MANILA, Philippines -- Singer-actress Rachel Alejandro has been getting calls requesting catering services for a "healthy" Noche Buena, but the performer-turned-culinary entrepreneur would rather encourage voracious eating even at the disadvantage of her business.
"May mga clients na nagpapa-cater pa ng Noche Buena, gusto pa nila healthy. We advise against it. Kainin niyo na kung anong kailangan kainan, Pasko naman eh," Alejandro said during a sit-down interview with reporters on Thursday.
"There's a time and a place for healthy eating. We also don't believe in being on a diet forever and ever and ever. Dapat din naman, enjoy-in mo 'yung things na gusto mong kainan," she added.
The Sexy Chef, co-owned by Alejandro, her sister Barni and their mother Myrna Demauro, is a culinary business that offers catering and delivery of healthy meals that are tailored to clients' specific diet programs.
"Healthy eating is really a challenge for everyone who's busy," Alejandro said. "Karamihan naman kasi ng clients namin are busy professionals who don't want the hassle of having to shop, prepare and weigh [food]."
"So we like to provide the convenient solution for people who don't have time to prepare their healthy meals," she added.
Among the famous personalities who are known to be clients of The Sexy Chef are singer Martin Nievera, Asia's Songbird Regine Velasquez, and actress-host Ruffa Gutierrez.
Roots, trends
Like these local celebrities, Alejandro's sister Barni had to address her unhealthy weight gain at one point. At that time, when Barni was in college, the sisters' efforts to manage her weight eventually paved the way for The Sexy Chef.
According to Alejandro, Barni had resorted to eating "junk food, instant meals and canned goods" as part of her college lifestyle. Heeding the advice of a doctor -- prompted by Barni's weight gain -- Alejandro bought cookbooks for her sister, who then somehow found "cooking healthy food as her forte."
Now, The Sexy Chef has over 10 diet programs offered to their clients. The variety of selections, according to the singer-actress, is a way of tailor-fitting meals to the needs and preferences of their customers.
Anything too "alien" to a client's taste, Alejandro noted, may only discourage his start to a lifestyle of healthy eating.
"Right now, nandoon na kami sa point na pag merong usong diet program, basta may demand, we try to interpret it... Sumasakay kami [sa] bagong technology, kung ano 'yung know-how pagdating sa diets," Alejandro said of their expanding business.
As an example, she related, "Noong araw kung ang kalaban natin ay kanin at [carbohydrates], this time around ang kalaban natin ay preservatives at wheat. Ngayon it's no wheat, no bread, no preservatives, everything's all natural."
On the horizon for The Sexy Chef, according to Alejandro, is a lifestyle show that goes in-depth on healthy cooking.
For her part, the singer-actress is not slowing down when it comes to her showbiz career. In addition to releasing a new album, Alejandro is set to star in the re-run of Atlantis Productions' staging of the "Rock of Ages" in July 2013. She will also appear in the upcoming ABS-CBN series "May Isang Pangarap" in a guest role.
source: abs-cbnnews.com
