MANILA, Philippines — Being a chef nowadays can be a daunting task. Aside from slaving inside the kitchen, working with colleagues’ overblown egos, and satisfying the customers’ palates, chefs also have to be sociable, patient and eager to share the delights of his or her cooking process.
When Chef Dino Ferrari became one of the contestants for E&O Search for AFC’s Next Celebrity Chef, he knew beforehand he had what it took to bag the competition. “Some of the other contestants were already established in the industry, but I knew my winning edge was my personality,” the young and savvy chef revealed during a cooking demo for the press at the Dusit Thani Manila’s Umu Japanese Restaurant.
No one really argued as Chef Dino went about his work with a calm and smooth demeanor; clearly a professional who knows what he wants and knows what to do to get results. At a young age, Chef Dino had always had a knack for fine tastes and a yearning for knowledge inside the kitchen. “When I was a kid, I watched shows instead of cartoons. I ordered escargots when I was 10 years old not even knowing what it was. I knew then that I was going to be a foodie,” Chef Dino shared.
Adding to this affinity with anything that involves food, Chef Dino also had the charm to go along with his passion. “To be quite honest, I’ve always wanted my own cooking show. Celebrity and fame aside, I just love to cook in front of people,” Chef Dino explained.
Even though Chef Dino first attended business school, he never lost his passion for cooking and eventually found his way to a kitchen in France working as an apprentice for eight months. There, he refined his craft and developed a technique that uses meticulous dish preparation while cultivating simplicity in his taste. “My philosophy with cooking is to keep things simple, don’t cover the dish with so many flavors. Other chefs have different approaches and I try to keep mine,” Chef Dino revealed.
Chef Dino was a complete package during his demo, showing deep knowledge of food preparation while keeping a good conversation flowing with his guests. Despite being not totally adept with the cuisine and kitchen setup, Chef Dino still showcased his well-rounded skills incorporating his influences with the restaurant’s Japanese motif.
All in all, Chef Dino was able to prepare three dishes. The first was a Slow-Cooked Salmon on Cauliflower Puree topped with Sautéed Spinach and Vanilla-Saffron Sauce. While individually, the components of the dish had slender flavor, it nonetheless delivered a compounded delicateness that made each character stand out.
The dish was followed by a Steak with Garlic and Soy Aujus. The process involved a rib eye steak seasoned in simple salt and pepper, seared in olive oil and finished with butter that was absorbed by the cut effortlessly. The quick prep was enough to draw out the meat’s natural flavor while keeping the sensation in the mouth pleasant because of the tenderness of the meat’s texture.
The course was finished off with a serving of Bittersweet Chocolate Ganache Tart with Raspberry Coulis and Pistachio Soil, a delightful dessert with gentle sweetness of fresh elements that balanced the intensity of the other components in it, which showed how well the chef knows the ingredients he works with.
In a cut-throat business like in the culinary world, it’s good to know that someone could make it far with an easy-going and friendly personality. When Chef Dino won the competition for AFC’s Next Celebrity Chef, it instilled hope that there are no limit to what Pinoy chefs can achieve with passion and determination.
source: mb.com.ph
