The next course: A student-led tasting menu plus rising food entrepreneurs
More than a place of learning, schools are meant to prepare students for the real world—building foundations through technical know-how, instilling discipline and a strong work ethic, and bridging the gap between theory and practice through hands-on, industry-facing training. And culinary schools are no exception.
Expanding beyond the typical classroom setup, culinary schools in the Philippines have become more immersive. With training grounds that mirror the pace, pressure, and discipline of professional kitchens, students are pushed to think on their feet and navigate real service—no longer a baptism by fire when they step into the real world.
The F&B industry is taking on a younger voice, and it’s being led by students. From capstone kitchens to real-world ventures, a new generation of chefs is stepping into the industry, with students from Ateneo’s Le Cordon Bleu and CCA Manila leading the charge.
1. Anyo takes a crack at coconut in student-led tasting menu
From one ingredient to a concept, and from there, a full dining experience. This year’s BS Restaurant Entrepreneurship students of the John Gokongwei School of Management (JGSOM) and Le Cordon Bleu Ateneo de Manila present Anyo, a capstone project that culminated in a six-course tasting menu that highlights coconut in its many delicious iterations.
Anyo, meaning “form” or “manifestation,” is said to reflect a belief that “when a single ingredient is fully explored, it can reveal an entire array of flavors,” according to the students behind the limited-time concept.
Founded on visits to Tayabas, Quezon—the leading producer of coconut-based goods—to immerse in the region’s heritage, as well as stops at Mallari Distillery and Tayabas Bakery. Guided by Michelin Bib Gourmand awardee Miggy Cabel Moreno of Palm Grill and Cabel, the students were able to translate their research into a cohesive tasting menu that showcased local products and ancestral techniques.
Set in the Le Cordon Bleu campus—where the blank canvas of a space was spruced up with greenery, rattan, and woven elements that gave off a rustic theme—the tasting menu began with a welcome drink of buko juice and a nostalgic favorite: Pan de Bibingka. Echoing the elements of the well-loved rice cake, this coconut milk bread features a salted egg crust and a piece of gata kesong puti on top—paired with muscovado butter, made in-house, and burnt coconut shavings. A strong start with each element carefully thought out.
Next came the entree—Buko sa Tahure—a salad with a thinly sliced singkamas base, topped with layers of roasted eggplant and tomatoes, crispy kangkong, and a creamy tahure sauce, made with fermented beancurd and freshly squeezed coconut milk for that smooth texture. Buko meat was used to imitate the texture of scallops using coconut at its firmest, mala-katad state. A paradox of fresh flavors and richness that somehow work well together.
It even came with a refreshing coconut spritz—made with clarified Don Papa Rum through moringa-infused coconut milk, sparkling coconut juice, and guyabano—that also doubles as a palate cleanser.
Then the soup: Uved. A Batanes dish from the Ivatan people, it featured an aromatic, clear soup made with fish and chicken stock with a ground ubod and pampano meatball in the center—crispy pampano skin and fresh leeks on top. Meanwhile, the main dish takes inspiration from the Tausug people of Mindanao, with Inihaw—chicken skewers in two iterations: pamapa itum (smoky burnt coconut paste and aromatics) and bubok (spiced toasted coconut). Paired with puso rice and an ensaladang talong for bright contrast and acidity, it was both filling and well-executed, simple and straightforward, but flavorful all the same.
This was paired with a coconut-based iteration of an amaretto sour—aptly called the Lambanog Sour, made with shaken lambanog, honey, calamansi, and calamansi foam, served on the rocks.
And finally, dessert. A two-way end to the coconut degustation, it starts with a pre-dessert of ginataang bilo-bilo, reimagined as an ice cream. On a base of kamote bread crumble sits a scoop of ice cream, flanked by sticky coconut (reminiscent of malagkit rice balls), and caramelized saba. And to cut through the rich sweetness, asin tultul (an artisanal salt made from driftwood ash and coconut milk) is grated on top for a smoky finish. If the meal ended on this note, it would be a good one.
But then came another one—taho. The coconut panna cotta, lightly sweetened with liputi lambanog made sweet, came with sago on the side, toasted coconut flakes, and fresh langka, which took the show. It’s paired with burnt coconut coffee—made with toasted rice and coconut.
Overall, the entire menu seems like something out of a fine dining establishment, and while there are a few rough edges, the fact that students execute this (every Wednesday since February) makes this a diamond in the rough—one that is full of potential.
2. Newly minted chefs from CCA Manila branch out into online businesses of their own
CCA Manila’s culinary courses, whether diploma or certificate, are proof that there will always be an opportunity for learning—and to revisit a love for food. And these alumni who have graduated and started their own respective businesses are proof of that, with the fruits of their labor and learnings, now taking shape in the products they sell.
Raymund Aaron of Villa Socorro, known for its “sabanana” banana chips, builds its brand Farmony on the principles of farm-to-snack, while offering accessible, healthy snacks to the market. “It sometimes only requires simple but whole ingredients to make something good,” he says. “Farm-fresh bananas with organic muscovado sugar from Dumaguete, cooked in 100 percent coconut oil.”
Meanwhile, Jarvin Ty of Van Leuven Bakery built his brand on canelés, sourdough bread, and waffles. “They’re still quite niche in the Philippine market, but we’ve found that customers who have tried them abroad are always excited to discover a local version they can enjoy and share with others,” he explains. Inspired by European baked goods, the entrepreneur “focused on identifying gaps in accessibility and convenience—such as offering slicing options, half loaves, and different formats like oval and Pullman shapes for specific uses,” and in doing so, offers baked goods that are “unique and underrepresented locally, while still being approachable to a wider audience.”
As for chef instructor and CCA Manila alumna Anne Atanacio of Anghelicas, her brand was hinged on her bestselling baklava, which was featured in Inquirer Lifestyle’s “Best Desserts Book 3.” “Made with rich, milky kasuy layered between flaky filo pastry, it’s a combination that is easy to like,” she explains. But make no mistake—the chef offers more than just this Middle Eastern dessert.
“Anghelica’s is a tribute to Philippine sweets. I wanted to create exciting products—elevated versions of the desserts we grew up enjoying,” she adds. “For example, the classic custard cake is traditionally a plain chiffon cake topped with a thin layer of custard. I reimagined it by making the custard thicker—almost an inch—and pairing it with ube-flavored chiffon, creating what is now our ube leche flan cake.”
Whether it’s giving Aaron confidence in combining flavors, equipping Ty with essential business fundamentals that provide him with “the tools and confidence to navigate an industry where margins are tight, and proper product costing and development are essential,” or even instilling discipline and the technical foundation that Atanacio applies in her business to this day, CCA continues to shape graduates who transform training into thriving food businesses.
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