The country’s top culinary school, the Center for Culinary Arts, Manila (CCA Manila), is at the forefront of innovations in the industry. Aside from being the pioneer and the leader, CCA Manila has thrived for more than two decades as a trailblazer. And amid the pandemic and the seismic changes in the culinary industry around the world, CCA Manila is once again introducing a first — a groundbreaking partnership with Rouxbe, the world’s leading online culinary school.
Rouxbe, which has a team made up of former presidents, chief operating officers, school administrators, and lead instructors of brick and mortar professional schools, can now be found in the kitchens of homes, schools, and restaurants in 180 countries. It has created a worldwide impact as it has trained over 600,000 students since its founding in 2005. Rouxbe has masterfully transformed traditional culinary school curriculum into an effective format for the online environment. It is also espousing plant-based and wellness education. In fact, its programs are recognized by both the American Culinary Federation Education Foundation and by WorldChefs as approved training programs.
The partnership between CCA Manila and Rouxbe was a natural fit, as both institutions are leaders in their respective fields. Both institutions share the same advocacy of elevating the culinary discourse and making an impact on lives, especially during these times.
“We saw an opportunity to partner with a well-established and respected culinary institution and we felt it was mutually beneficial to collaborate. The geographic locale of CCA Manila allows Rouxbe to have a greater global reach and creates the opportunity to expand our impact in Southeast Asia,” says Ken Rubin, Rouxbe’s Chief Culinary Officer. “CCA Manila’s brand recognition, professionalism, and enthusiasm for the potential for its students to learn in new ways furthered our desire to partner.”
This new partnership is built in the spirit of collaboration and with the knowledge that Rouxbe is able to support CCA Manila as it adapts to the need for more online instruction.
“Our shared goal is to provide an exemplary online experience that will complement and support the overall learning experience. We believe that the opportunity to learn online is essential today as more students needing flexibility in their learning,” adds Rubin.
The Covid-19 pandemic has created various challenges, including a significant barrier to in-person learning that an online option can help alleviate.
“The partnership will allow more people to access instruction – safely, affordably, and with the intention of building foundational cooking techniques,” Rubin continued..
On CCA Manila’s part, this partnership is timely not only due to the pandemic but also because of its mission to provide the world’s best culinary learnings to its students.
“CCA Manila is continuously on the lookout for innovations and partnerships that can help Filipino students become the world-class chefs that they dream to be. The Rouxbe partnership only underscores that we continue to provide relevant, effective, and innovative education to our students,” says Badjie Trinidad, owner and CEO of CCA Manila. “Aside from culinary students, the Rouxbe platform provides education to at-home chefs, professional chefs, schools, hotels, and food establishments.”
The method of instruction is done online via high-quality videos, with additional support for students from veteran chef educators. Students receive quick feedback, and have the ability to track learning progress in real-time through a detailed dashboard. Complementary to the program, students will also receive support and mentorship from CCA Manila faculty, live assessments, and have the opportunity to use the kitchen and laboratory facilities of the school while observing health protocols.
Since the CCA-Rouxbe course will be available from any internet-connected device, students can learn virtually anywhere – at home, on the go, or during a commute.
“We have been teaching foundational culinary techniques online since 2005, and know that a great education is possible. We are here to help and support our learners in a positive and constructive way,” shares Rubin.
Trinidad agrees, noting that the partnership will ultimately encourage aspiring chefs to continue pursuing their culinary dreams: “Even though the pandemic disrupted the traditional learning in the kitchen, it doesn’t prevent us from bringing learning right to your kitchens. With CCA Manila’s time-tested curriculum, added with fresh insights from Rouxbe’s effective online learning, this program would be the most innovative of its kind in the industry right now.”
For inquiries, please email: talktous@cca-manila.edu.ph or call: 0917-840-8400. Visit https://cca-manila.edu.ph/cca-online/
