Achieve your culinary career at Global Academy

Are you an aspiring chef? There’s a lot of opportunities in the world of culinary arts such as competitions, restaurants, cruise lines, and homegrown businesses.

Global Academy graduate, Jeferson Espiritu seized all that, and now he’s off to a great start with his own homegrown peanut praline butter business.

Espiritu first discovered his interest in cooking while working the kitchen at various fast food chains. Deciding to acquire more skills and knowledge to expand his opportunities, he enrolled at Global Academy in 2008.

By 2009, Espiritu had graduated with a Diploma in Professional Culinary Arts. “Global Academy is the foundation of my chosen career, where I learned to be disciplined both inside and outside of the kitchen,” shared Espiritu. “Global Academy believes that professional culinary dreams do come true, and they are right. As long as you love what you are doing and you keep working hard to follow your dreams, by God’s will, it will happen.”

According to Espiritu, it was the hands-on activities and competitions that prepared him for what was to come. He represented Global Academy at 2nd Avenue’s Top Chef and bagged first prize. He interned at Bistro Filipino and soon found work at Holland America Line, one of the biggest international cruise liners, as a general purpose assistant after graduation.

The British-American owned cruise line based in Seattle gave Espiritu the opportunity to travel the world. He was quickly promoted to assistant cook, but passed up the next promotion to pursue a new business plan, the Philippines’, and possibly the world’s, very first peanut praline butter.

Named after Espiritu’s son, Jacob’s Peanut Praline Butter was the brainchild of his and his wife, whom he met at the Holland America Line pastry kitchen. The spread has two flavors: original and hot chili. “It’s ideal on breads, pastries, ice cream and even dippings for vegetable fondue. Or just lick it off the spoon. So far, I’m proud to say that we always get positive feedbacks from our buyers,” said Espiritu. The product which was launched in April 2014, is currently only available online and at some bazaars, but Espiritu is looking to expand his distribution through grocery stores.

For more information on how you can jump start your culinary career, check out Global Academy’s website. They have branches in Makati, Timog, Pasig and Alabang.

About Christian Melanie Lee

Christian Melanie Lee is a freelance social media manager and web developer. She also devoted her time managing her food blog, and music/concert blog. One of the Hootsuite Ambassador for the Philippines since 2014 and currently working as social media manager for the local band, The Itchyworms. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram.