On a lively October weekend at the Brittany Hotel in BGC, the CCA Manila Tikim Weekend Food Market welcomed guests with the aroma of freshly baked pastries, sizzling pans, and the contagious excitement of possibility. Tikim did not simply showcase good food. It showed how a Filipino food dream can grow from the family kitchen to a thriving livelihood.
CCA Manila designed the event as a real-world extension of its culinary philosophy. Tikim gave students and visitors a rare chance to learn directly from chefs and founders who started small, made mistakes, got back up, and succeeded. Chancellor Dr. Veritas F. Luna emphasized that culinary careers take more than recipes. Tikim highlighted the grit, vision, and spirit behind every food business that survives and grows.
From Idea to Income
Anyone who has sold a tray of baked mac at a school fair or shipped silvanas to support a side hustle knows this truth. Food entrepreneurship is equal parts excitement and stress. The Tikim Business Workshops addressed that reality. Speakers dove into the essentials: pricing that pays the bills, operations that work even when the chef is tired, and branding that creates a loyal customer base.
Chef Danica Lucero of Say Halo! Became a crowd favorite as she shared how inventiveness can take a Filipino classic like halo-halo and turn it into something bold enough to catch Gordon Ramsay’s attention. Her story reminded the audience that imagination and confidence can open doors you never expected.
Cooking as Storytelling
On Day 2, the spotlight moved to the Tikim Live Kitchen, where celebrated chefs and CCA alumni brought culinary storytelling to life. Heritage dishes reappeared in contemporary form. International ideas blended seamlessly with Filipino flavors. Dessert innovation drew young guests closer, making them eager to try the techniques at home. Every plate told a story of where we come from and where Filipino cuisine can go next.
Learning in the Aisles
Throughout the event, the Tikim Food Market offered over thirty homegrown brands that represented the evolution of Filipino taste. Shoppers enjoyed the flavors, but students studied the details. They paid attention to packaging that caught the eye, cleanliness that built trust, and simple hospitality that encouraged customers to stay. Tikim proved that the distance between passion and profession can be measured in real conversations with real customers.
A Filipino Culinary Future
CCA Manila has built its reputation through rigorous training and global recognition, including accreditation from the American Culinary Federation Education Foundation. Its campuses in BGC and UP Diliman prepare students for meaningful work at home and abroad. Alumni now lead award-winning restaurants like Hapag Rockwell and Bar Magda in Auckland. Their success affirms that Filipino flavors deserve a seat at the world’s table.
Tikim also showed the value of community. Partners from finance, foodservice, and sustainability sectors stood alongside future chefs, offering support that keeps local food businesses moving forward. When education, entrepreneurship, and industry collaborate, more Filipinos can succeed through the work of their hands.
CCA Manila Tikim Weekend ended with full stomachs and fuller determination. It encouraged young cooks to keep learning, keep refining, and keep believing. Talent can take you far, but mentorship and discipline take you farther.
Enrollment questions and program details are available at cca-manila.edu.ph or talktous@cca-manila.edu.ph. Follow @ccamanila on Facebook and Instagram for upcoming workshops and opportunities.
Food can build a future. Food can carry a family. The next Filipino food success story might already be simmering in your own kitchen.
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