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“I FELL INLOVE WITH COOKING”
By Angelica Perez (Batch 3)
Becoming a good cook does not start
only with the creation of new and exciting dishes.
Neither does it end with the tasting of the dish. To be
a great chef is to be conscientious of the whole process
involved in the preparation and (even after) consumption
of food. It starts with being responsible for your own
cooking environment and continues to being an assiduous
part in the crusade for a cleaner environment.
In the past, cooking was definitely a
chore for me. I was always too tired from school to cook
for the family. My mom would always ask me to cook but I
would, most of the time, beg off. Those few times I
tried to cook were, in a way, successful, what with my
family liking each dish I prepared. My mom would always
tease me I had what it takes to be a good cook but I
never really took her word for it. Cooking was a rare
occasion for me.
Until a few weeks ago, I had been
looking for ways to augment the family’s income and help
finance my studies. I plan to take up law when I finish
my undergraduate course this April. I looked at my
options and decided having a part-time office job may
not work best for me if I really wanted to pursue a
career in law. I needed something that would help me
manage my own time, as well as help me save for law
school. Never did it cross my mind to have a
food-related business to help finance my studies— until
recently.
I attended
the culinary training sponsored by Nestle-Maggi at the Bayan
Academy
with an open mind. Cooking has never been my passion and
I intended to leave it that way. I had too many
interests that cooking may just take a backseat. Those
five days I had literally changed my outlook in life.
Amid the
atmosphere of the hot and busy kitchen, I fell in love
with cooking. What I once thought would just take the
backseat, came to the forefront of my priorities in
life. What I was knew as cooking, I now knew to be
careless and wishy-washy. I became an intrepid cook,
eager to learn and try new things. It was good that at
the start of the program, Chef Eric reminded us to have
an open mind and not resist the new knowledge about the
different, but nonetheless correct, ways of cooking.
Searing, braising, stewing and blanching ceased to
become culinary jargon to me anymore. I have learned to
use them in the context of everyday cooking. At the end
of each of the five days of the culinary training, we
were tasked to watch out for A-ha moments or little
tidbits of information that might be new to us. I was a
bit skeptical. There was no way I could learn so much in
the five days I would be training in the academy. But
trust me, A-ha moments did not come few and far between.
I actually had more than enough to last me for the five
days.
Food safety
was foremost on the list. I learned to be responsible
for the food I prepared. Good hygiene is of prime
importance. Handling food comes with great
responsibility. I had to be responsible for the
inspection of the ingredients that were to become part
of the dish I was preparing. There cannot be an excuse
for irresponsibility. As they always say, prevention is
better than cure. Preventing the incidence of food-borne
diseases due to careless handling of food would save me
the embarrassment and expense of having to claim
responsibility for a person getting sick.
In the past, I have always believed that there was no
other way to cook other than the fast and easy way. What
with my busy school lifestyle, I have always tried to
cook using the quickest method possible. During the
training, I have learned to cease being resistant to new
methods of cooking which may have otherwise been foreign
to me. There is always a proper way to cook food. Chef
Eric introduced me (and my classmates) to the art of
cooking without having to sacrifice the safety and most
importantly, the taste of the food.
I’ve always believed that laughter is brightest when
food is best. With a family like mine that converges
around the dining table at dinnertime, excellent food
preparation is tops on our list. With the knowledge I
gained from the training, I know, positively and
definitely, laughter on our dining table would not come
few and far between. Everyday will always be a happy
day.
Today, I’m
actually trying to jumpstart my own little business that
would help me finance my law education. With a little
refinement, I know my little business could definitely
go a long way.
“FAST AND EASY BUSINESS WITH MAGGI”
By Arni Bulseco (Batch 3)
Being a simple mother for 23 years and a small time
entrepreneur, I was not knowledgeable in so many things
that are happening inside my kitchen and cooking area
that can lead to food poisoning of my family and my
clients.
Attending the Bayan Academy- Maggi-Nestle Culinary
Training has taught me and made me aware of many things
that have to be avoided in handling foods.
I have learned that acidity, temperature, time, oxygen
and moisture in the food are some conditions that
support the growth of harmful food-borne microorganisms.
I also learned the different methodology and their
differences in cooking such as steaming, poaching,
simmering, boiling, en-papillote, stewing, braising, par
boiling and blanching, sautéing and pan frying.
I also learned how to determined the doneness of meat
from rare to well done by putting my thumbnail together
with my other fingers. I learned the difference and uses
of herbs and spices.
There are some traditional ways we do in handling and
cooking that I have learned are not advisable, like
washing the meat can take away the flavor, that the
chicken can produce salmonella when not handled
properly, cooking
menudo is not that tedious as I know it was, making
tapa is just
as easy as 1,2,3, that pan frying a thick cut of meat
can preserve the juices and nutrients of it,
making atchara
in a simple way but still has a better taste,
cooking chopsuey with less ingredients but still taste
good, searing the chicken/pork in cooking adobo is
better than the traditional way of simply putting all
the ingredients then simmer and many more.
I’m using all the knowledge, skills and different
methods that I have learned in that 5- day training in
cooking for my family and in our small catering
business, which really help me a lot in saving time and
money.
“MAGIC HEART”
By
Cherry Lou Juntarciego
(Batch 3)
It’s a blessing in disguised to
belong in the Maggi Magic Sarap Batch 3 Scholars. I
wasn’t supposed to be on this batch, fortunately, one of
the participants failed to attend on the first day, so I
became the buffer for the absence of that person. Thanks
to whomever he/she is.
I love to cook and experiment. Most
of the dishes I served to my family were all just
experiment but it really tastes good, even my friends
love it. I have been asked by my friends to cook for
them on some special occasions and even told me to set
up my own little food business. I tried to start a food
franchise business but it didn’t push through. What I
have right now is a home-based pastry business which
accepts orders mostly from my friends. Sooner or later,
I will push through with the food business, but right
now, I’m in the process of learning everything to
prepare myself on the real world of business. I believe
that you have to be wise, knowledgeable, certain and
confident to whatever path you will take especially if
you will start a business. After Maggi Training, I
wanted to enroll at the Bayan Academy Pastry course, but
I don’t have the means and time at that moment.
Before the Maggi Training, I cooked
too long but after the training and applied the things
that Chef Eric taught us, everything turns upside down.
Now, I cook fast and even improved my food presentation.
Before, all of my dishes were overcooked because I don’t
know how to determine if the food is already cooked. But
with all the techniques Chef Eric taught us, I can
proudly say today that I am a great cook.
I am very grateful that I had a privilege to be
mentored by Chef Erick. He will teach you everything he
knows unlike other chef. Indeed, I have learned many
things from the training not just the secrets and
techniques but also other important things to consider
in cooking. I have appreciated so much his concern about
the future generation for us to be responsible for the
food sustainability and I quote “…for ensuring that
there is enough if not bountiful supply of produce for
the next generations
...” and the other thing that touched me most and
knocked me hard on my head was when he said we have to
master our very own dishes before mastering other
country’s cuisines. I strongly agree that we should love
and patronize our own.
Right now it’s still a long road for
me before I could be able to set up my little dream of
food business. The only commitment I could guarantee and
give right now with Maggi and Bayan
Academy
is that the things I have learned from the training will
not come into naught for I will share those knowledge,
skills and techniques to others. Still, a lot of people
will benefit from the training I attended.
Last June 30, the LDS scholars were
asked by President Daquiaog to cooked for the ERC
(Employment Resource Center)Directors meeting at Anonas,
ERC office. The scholars present that time were Sis.
Daquiaog, Irene,
Lourdes
and me, the rest were hard to contact. The outcome was
rewarding as we received lots of praises from the foods
we cooked. They loved the food most especially the
tanglad ginger juice, which I could say is the
blockbuster. Last July 3, I was asked by our Relief
Society president to share and teach our RS sisters one
simple dish from the Maggi training. They love the
simple pansit canton and again they love the tanglad
ginger juice. Recently, July 18, I was asked again by
the wife of our Young Men President to cook for his
husband 61th birthday. There are more coming birthdays
that requires my free service and favor. I may not earn
right now from doing those services to others but at
least I was able to share the things I’ve learned from
Maggi.
I am so grateful to be part of the
Maggi Magic Sarap and
Bayan
Academy scholars. I wish
more power to Maggi and
Bayan
Academy that they may give
more opportunity to others to be able to attend their
wonderful training. I wish they will also open it to
those mothers who only want to learn more on giving
their family budgeted dished but a very nutritious food
as well. More power to Maggi and
Bayan
Academy. Rest assured that
sooner or later the things I learned from the wonderful
training they had given me will be a dream come true to
me to be able to have my own food business and applied
the things I’ve learned.
“MAGIC
MOM”
By Veronica Manantan (Batch 3)
First of all, I would like to thank
everyone who made this program possible and available to
those who are willing to take the course for free.
This alone I am so grateful for the big, big
heart you have to share and see the people grow by
applying what they learned.
I am a single parent for 16 years now
since I lost my husband due to a car accident and a
gunshot wound.
My children then were very young that ages 11, 9,
7 and 4, which were a boy and 3 girls. I’ve been working
to survive and send my children to school.
It wasn’t easy at all and it never was.
I saw many miracles in my behalf because we are
living a normal life and I paid my bills on time and eat
at least 3 times a day with snacks, etc. My children
were not deprived of other young children should enjoy
and they excel also in school. I am also into
networking, real estate, and direct selling that
provides additional income to meet our daily needs.
My routines were just focused on home, office
work, part time job, and church.
I had very few hours to be at home and to cook.
When I am too tired and my children as well, we ended up
buying “lutong ulam” or just eat in fastfood. Now my
children are grown up and had finished college. I just
retired from work and just about time for me to be a
full time Mom.
I thought of how to fully serve my children even
if they are already grown up and just enjoy my new world
now. When I received a call to be one of the
participants in the academy, I never had a second
thought and showed up for an interview, for me it is a
great blessing to be amongst the chosen few.
My experience in the academy is one
of my most treasured. As I mentioned before that I’ve
never been to this kind of training of a one week purely
cooking hands-on after a demo from an experienced and
professional Chef.
I salute Chef Erik for his dedication and
willingness to share everything that he knows and even
asked us to ask him anything regarding cooking and
preparation and even presentation to make it more
palatable, enticing and appealing to taste.
I had so many AHAs because it looks that almost
everything that I saw is new to me, although the recipes
are the same but the preparation and the process is a
lot easier, in a short period of time and the taste of
the food is superb!
I love it. Now I begin to love the kitchen and
cooking as well.
Application is soon visible at home.
My family said that I have a tastier and
delicious food on the table.
They love the tinola which I cooked first soon
after I learned it because of my willingness to practice
slicing the whole chicken into 10 cuts and I am
successful on that.
My son got three servings in fact, a good sign of
a delicious food.
Next, I love the chopsuey because I like the
bright colors of the vegetables and their taste.
My favorite is the pancit canton. Every time I
have visitors, I cook this menu because it is so easy
now for me to prepare this.
In fact during my birthday early this month, I
prepared pancit canton 3 times for my visitors and they
love it and they almost asked me about my secret. Of
course I have other food on the table like chicken but
they said my pancit was outstanding.
Again, we have on-going construction, home for my
son and I am the one preparing the food. One snack I
prepared was lugaw. They noticed my improvement in
cooking and even challenged me to put up an eatery and
even at a distance, they will still come to buy from me.
My goal is to start up a small
canteen or eatery in front of our home, convert our
porch into an eatery.
Prepare something for breakfast and lutong ulam
(home made). I also started to make pickles. Start small
and then scale up. I will keep you posted.
Again, thank you very much for
everything!!!
“PROUD MOMMY”
By Teresa
Climaco (Batch 5)
I am Teresa N. Climaco, 44 years old
and a housewife.
When I decided to resign from my previous work, I
took up the culinary course in Bayan Academy
in partnership with Nestle-Maggi. My desire for personal
growth and my family serves as my drive to pursue the
course. My family has been fond of eating delicious
foods.
Since I was a child, I am the one who
cooks for the family because I am the only girl among
five siblings.
I have cooked and served variety of foods for my
family and know a few cooking techniques.
I was really blessed, because I’m one
of the few chosen to be a part of Nestle-Maggi Culinary
Training. It helps me a lot to improve the cooking
method I’m used to.
It’s really difficult to be a mother of three
kids. But through the knowledge I gained from the
training such as food safety and sanitation, the
purchasing principles,
food storage, and different cooking methods ,
food sustainability, waste segregation and health &
wellness I’m very confident that I can take care of my
family.
Even the presentation of food, brings
unique to the eyes of my family members.
My mother’s-in-law helper utter that “wow ang
dami naman alam ni ate.”
Another one, my helper said “Ganun lang tapos na”?
And that’s the appreciation should be credited to MAGGI
for the training.
Today, I still
cook foods for my family. If in case I’m not available,
I see to it that all foods are in their proper storage,
I plan what next to be cooked, and there’s a ready
prepared menu at the refrigerator for the helper to cook
in my absence. And for sure there always be available
MAGGI cooking aids at the cabinet storage.
MAGGI SINIGANG, MAGGI OYSTER SAUCE, MAGGI MYSABAW AND
MAGGI MAGIC SARAP!!!!
MABUHAY MAGGI and ABS-CBN Bayan
Academy!!!!
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