The Rockin’ Chef Trainees

I hear people say that chefs are the modern day rock stars. Some chefs I know have legions of fans screaming whenever the latter gets a chance encounter with their idols. Series of requests for picture taking with their hero follow. Food-related product endorsements, food magazines and television programs such as those shown in the Lifestyle Channel greatly influenced this culture of chef idolatry.

Sadly, this phenomenon has affected the philosophy of some of the chef students who think that the profession is all glamour and a quick ticket to fame. About 10 percent of my students confess to desiring to be a celebrity chef or wanting to live the perceived rock and roll lifestyle of a chef. My job as instructor is to let them realize that our vocation is full of hard work, unending need to study, self discipline and the yearning romance with food.

February this year, bona fide rock star Ricci Gurango, a very talented guitar player for famed rock bands such as The Jett Pangan Group, Hungry Young Poets, Mojofly and THE UNKNWN, enrolled in my class. His band had to take a backseat when he went to school and took an internship. With his much disciplined work ethic, I saw him progress from a timid student to a confident chef trainee. I got a remarkable feedback on his internship in In-yo.

Then in June, Kevin Roy, lead singer of Razorback and LOQI (pronounced as low key), occupied a seat in my class. Kevin, whose initiation to the rock and roll scene was at the world famous heavy metal band Mettalica’s Manila concert as a front act, had his first cooking lessons from his father Jose Roy, Jr. Their regular trips to Italian Village, Monk’s Inn inspired them to make gnocchi together. Prior to enrollment, he was busy writing an album for Razorback but he had to put that on hold because these days his thoughts are only on food. He equates song writing to a recipe or a formula of sorts. That’s why his current project is a rock opera, an album that tells a whole story.  

While many salivate to be rock heroes, here are two legitimate and respected rock stars who have made a name for themselves in the Philippine rock scene and yet crave to learn the fine art of food making. It is all about the arts, and fame has nothing to do with their choice. I am elated that they realize that cooking, just like music, involves a lot of creativity. It's not called culinary arts for nothing.

Their newly discovered passion also serves as a safety net for the families’ future. Both plan to start a food business soon. But distressingly, we might lose Ricci to Canada and Kevin to Australia if the business climate here does not improve. 

Being a rock fanatic for as long as I can remember, two questions bugged me ever since they enlisted in my class: Are they willing to trade places with me? Would I be a better rock star than a chef? I, along with my fellow chefs in Global Academy, Edward Bugia, Rob and Sunshine Pengson are honing our musical talents on Guitar Hero and Rock Band on PS3. My years of hanging out in Calle in Makati and Club Dredd in the Scout Area and Cubao didn’t do anything to help my disastrous performances. I recognize that I am better off as a chef instructor to the rock stars than a rock star chef. That realization, however, has not stopped me from ROCKIN’ ON!