This ‘rockstar chef’ bears watching
This is not a food and café review. That…will have to wait for maybe another year or so, or when Jay Tesorero thinks he is all set and it is time to be managing chef of his very own café in the exciting Perth scene. What this is – is a ‘time-lapse’, if you will; an account of the journey which began some 14 years ago, one person’s incorrigible pathway towards what appears to be an ultimate destination.
Jay completed his 4-year degree in Culinary Arts in 2002 at OB Montessori College Culinary Institute, the first specialized school for the culinary arts in the Philippines, established in 1995, and which by 2012 has morphed into the innovative and state-of-the-art Instituto Culinario.
CheforCook. Immediately after grad- uation, Jay had the opportunity to put his newly earned degree to work, with an international cruise ship company, and sail the seven seas with a hand- some pay envelope.. But he opted out. Instead, he would find himself working the cold larder for a famous Filipino fine dining restaurant. Instead of a hand- some pay envelope, Jay the apprentice was getting what he described as “ roughly equivalent to what I would spend on a night out with my girl- friend”. The reason for his choice? “It was clear to me from the get-go: I wanted to be trained as a chef, rather than a cook.”
TheDiscovery Challenge.Jay didn’t tarry. He wanted more, bigger, better exposure. A year later, Jay would find himself part of the kitchen crew of a posh hotel in the Ortigas Commerical and Business Center, on the threshold of what was to be a challenging career experience.
In fact, the challenge had begun as early as the qualifying stage, when the choice was down to 2, and what a really small world! Jay found himself pitted against a contender with whom he had history to sort out. He and this guy had vied for the heart of a girl back in school. Jay had won that round. And now, here at the cusp of a significant career event, Jay said to himself that he was not about to sell himself short. It came down to the 3-egg cook challenge. Jay managed to toss a beautiful over-easy to snatch it.
It was here at the upscale Discovery Suites with its 2 restaurants, bar, and room service that Jay, working under a well-respected head chef, would learn the hard yards of international-style banqueting, a la carte and gourmet kitchen operation; going through back- end commissary prepping and butchering, before he got the opportunity to set a foot in the hot kitchen when one day, he was asked to render under much pressure, a triple cajun dish. Jay tripped up on the prawn but had the presence of mind to ask for time and turned it around.
The dramatic cajun prawn performance impressed the head chef, who pronounced him “Most Promising” of all the aspiring kitchen crew. Asked then where he saw himself in 5 years, Jay replied, to the discomfiture of some, that in 3 years he wanted to be sous, and in 5 years, head chef. It was an ambitious if not altogether presumptuous statement to make at that point. Or so everyone thought.
Cooking for the Stars. It was from this period that Jay would earn the moniker “Chef to the Stars”. Discovery Suites was often host to international music celebrities. And everytime they required special menu service, it was Jay who would get a call-up. And so it came to pass that Jay got to display his culinary skills for the likes of Jason Mraz, John Mayer, Keith Martin, Boyz II Men and Brian McKnight, and yes, ABBA (who requested an impromptu delivery of Thai cuisine, which Jay wanted at first to decline, but then the ABBA ladies serenaded him with Chiquitita and he capitulated).
Another year’s stint at The Edsa Shan- gri-La Plaza Hotel further honed Jay’s knives in banqueting operations and life in the main kitchen of a 5-star hotel.
The Quest Continues. Jay had come to the end of 2004. The next three years would be the start of his quest for a well rounded industry experience. First stop was The Legends Villas Hotel, where he was engaged as Chef de Partie, overall in-charge of the hotel restaurant’s hot and cold kitchen, including quality control of raw materials and menu planning. More significantly, Jay was introduced to research and development aspect of a productive culinary exploration.
Sous Chef. Jay next gained width and depth of experience with the SM Group as senior sous chef for the company’s Luzon mainland-wide operation – consisting of snack bars, coffee lounge, catering services, cinema events, Asian and international cuisine buffets, supermall cinema events, and fast food and convenience stores thrown into the equation. It had been barely a couple of years since Jay declared his goal to ‘hold the position of sous chef in 3 years’. He was ahead of his personal goal-setting by a full year.
Jay then capped his sixth year out by taking the senior sous chef position with Lokaldero, known for its Spanish- and-Filipino cuisine. Jay added another feather to his cap when he was selected to participate in Lokaldero’s cooking demonstration on television alongside the famous culinary expert and cookbook author Nancy Reyes- Lumen.
MaxedOut?But now, has he maxed out his potential and has his career plateaued off? What about his goal of becoming a head chef in 5 years? Or was it time to move to the US to join his father and try his luck in the land of opportunities?
If Jay hesitated to act on his dad’s suggestion, it was because the awaited opportunity would open up, not in the west, but Down Under.
In mid-2007, headhunters for the Accor Asia Pacific Group scoured the Philippines to engage the most suitable candidates for its northwest Australian operations. From a field of 80, Jay made it to the elite group of 8. By June of that year, Jay was sous chef at Mercure Hotel Continental Broome. By April 2008, he was executive sous chef.
HeadChef. After two years, in March 2010, he had become Head Chef. His perseverance had paid off. It was only then that Jay felt it worthy to be called Chef Jay. This harks back to the industry practice in the Philippines where the appellation is accorded only to the Head Chef. Everyone else is addressed by their simple name.
It was hardly a walk in the park though. Moving to a new continent and into a culture very far detached from the life to which Jay was accustomed. Jay learnt some painful rules the hard way. Early in his Broome days, one of the crew told him to chuck the bin. He was shocked and angry. In fact, he thought he was certainly being bullied here. His reaction? “I am a chef,” he said. “Emptying the bin is not my job.” The executive chef explained to him that it was a test of leadership to be a team person and earn the trust of everyone around the kitchen.
Broome had its big moments, too, for Chef Jay; getting slots in cooking competitions, and on one occasion, presiding over the service of an event hosted by no less than Australian Prime Minister on a state visit.
Chef Jay most certainly had earned his stripes.
Changes.His time in Broome was also a significant stage in his personal life, finding the courage to ask the woman of his dreams, the beautiful Sandy Ang, to become his wife.
After four and a half years in the north- west, a window came up in January 2012 to move to the capital city, when the position of Chef de cuisine became available at Novotel Langley Perth. This was big-time challenge, and Jay rolled with the punches, assuming kitchen management duties in the absence of the executive chef with flair, taking each challenge as par for the course, and as learning experiences to take to the next career opportunity.
Cruising.The next career opportuni- ty was, once again back in the saddle as Head Chef, at international chain Carnegie’s and Conservatory Rooftop restaurant. Here, his ability was put to the test to turn the twin pub outfit into a smooth operation.
Meanwhile, Jay and Sandy’s marriage had been blessed with a lovely baby girl, Sapphire Jewel.
Bigger challenges were ahead at Urbon Restaurant, which Chef Jay described as “ a modern cuisine with a touch of molecular gastronomy kitchen, where the balance was to ensure that opera- tions were efficient and profitable while customers were enjoying a world class culinary experience.”
In late 2015, Chef Jay put in an application to become Head Chef of Meatball Bar in Mount Lawley. Unbeknownst to him, the owner was an erstwhile supplier that he had dealt with whilst running Carnegie’s, a fortunate related- ness! His stint was short but sweet and productive.
Balancing Act. In March of this year, Chef Jay was engaged by Academy Cafe in Claremont Quarters as Head Chef to preside its transition from its former brand, Atomic. To be able to introduce a new identity whilst making certain that you are able to maintain the trust of the delicate and discerning habitués of the cafe and the Claremont set, Chef Jay says “It is a balancing act.”
Yet the Rock Star Chef who at one point or another has cooked for the likes of ABBA and other sterling personalities, including the Canadian and Indian heads of state at CHOGM, has what it takes to be unfazed.
The Next Season. Going through the culinary journey of Chef Jay feels like following a whole season of MasterChef – Live and with No Commercial Breaks.
And now, we anticipate with much excitement what the next season has in store. Judging by the first 14 years, what is still to come from Chef Jay promises to offer much more. We can hardly wait! This rockstar chef bears watching. TPS
