Culinary training ‘wins’ chef his first love
CHARMING and confident, Tristan Encarnacion has become one of the country’s top celebrity chefs.
Encarnacion says he never thought he could make a career out of cooking.
He originally wanted to be a television reporter or a media personality, fascinated by TV studio bustle whenever he joined his dad, the late hair fashion guru Jun Encarnacion, in guest appearances.
Now his culinary skills have achieved for him his original dream of becoming a media personality.
After the former communication arts student of the University of Santo Tomas enrolled in a culinary diploma course at Center for Culinary Arts (CCA), Manila, his career path became clear to him.
Encarnacion says his first year at CCA, Manila “was fun, adventurous and eye-opening.”
He found his mentors knowledgeable, strict yet approachable, who genuinely cared for their students.
His stay at CCA, he says, brought out and nurtured his interest in cooking.
Shortly after getting his diploma in culinary arts from CCA, Manila, Encarnacion went to the United States to work for a new hotel, Marco Beach Ocean Resort in Naples City, Florida.
In 2003, what should have been a short vacation became an extended stay. He was offered to host a TV cooking show segment.
He later opened his own bistro, Bambouche, and became the first Filipino to have his own signature line, Tristan’s Chef’s Classics, for Sunnex, an international cookware brand.
But Encarnacion says he still has a long way to go, although he is grateful for what he has accomplished so far.
Still active as a TV host, Encarnacion is also CCA, Manila’s Kitchen Discovery mentor, in charge of screening prospective culinary students. He says the job requires more than interest or basic technical know- how. He is committed to discovering talents with genuine passion and dedication, which CCA, Manila looks for in its students.
For more information, call CCA, Manila at 4264840/41 or 9942530/40 or e-mail marketing@cca-manila.com. Visit their website at www.cca-manila.com.
The CCA, Manila campus is at 287 Katipunan Ave., Loyola Heights, Quezon City.