Chef Alain Ducasse with Ducasse Education Philippines scholars —Ducasse Education Philippines
Now that Halloween is over and other Christmas jingles are on repeat joining Jose Mari Chan who had an early start in September, it is officially the season of giving.
And what better gift to give—aside from receiving Christ, of course—than the gift of a future for the youth?
The Ducasse Education Philippines of legendary chef Alain Ducasse at Enderun Colleges has this gift in the bag, wrapped and ready to be presented to at least 10 street children embraced by the Tuloy Foundation who would like to someday become chefs.
The gift is called Youth With A Future, a full scholarship at the Ducasse Education Philippines, the only arm of the Ducasse Education of Alain Ducasse in Asia. The beneficiaries will get the full benefit of a Ducasse education, with a certificate at the end of the program that is exactly the same as the one received by paying students at Enderun.
What will the scholarship include? After a basic culinary program at Tuloy Foundation for 10 months, the chosen scholars will continue their education in Ducasse Education Philippines at Enderun Colleges for three months.
This means they will undergo rigorous training under the watchful eyes of the Ducasse Education culinary team led by chef Marc Chalopin as well as Enderun’s culinary faculty like distinguished Malaysian chef See Cheong Yan, Enderun’s culinary head.
After that, Enderun will ensure they get another three months of internship with the school’s industry partners. This means internships in some of the best hotels and Michelin-starred restaurants around the world.
Upon completing the program, they will get a Certificate in Culinary Arts, as they prepare for their Enderun bachelor’s degree that is the same as that given to regular Enderun students.
As the scholars are equipped with this certificate, Enderun will make the effort to place the scholars in permanent jobs that secure their future. These internships and placements are possible because Enderun has a full career services office that maintains industry partner relations. This means that all students have access to a network of internships and jobs.
Since the scholarship program started in 2013, 30 scholars have received the gift of a Future.
Tricia Tensuan, vice president for marketing of Enderun, proudly shares, “All 30 [graduates of the scholarship program] are doing very well in their careers. One is working as chef de partie at the prestigious Ducasse Sur Seine in Paris.
He was handpicked by chef Ducasse himself during his visit two years ago when he came to meet all scholars. Seven are currently employed at the Four Seasons Resort Dubai, three are with an international shipping line and 19 are placed in fine restaurants around Metro Manila.”
Ducasse coming to Manila
Now on its fourth year, Enderun Colleges will once again bring in Ducasse as guest of honor in a dinner event for the benefit of Tuloy Foundation on Nov. 27 (Tuesday), 6:00 p.m. at The Tent of Enderun Colleges, McKinley Hill, Taguig.
Titled “Harvest of Hope,” the dinner will showcase Philippine products to be used as ingredients for the special dinner prepared by Ducasse Education Philippines’ chefs and students.
On the first year of the program, Enderun raised P2 million for the scholars. This year, they hope to raise more than that (because, you know, inflation).
The benefit dinner with no less than THE Alain Ducasse as guest of honor is priced at P10,000 per seat or P83,000 for a table of 10. This is a five-course meal to be cooked by volunteer chefs, led by Chalopin who has worked with two of the most exceptional and world-acclaimed chefs: Joel Robuchon and Ducasse, of course. (If you purchase a table, they will throw in 10 cocktail drinks, too.)
Isn’t P10,000 a small price to pay for a child’s entire future? You would pay that for a Michelin-starred meal at a Ducasse restaurant. How great is this deal where you get to can have your cake—the youth’s future—and eat it, too!
To know more about the program, visit www.youthwithafuture.ph. For reservations, call +63 920 964 1628 and look for Cristina Loquinario.