The Center of Culinary Arts (CCA Manila) is the pioneer, leader, and innovator in the formal culinary education in the country. For 25 years, CCA Manila has garnered accolades and credentials from around the world for its excellence in innovative culinary education, as well as advocating Filipino gastronomy. Through the years, CCA Manila has produced thousands of graduates who are now part of the culinary industry as chefs, entrepreneurs, and educators all over the world.

“We are excited and humbled at the same time to arrive at our 25th year. CCA Manila has endured through time and continues to be the leader in transforming Filipino talents in the kitchen into world-class culinary professionals,” says Dr. Veritas F. Luna, Chancellor for Education of CCA Manila.  “We remain positive that the school will continue its role as a leader by celebrating this milestone.”

True to its commitment to provide quality education, CCA Manila has implemented some “e-nnovations” – transforming innovative practices in the kitchen into the digital realm. With this, the school continues to host virtual competitions and monthly webinars highlighting Filipino cuisine.

Partnerships and programs were also strengthened such as with ROUXBE, the largest online culinary school in the world; and with Korean Food Promotion Institute, by delivering authentic Korean cuisine classes.  There are also partnerships with the DTI for the Hybrid National Food Fair, and TikTok to promote Pinoy food to a global audience.  

The school continued to offer programs to open up opportunities for students to continue culinary education in the new normal – new innovative programs applicable to the current situation such as the innovative Bachelor of Science in Entrepreneurial Management Major in Culinary Arts, implemented in partnership with the University of Asia and the Pacific (UA&P); and the relevant Culinary Agripreneurship, done in partnership with UP Los Baños.

There’s also the ProChef Plus Certification Program, the Food Entrepreneurship Masterclass, etc.  All these programs are supported with a strong business approach, encouraging students to be bold, creative, and entrepreneurial.

“CCA Manila not only served as the pioneer in excellent professional culinary education in the region but has pivoted the food and tourism hospitality to a robust industry, through the generation of dedicated and competent culinary professionals,” says Luna. “Going virtual is also one of the prompt changes that CCA Manila adapted as we digitized the business processes for better efficiency. We also revived the Alumni Association, as well as re-organized the CCA Manila team for sustainability.”

To commemorate CCA Manila’s Silver Year of Cooking for the World, CCA Manila has prepared several events to mark the occasion.

One of the major events is a five-day virtual festival that will feature an exciting series of webinars in which students, teachers, alumni, and food industry experts will get together to showcase our very own Filipino cuisine, gastronomy, and heritage.

To kick off the five-day event, CCA Manila invited House Representative Toff de Venecia, chair of the Special Committee on Creative Industry and Performing Arts, and notable food industry experts such as Ige Ramos, Nicole Ponseca and medical anthropologist Mike Tan to talk about Filipino gastronomy and talent. Known as the “original Asian fusion cuisine” across the globe, Filipino gastronomy is a mix of rich cultural history, diversity of flavors, aroma, and colors. Also, this is where the Filipino talents come in – creativity and experimenting that make Pinoy food more exciting.

On November 18 at 10 a.m., foodie and best-selling author Angelo Comsti with co-host CCA Manila’s PR and Business Development Director Ana Beatrice Trinidad, will moderate the “Pambansang Chef” webinar, which will be full of insightful discussions like Filipino Gastronomy and Heritage Policy, Sustaining Cravings for Filipino Food, Pride of Filipino Gastronomic Roots, and The Important Role of Filipino Diaspora on the Promotion of Culinary Heritage.

Connecting to the Filipino gastronomy, for the second-day event called “Pagkaing Atin, Ihain Natin,” CCA Manila invited known food leaders who will share their experiences on how they can promote Filipino culture and history around the globe. This storytelling through food is set on November 25 at 10 a.m.

“Entree Pinays” – a collective of entrepreneurial Filipinas introducing Filipino cuisine and culture to the hearts and minds of Australians – will discuss on November 25, 10 a.m., how they promote the unique flavors of the Filipino cuisine that is still under-represented in Australia.

Chef John Buenaventura, named Executive Chef at the newly opened Hilton Abu Dhabi Yas Island, will share how he has been spending his time re-discovering Filipino heritage dishes and promoting them globally. While Chef Gelo Guizon will highlight the power of social media, specifically TikTok, and how he uses this platform to advocate Filipino cuisine to today’s generation. These talks will also be on November 25 at 10 a.m. onward.  

To recognize the excellence of CCA’s “ambassadors,” on December 1 at 2 p.m., there will be a demonstration of both modern and traditional Filipino dishes by the CCA Alumni. This event is a cook-off between graduates of CCA Manila who are well-known in the food industry.  They are: Chef Allan Briones is the Chef de Cuisine at The Peninsula Manila Hotel, Chef Migo Razon is the Executive Chef of Sheraton Melbourne, Chef Pauline Sarmiento is now a proud owner of a bakeshop and home-cooked foods restaurant, and Chef Sonny Mariano is the Corporate Pastry Chef of Tasteless Food Group.

The next day, December 2 at 2 p.m. is one of the highlights of the 25th year celebration – the “Clash of the Clans: Culinary Competition.” Groups of CCA Manila students will compete among themselves in a face-to-face Filipino cuisine competition in these categories – meat, plant-based, seafood appetizer, and a cheese-based dessert.

To keep the fire burning on the last day of this virtual event on December 3 at 10 a.m., an Alumni Homecoming with lots of exciting raffles and special awards such as “Pandemic Hero”, “Culinary Social Media Influencer”, “Filipino Cuisine Champion”, and “Chefpreneur in The Time of Pandemic” will be bestowed to deserving recipients.

CCA Manila believes that coming together is the beginning, keeping together is a process, and working together is a success.

“Join us as we celebrate and cheer the 25-year milestone of CCA Manila! We continue to nurture the chefs of the future by providing innovative culinary education that elevates Filipino cuisine in the global culinary arena,” says Trinidad.

The registration period has already started with limited slots only. Aside from the access to the five-day virtual event, this online festival includes a digital cookbook with 25 Filipino cuisine recipes from CCA Alumni, webinar certificates, cooking demo recipes, and 25 free culinary eBooks from the CCA E-Library.

For more information on event lineup and conference tickets, contact Jessical Cristobal at j.cristobal@cca-manila.edu.ph or talktous@cca-manila.edu.ph / +63955-143-8890 or Facebook.com/ccamanila or Instagram.com/ccamanila. You can also register through: http://tinyurl.com/ccamanilasilveranniversary.