commercial cooking and culinary arts and commercial cooking, culinary arts and entrepreneurship — and short certificate courses on fundamentals of culinary arts, fundamentals of baking and pastry, artisan bread, gourmet cooking and wine appreciation.   Diploma courses begin on Jan. 18.

First Gourmet Academy is located at Capitol Greenstreet, Capitol Hills Drive, Old Balara, Quezon City. For inquiries, call 951-1687 and 951-9655 or SMS 0908-259-2639, visit www.firstgourmet-academy.com or e-mail info@firstgourmetacademy.com.