Get to know a little more about chefs Bruce, Jordy, and Sharwin

Many may be called cooks, but only a few can have the distinction of being called chefs.

The food industry has propelled itself these past few years into the upper layers of the most prestigious fields. A career in the culinary field has become fashionable and unbelievably sexy, owing its luster to the rise of some of the household names in cooking. These wizards of the kitchen are no longer just chefs to the stars. They’ve come a long way from that. They’ve become stars themselves. The names Bruce Lim, Sharwin Tee, and Jordy Navarra are now sought after. You’ve heard of them somehow, and you’ve seen them somewhere for sure. Most of them would tell you, though, that what they do is not all glitz and glamour, that it’s all about the cuts, the burns, the years of hard work, the numerous failures, and the figurative sweat and tears inside the kitchen. They are artisans, ever loyal to their craft of putting different ingredients together to create intoxicating masterpieces that both tickle the taste buds and provide our bodies with nourishment.

But cooking is not a solitary exercise, as most of these gustatory senseis will reveal. The genius that they bear now is a product of the wisdom of their teachers before them who imparted techniques and procedures and gastronomic secrets, as well as a result of the collaborative brilliance that they share with their peers. Rarely will you see an intense rivalry between any of them, as they look at each other with respect and admiration, after all. They believe that, collectively, they can make the world a more delicious place to live in. With that being said, who do you think these brilliant kitchen minds learned from? And who do you think they want to work with? Let’s hear from them.

Sharwin Tee with Nora Daza

Chef Sharwin Tee

Who was your mentor when you were starting out?

Growing up, I watched Cooking with Nora regularly so I consider Nora Daza as my mentor. In fact even now, when I’m stumped for ideas, I still refer to her books.

Which chef would you love to work with?

Right now, I would love to collaborate with Michael Voltaggio and Graham Elliot. I love their modern techniques and their playfulness when it comes to food. I would of course love to hang out with Anthony Bourdain and talk shop.

Chef Jordy Navarra

Who was your mentor when you were starting out?

I can’t really specify one specific person because so many chefs have helped me out and they each taught me things that matter to me today. If we go back to the very beginning, my brother was the first person to teach me how to properly season food when you cook so that was so eye opening for me at the time.

Which chef would you love to work with?

I love sushi so maybe a sushi master like Hashiguchi.

Chef Bruce Lim

Who was your mentor when you were starting out?

When I first started my culinary career there were not many chefs in the industry who would take the time to train a new cook. So I had to travel outside the Philippines to find the education I needed. I went to school in London and trained under a few good chefs. The one chef who was always an open book to me was Andrew Males. He was one of the instructors at Le Cordon Bleu London. I would write him through snail mail before Facebook and email was available. To this day, we still chat, and I get some of the best advice from him.

Which chef would you love to work with?

I am a classic kind of chef, I like the way things were done back in the day. In saying that, I would love to cook with Anthony Bourdain, Thomas Keller, and Daniel Boloud. To me they all made an impact on the way food is handled and appreciated. I know there are younger chefs making waves, but in my eyes these guys are legends!