MANILA, Philippines - If there’s one thing 38-year-old Jason Pineda learned in life it’s that one should never give up following a dream: no one knows when it might come true.
An architect by profession, Pineda has always known that he was meant to be a chef even as a kid. He realized it when he and his siblings were helping their mom in their small kitchen back home in Pampanga. But as life would have it, he would go on to take up architecture at the University of Santo Tomas, setting aside a lifelong passion for the meantime.
For several years, he found himself working at a local architecture firm before moving to Dubai in 2002. Pineda spent seven years there.
“I was actually praying for it, for the ultimate sign,” recalled Pineda. “Before the recession hit, I was already thinking of taking a culinary program or certificate. I’d been browsing through the Internet for the best culinary school. So when they gave me my last pay, I took it as an answered prayer.”
Pineda had the option to stay longer in the Middle Eastern country and possibly enroll at an international cooking academy there. His former boss told Pineda that the company could still absorb him after six or eight months. Pineda still decided to look for a school in the Philippines so he could have an excuse to head back home. The task wasn’t easy though as Pineda wanted a short-term course since he was promised his job back after a brief “resting” period.
Pineda chanced upon the Center for the Culinary Arts (CCA, Manila) and discovered its latest six-month Fast Track-Pro Chef Program at Oceana, a CCA school, restaurant and events center.
“I went to their website and learned that CCA had a program that suited me best and that was the six-month fast Track-Pro Chef program,” he said.
The six-month program of Oceana is based on classical French culinary techniques focusing on the preparation and service of various international cuisines. Comprised of six tracks, students rotate in the various areas of restaurant operation, learning theories, gaining skills and experiencing work integration within the restaurant school. Under the supervision and guidance of very competent and seasoned chef instructors from the hotel and hospitality industry, students experience a career development guided mentoring approach in learning.
Pineda enrolled in June last year. He graduated with flying colors around February this year.
“Other people think it’s easy but it’s not,” explained Pineda. “The six-month fast track program is like a culinary program similar to a two-year program but it’s compressed into six months. The first four months you learn mainly about cooking, baking, lectures and exams. The last two months are allotted for learning restaurant service and operations.”
Pineda said it was a breeze; he had a lot of previous practice, after all, not only when he was a kid but also when he was living in Dubai.
“I used to cook for friends and family especially when I was abroad,” replied Pineda. “I had the time to practice in Dubai like on weekends when we usually have gatherings or parties. I used to cater for my friends or for 40 to 60 people. I also practiced baking there especially cakes.”
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Oceana is located at Building A, San Miguel by the Bay, SM Mall of Asia, Pasay City. For more information, please contact: 426-4840 to 41 or e-mail: marketing@cca-manila.com. Visit the website at www.Oceanaphils.com or www.cca-manila.com.