From Maine Mendoza, Bea Alonzo, Julia Montes, and more, these stars traded in their scripts for a white jacket and apron at culinary school.
Related: 11 Celebrities And Personalities Who Shifted Careers
Be honest, when you watch movies and shows like Ratatouille, Top Chef, Hell’s Kitchen, or Master Chef, a part of you wonders what it would be like to be an actual chef. Donning that white chef’s jacket and cooking your favorite meals? Sounds like a dream. Studying to become a chef, or at least develop those cooking and baking skills is a goal many hope for, whether from the jump or as a career shift later on in life.
For these following stars, that dream became a reality when they enrolled in culinary school. While their careers ultimately took them in a different direction, they still carved out time to live out their passion and train with the pros. Scroll down below for some local stars who can proudly say they went to culinary school.
BEA ALONZO
The beauty of culinary school, like with many forms of education, is that people can take it at any stage of their lives. Just take a look at Bea Alonzo, who, in 2018, enrolled and graduated from the Center of Culinary Arts Manila. She completed the Fundamentals of Baking and Pastry Arts course with the skills she learned helping her well considering she posts cooking and other food collabs on YouTube.
JOSHUA GARCIA
In between his bust schedules, Joshua still finds the time to pursue his other passions and hobbies in life. Case in point, the actor has been on a culinary journey as he attended classes at the Center for Asian Culinary Academy (CACS) Manila where he learned to whip up a variety of dishes.
MAINE MENDOZA
For her undergraduate degree, Main Mendoza took up a Hotel, Restaurant, and Institution Management Major in Culinary Arts from CSB. It was during this time that she interned as a chef abroad at the upscale The Sagamore Resort in Bolton Landing, New York for six months. It honestly makes you think what Chef Maine would be like if she never made it big on Dubmash.
BEA BINENE
As a model and actress, Bea Binene had a stable career. But growing up, she always wanted to have something of herself. So, in 2015, she started her own business called Bea Bakes. Four years later, she achieved her dream of studying culinary when she took up Professional Culinary and Pastry Arts at the Center for Asian Culinary Studies. It was through the course that Bea learned new skills to help her run her baking business on a more regular basis. Currently, Bea balances her time with her acting duties and running her bake shop.
JODI STA. MARIA
Jodi Sta. Maria knows that learning does not stop as you get older. A few years ago, she made headlines when she went back to school and graduated with a degree in Psychology. And recently, Jodi entered student mode once more as she managed to squeeze in time from her busy schedule to take up a special culinary course at the Center for Asian Culinary Studies in San Juan.
JULIA MONTES
A successful career isn’t going to stop child star-turned-A-list actress Julia Montes from learning new things, especially things that she has a passion for. This is why in 2015, she completed a course at the Center of Culinary Arts Manila. Julia even called her graduation, “one of the happiest moments of my life.”
MARIAN RIVERA
In case you didn’t know, Marian Rivera is a major foodie. She loves to cook for the people near and dear to her heart. So. it’s no surprise that the superstar trained at the Heny Sison Culinary School for a few months in 2015 to hone her skills.
PIA WURTZBACH
Pia Wurztbach is a multi-talented beauty queen, actress, host, and advocate. Oh, and she’s also a graduate of the Center for Asian Culinary Studies. Before rocketing to fame with Miss Universe, Pia was a former culinary school student. And while fate had other plans for her, Pia still put those culinary skills to use when she launched her food brand, Pia’s Kitchen, in 2022.
JUDY ANN SANTOS-AGONCILLO
In hindsight, Juday graduating from the Center for Asian Culinary Studies with honors in 2006 should have served as a foreshadowing. Food and Judy Ann Santos-Agoncillo are like a match made in heaven. She served as the host of MasterChef Pinoy Edition. She played one in a teleserye. She’s a chef in real life, and she runs a successful restaurant. And Juday does this all while having a legendary acting career.
SOFIA ANDRES AND DANIEL MIRANDA
Learning how to cook is a dream for many. It’s made even better when done in the company of friends or that special someone. Sofia Andres must be living the best of both worlds then when she recently revealed that she finally got to achieve her dream of going to culinary school at the Center for Culinary Arts Manila and doing so alongside her partner, Daniel Miranda.
Continue Reading: These Stars Prove That It’s Never Too Late To Go Back To School
