ASHA students get international apprenticeship

MANILA, Philippines - Many skilled and determined Filipino workers in the hotel and tourism industry want to land a job overseas, but not all are given the chance to “make it.” In the cut-throat world where good compensation and other benefits are the rewards, industry workers have to prove their intelligence, ability and strategies to win the nod of interested employers.

That is why for two Asian School for Hospitality Arts (ASHA) alumni Corinthia Gretl Pastor and Joshua Andrew Dello, being chosen for a one-year culinary apprenticeship at the famous Ritz-Carlton Resort in Amelia Island in Florida, USA is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

“It was a dare worth taking,” according to 22-year old Dello, who says it wasnít really expected.

“I know I wanted it, but knowing that you are going to get it, out of the 40+ people who probably want it more than I do, it was a mind-blowing experience,” says the 26-year-old Pastor.

As the country’s most dynamic school for the hotel, restaurant and tourism industry today, ASHA has helped turned most of its graduates’ dreams into reailty, and many of them are now thankful to the school’s tireless guidance as they make a mark in the global food & beverage and hospitality industries.

“The apprenticeship is not only designed to teach them what actually goes on in the kitchen operations of a famous resort. They get a working allowance for their stay, and if they perform well, there is a possibility of being hired. Remember that this is the Ritz-Carlton chain of hotels we are talking about. They are practically located in many countries, and in the Philippines they are represented by the Marriott Hotel, so if you get hired, you can go places and have a promising career with a reputable brand,” said Angie Blanco, Dean of ASHA.

The Ritz-Carlton Amelia Island’s Executive Chef Thomas Tolxdorf visited the country last December for a two-day visit to personally choose the possible applicants through a series of interviews conducted on the spot and via live online conversation. To start, the German-American chef oversees all aspects of the Florida-based resort’s food and beverage operations, with nearly 100 staff serving food in catering, conference banquets, lounges and other restaurants. From the more than 40 applicants, only 17 were accepted, and from ASHA, it was Pastor and Dello who made it.

“I prioritized applicants who held college diplomas, but more than that, I chose those who have the attitude and the drive to deliver work in a fast-paced environment,” Pastor quoted Chef Tolxdorf as saying. She had the chance to meet him face to face, while Dello was interviewed online via video call.

“I think that what Chef Tolxdorf appreciated was my straightforward answer. When she asked me what I wanted to do in life, I instantly answered, ‘I wanted to become an executive chef!’ To which he laughed hard and jokingly replied, ‘So you are after my job!’ The questions he asked were situational, and what I learned from my studies in ASHA I was able to apply in my answers. Then I got an email two days later telling me that I got accepted. I was speechless,” she narrated. She flew in last January 16 and will be staying there for a year.

“I’m very thankful to Dean Blanco for recommending me to take the interview exams, and to the instructors, since I began my first steps to realizing my goal through this school. My experiences with the school were good, and I’m happy to represent ASHA in a prestigious hotel chain like Ritz-Carlton,” he concluded.

ASHA has branches located in Antipolo, Kamias QC, Tagaytay, Santolan Greenhills, and West Avenue QC. For more stories of successful hospitality arts graduates, call 0917-5729790 or visit: www.asha.edu.ph/ or facebook.com/ashaschool.