Keep reading for tips from The Bailiwick Academy to throw holiday parties that will be fun and unforgettable for family and friends!

How To Throw A Great Holiday Party: Come Up With A Guest List

Begin by taking a moment to list out your potential guests. If you’re considering hosting at home, remember to assess the capacity of your space—you might have to cut some people out if your home will not be comfortable for them. And even if you opt for an external venue, ensure it can accommodate your guest list comfortably.

How To Throw A Great Holiday Party: Set A Date

Whether you plan to throw a party ahead of time for the holidays or one set exactly during the holiday season, you need to remember a very important thing. You need to make sure the people you want to party with you are available!

And thankfully, we’re now in the digital age. So instead of having to contact people one by one via text or snail mail, just make a paperless post on Facebook. You can make a group chat or an event invite, then find out when most of the people are available.

How To Throw A Great Holiday Party: Choose A Theme

Sure, you might be throwing a gathering as an equivalent of a Christmas party, but that doesn’t mean it has to be strictly Christmas-themed. You don’t need to have a candy cane hanging on your door, serve hot chocolate, or have Christmas holiday bestselling food. Just set a theme that your guests will enjoy.

For example, if you are, indeed, having family over, then they might actually like a traditional Christmas-themed party. But if you’re just having friends over, they might enjoy deviating from the norm, like having a movie marathon and dressing up in outfits you like. Since it’s your party, after all, you can dictate what party idea you want to happen.

How To Throw A Great Holiday Party: Determine Your Budget

How to throw the best holiday party, you ask? Well, part of it is determining your budget. After all, it wouldn’t be a nice party if you did a lot of party planning but didn’t have the funds to carry out your vision, right? And thankfully, the best parties aren’t always the ones that are the most expensive!

Start by assessing what kind of party you want to have and then set a clear budget. Use a spreadsheet to keep track, and make sure to list everything. That way, you can avoid unnecessary expenses and, simultaneously, know if you have emergency money for unforeseen happenings.

How To Throw A Great Holiday Party: Make A List Of Things To Do

One thing you want to avoid during holiday party planning is to feel overwhelmed. That can actually happen, especially if you’re the only one doing all the work. To keep things manageable, create a to-do list and check off tasks as you complete them—yes, even trivial ones, such as if you already have enough garbage bags and trash cans.

Not only will you feel more accomplished when you cross an item off, you’ll also know where you currently stand regarding preparations.

How To Throw A Great Holiday Party: Get Help

While it’s your party, the guests you plan to have over would actually be eager to lend a hand, believe it or not. Struggling to find a particular supplier? Reach out to friends or family for recommendations. 

Their assistance not only lightens your load but also makes them feel more invested in the celebration’s success. And when they’re involved, they’re rooting for a fantastic party just as much as you are.

How To Throw A Great Holiday Party: Prepare Some Activities

Any typical Filipino Christmas party involves a lot of eating… But after that, what happens? Do you just let people mingle? What if people want to play games or do something in general?

Well, don’t be caught with your pants down—include activities in your to-do list! For example, rent a karaoke machine so that your guest can belt out their latest tunes or prepare some standard party games. Even before the day of your event, you can make people prepare White Elephant gifts for a fun time during the actual party.

How To Throw A Great Holiday Party: Serve Good Food

Food is important in any celebration. Think about what your guests might like. It doesn’t have to be fancy; sometimes, simple and yummy food is the best. 

Of course, just make sure that when guests arrive, they get offered some food right away. You can make finger foods or just prepare chips to tide them over until the main course.

Just make sure there’s enough for everyone and that it’s made with care, and you’ll have happy guests!

Oh, and of course, cooking ahead of time is the key. Doing so means you can hang out with your guests more instead of staying in the kitchen. Look for easy recipes for faster preparation.

Speaking Of Serving Good Food…

Thinking of what you should cook ahead, whether you’re throwing a lunch or dinner party? Well, here’s an idea for you: Chef Anthony Ang’s Perfect Party Food Trays class!

Enroll in this class and you’ll get to make these Pinoy party food favorites:

• Egg Drop Soup: a light broth with delicate strands of egg for a perfect starter.
• Lengua with Creamy Mashed Potatoes and Seared French Beans: a mouth-watering combination of succulent Lengua paired with creamy mashed potatoes and crunchy French beans
• Chicken Cordon Bleu: tender chicken breast filled with ham and cheese, fried to a golden perfection, and drizzled with a luxurious Special Cheese Sauce
• Garlic Scampi Pasta: spaghetti perfectly cooked al dente, tossed in a fragrant garlic sauce, and topped with juicy shrimp

Each dish has been crafted to ensure a gastronomic journey that will keep guests talking for future seasons. With offerings like these, it’s practically guaranteed that your holiday menu will be a hit with your visitors!

And if you’re in the catering business or even considering venturing into it, this class is perfect for jumpstarting your career!

So what are you waiting for? Sign up at The Bailiwick Academy, enroll in Chef Anthony’s class, and elevate your culinary skills to dazzle your guests at your party!

How To Throw A Great Holiday Party: Enjoy Your Party!

Once guest arrival has commenced, it means your party has started. Dive right into the moment! While it’s essential to ensure everything runs smoothly, don’t be anchored to the kitchen or get lost in party logistics. Instead, immerse yourself in the laughter, the conversations, and the shared memories. After all, it’s your celebration too! 

Engage with your guests, dance to the music, savor the food, and most importantly, let yourself be in the heart of the revelry. The best hosts not only create wonderful experiences for their guests but also partake in the merriment themselves.

Conclusion

We hope this party planning guide has helped you solidify your vision for your event. One last thing to keep in mind is that there’s no such thing as a perfect holiday party. Things can go wrong, guests won’t arrive at the last minute, and so on.

But isn’t what truly matters the joy, laughter, and memories you create with your loved ones? Celebrations are about connection, not perfection. Embrace the imperfections, stay adaptable, and most importantly, just enjoy!

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Keep coming back to The Bailiwick Academy blog for more kitchen tips, tricks, and much more!

The problem with this is that Pinoys have so many options for what to eat for merienda it can be hard to decide what to eat. And if you face the exact same dilemma, this blog post is what you need. We’ll be looking at 10 classic Filipino snacks that you should definitely try.

There’s something on this list for everyone, whether you’re craving for delicious sweets or savory snacks. Sit back, relax, and read for mouth-watering easy merienda ideas!

What is a “merienda”?

Okay, first things first. What the heck is “merienda,” and why do we observe it? You know, aside from the fact that eating is one of the most pleasurable things in the world, and Pinoys really love to eat?

According to Spanish Sabores, merienda is Spain’s traditional afternoon snack. Think of it as English afternoon tea or the equivalent of other cultures that eat during the afternoon, between lunch and dinner.

The origin of merienda itself is a bit unclear, but you can be sure that this concept has already been around for a long time, with different snacks throughout. We can speculate, though. 

“Merienda” comes from the Latin word “merenda”, which means “to earn” or “to deserve.” According to Why this place, it designated food given to Roman soldiers during ancient times. They earned it with the effort they gave in fighting, guarding prisoners, or whatever they were up to for the day.

With that in mind, we can guess that merienda came to be because Spaniards felt that they deserved their afternoon snack since they worked hard during the day.

So, of course, since we Filipinos were colonized by Spain, we got introduced to the concept. We have since adopted the Spanish tradition as our own and now eat light meals in the middle of the day. 

What time is merienda?

It can vary in Spain and other Spanish-speaking countries like Cuba and Colombia. Some start merienda at around 4 PM, while others start at 5 PM. The common factor is that it’s eaten before dinner.

For Filipinos, though, who have taken this snack culture for our own, we can start as early as 3 PM for some afternoon snacking. In fact, whether we want to admit it or not, some of us actually have Filipino merienda twice a day–one between breakfast and lunch and one between dinner and lunch.

Hey, eating is delicious. What can we do, right?

So… what’s good for merienda?

Let’s take a look at this Filipino merienda food list. Although this is not a comprehensive list of Pinoy popular snacks by any means, we’re sure any of these will make you say, “Kain na!” (Let’s eat!)! 

What To Eat For Merienda: Turon

Turon is a sweet snack made from sliced bananas, and jackfruit rolled in a spring roll wrapper and then deep-fried. The result is a crispy and sweet treat. People love the delicious taste of brown sugar, bananas, and jackfruit. That’s probably the reason why street vendors always carry this during merienda time.

What To Eat For Merienda: Kakanin

Kakanin is an umbrella term for any Filipino rice cake. They’re made from glutinous rice, flavored with coconut milk and sugar, and can come in various colors and shapes. And since Filipinos love rice, these are a favorite Filipino snack! Examples of these are suman, biko, puto, sapin-sapin.

Of course, you don’t have to rely on your favorite street vendor to experience these rice cakes. Just enroll in Chef Chona Garcia’s classes, Kakanin Espesyal 1 and Kakanin Espesyal 2. Both are available here at The Bailiwick Academy. You’ll be able to make some of these classic Filipino snacks yourself in the comfort of your home!

What To Eat For Merienda: Cheese Sandwiches

If you’re looking for a low-budget merienda, a cheese sandwich is the answer to your problem. Just get your favorite cheese spread (a popular sandwich spread in the Philippines for sure) and your favorite bread, spread generously, and you’re good to go! It’s a simple yet satisfying merienda option that’s perfect for those who love cheese.

If you want to add more taste, add your favorite ketchup or mayonnaise, or get some ham to convert it into a ham and cheese sandwich. It might be good enough to serve as a light meal to tide you until dinner.

What To Eat For Merienda: Green Mango and Bagoong

Green mango and bagoong is a classic Filipino merienda combination. The tartness of the unripe mango pairs perfectly with the salty and savory bagoong, creating a unique and delicious flavor profile. It’s a refreshing and satisfying snack that’s perfect for a hot day. 

It’s simple to prepare and eat. Slice up the mangoes, dip the slices in the bagoong, and enjoy!

What to Eat For Merienda: Taho 

It’s one of those merienda choices that make us go running. Why, you ask? Well, street vendors announce their presence by yelling “TAHOOOOO!” while walking.

That’s why you must run: by the time you leave the house, they may be long gone!

And yes, taho is worth running for. It’s a sweet, silken tofu dessert served warm with brown sugar syrup and sago or white tapioca pearls. It’s a healthy yet satisfying merienda option that’s perfect for those who want something light.

Taho can come in different flavors as well. Enroll in Chef Allan Mertola’s Taho class and learn how to make them!

What To Eat For Merienda: Instant Pancit Canton

Instant pancit canton is another classic Filipino snack. Nope, this isn’t made of rice noodles. We’re talking about pancit canton in a packet that’s easy to prepare–think quick merienda recipes!

After all, you just need to put it in boiling water for a few minutes, drain it, and mix it with the powders and liquids in the packet. It can vary from chicken and beef to other favorite Filipino flavors like spicy calamansi or sweet and spicy chili. We Pinoys love to eat it as well with hot pandesal (or other Pinoy bakery products we love to eat) or even rice–talk about carbo-loading!

What To Eat For Merienda: Champorado

Champorado is a sweet chocolate rice porridge usually served with tuyo or salted dried fish. It’s a unique merienda option that’s perfect for those who want something sweet and savory at the same time. It’s also great comfort food, especially during the rainy season.

What To Eat For Merienda: Banana Cue

Think of banana cue as the sibling of turon–they’re the same in the sense that both snacks involve a saba banana and sugar. The banana cue, though, is not wrapped and is instead skewered on barbecue sticks.  Just like the turon, this is a sweet and filling street food merienda option perfect for those who love bananas.

What To Eat For Merienda: Fish Balls

Fish balls are arguably THE most popular merienda in the Philippines. Go out during merienda time here, and you’ll see fish ball vendors surrounded by those craving for this Filipino snack. The snack food is fried and served with either a sweet or spicy dipping sauce. It’s another low-budget merienda option for those who want something savory.

What To Eat For Merienda: Halo-Halo

The halo-halo is one of the favorite Filipino snacks especially during the summer season. It’s a cold dessert made with shaved ice, evaporated milk, various fruits like shredded coconut, and sweets such as ube halaya, leche flan, and sago pearls. It’s a popular and refreshing merienda option that’s perfect for a hot day.

One Filipino version of this snack can also involve adding sweet corn.

Final Thoughts

And here our merienda food guide ends. Did you get hungry while reading this? Well, accept the fact that merienda is an important part of Filipino culture and provides a much-needed break in between meals and get to eating various meriendas in the Philippines!

Whether you prefer sweet or savory treats, there’s something on this list for everyone. So the next time you’re feeling peckish, give one of these delicious merienda options a try!

Want more options to eat during merienda?

Are you looking for even more options of Filipino cuisine, especially when it comes to merienda? Well, it just so happens that The Bailiwick Academy has just released a new class that will give you exactly that!

Check out Chef Jimbo Panadero’s newest class: Merienda Classics! 

If you want something really and truly Pinoy, this class has three options for you! First, you’ll get to make Toasted Siopao, a Filipino recipe or version for the usual siopao. It’s a soft, slightly dense bun filled with a delicious mixture of meat and spices. 

Next, you’ll learn how to make merienda using the same ingredients but with different outcomes! First, you’ll get to make Bicho-Bicho, a deep-fried fluffy pastry coated in a cinnamon-sugar or milk-sugar mixture. The other one is Cheese Donuts–sweet and salty goodness that’s a delicious combination of sweet and savory!

And don’t worry: Chef Jimbo will show you how to cook merienda in the easiest way possible, and only using simple ingredients. You won’t get lost while watching our videos!

Oh, and did we mention that these particular recipes are Filipino food that are BELOVED by plenty of Pinoys? And that means they’re good for a food business–you’ll run out of stocks in no time thanks to plenty of orders.

So what are you waiting for? Sign up at The Bailiwick Academy today and get started making these classic and delicious Pinoy treats. They’re so good you might end up snacking on them yourself while making them.

Just remember to leave some for your family, friends, and customers, okay/

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Keep coming back to The Bailiwick Academy blog for more kitchen tips, tricks, and much more!

He has been hailed as one of the biggest names in the culinary world. Why, you ask? Well, that’s one of the many things you’ll learn about Chef Him in this blog. Keep reading to learn more about this fantastic chef who is part of The Bailiwick Academy!

Who is Chef Him Uy De Baron?

Did you know that Chef Him Uy De Baron has been a chef for over TWENTY YEARS? He started in 2001 and hasn’t slowed down at all. That makes it hard for me to list his many accomplishments, but let’s put some of the more notable ones.

• Chef Him graduated with a Le Cordon Bleu Diplome de Cuisine from Le Cordon Bleu Sydney Culinary Arts Institute.
• He was an executive chef of a catering company called Chef Cuisine.
• Because of his kitchen prowess, he has gone into consulting for companies such as Rustan’s and ABS-CBN.
• He has had multiple restaurants, all with different cuisines, such as Nomama (Japanese), I Am Kim (Korean), Ping-Pong Diplomacy (Chinese/American), and Cocina Peruvia (Peruvian).
• Speaking of ABS-CBN, Chef Him and his team were in charge of the multimedia conglomerate’s food and beverage division.
• Chef Him has been featured countless times in different major media publications such as Philippine Star and Esquire.

Aside from those, he is seen as influential in and out of the industry. For example, he was tapped back in 2014 by a friend to support people in Tacloban after Typhoon Haiyan.

Chef Him also collaborated with Family Mart back in 2015 to make healthy, low-calorie, and vitamin-packed dishes; with Slappy Cakes back in 2016 where he created DIY skillets where diners can choose their meat, sauce and carbs of choice; and recently with Beyond Meat, an L.A.-based brand that makes plant-based meat alternatives for those seeking such options.

See how accomplished he is?

Chef Him: Thankful For Food

Chef Him admits that he wouldn’t be where he is now if it wasn’t for food. You see, years ago, he didn’t know what to do with his life. That was until he encountered food, at least. In fact, he now associates food with plenty of milestones in his life.

For example, according to this Filipino food blog, Chef Him’s love for cooking delicious food was influenced by his mom. He grew up with his mom manning the kitchen, especially for special occasions. He credits those memories as having influenced his own cooking.

And as a chef, you can bet that he has plenty more unforgettable memories, and that’s all because of food.

What is his cooking style?

As mentioned earlier, Chef Him can make delicious dishes, whether Filipino, Thai, Japanese, Korean, Peruvian, or even street-style hawker fare. You can describe Chef Him as a cooking chameleon. 

And it’s not just that he’s great with different cuisines. Chef Him is also known for creating vibrant flavors and his meticulous attention to detail just to make sumptuous meals. And if you’re wondering about how he developed his unique cooking style, he credits it to his curiosity back when he was still a child.

Every time he ate something, he would always wonder about the ingredients in the food. He would then attempt to replicate it when cooking. And, of course, the more he tasted as he grew older, the more his palate became sensitive–and the more attempts he made to put delicious tastes together.

That’s why even if he has learned to make different cuisines, Chef Him is not necessarily striving for authenticity. For Him, what’s more important is to borrow and combine different techniques and flavors of different cuisines that work well. For example, he has already tried developing a ramen recipe that wasn’t traditional at all: think of it as getting the best of Southeast Asian flavors and textures and mixing it in with Japanese fundamentals.

His various restaurants are also examples of this philosophy that he has.

Chef Him During The Pandemic: Heartbroken

Despite all the successes Chef Him had, one major setback he experienced was back in 2020. He had been contacted by ABS-CBN, and Chef Him had been gearing for big things to start the year. Sadly, the COVID-19 pandemic hit, which also meant a long lockdown in the country. 

That meant all that they were planning had to be stopped. And pretty soon, he and his team lost their job running the food scene in ABS-CBN.

How Him Bounced Back

Chef Him is a lot of things, but he is not one to sit on laurels and mope. One of the things he believes in is to always adapt to the times. And he realized that people were getting tired of always cooking the same thing or ordering out during the pandemic.

So Chef Him thought to teach his recipes to people looking for more enjoyment out of their food. And The Bailiwick Academy became one of his avenues to teach people how to make flavorful dishes! 

How is Chef Him Uy De Baron as a teacher?

Joining TBA isn’t exactly Chef Him’s first foray into teaching. After returning from Australia in 2001, he started teaching at a culinary school and appeared in other schools. He calls himself an accidental teacher, but in this field, he finds fulfillment by nurturing students and sharing what he knows. Chef Him actually feels mightily rewarded when he sees his students using what he has taught. 

Now, one impression of Chef Him the first time you see him is that he’s a very strict taskmaster.

But you’d be surprised how much fun he is to be with–check out this behind-the-scenes video during a recent shoot of one of his lessons.

One thing you can be sure about Chef Him is that if there’s anything he’s serious about, it’s developing the skills of his students–and making sure that he has recipes that will really tickle your taste buds. He’s a really hands-on instructor, too!

And based on some testimonies from his students at TBA, he’s been very successful. Check out what Adam had to say:

Maria agrees:

And so does Marilyn!

In other words, those who go under Chef Him’s tutelage can be sure that they will really level up their cooking skills. 

What’s next for Chef Him Uy De Baron?

Chef Him always believes in new opportunities in the food and beverage industry. That’s why he’s always looking for new ways to spread his culinary skill. Chef Him is a risk-taker too. 

As he said in an interview with Esquire: 

“If I think of putting everything in a business perspective, I might not have opened the restaurants I have opened. For me, if I feel that it is a really great idea, I go, ‘screw it, lets do it!’ “

You never know, you might hear of him opening a new restaurant soon!

Oh, and of course, new Chef Him classes are already lined up at The Bailiwick Academy! Just wait for us to release them. In the meantime, check out his classes that are already available:

Celebration Trays – great for leveling up your party fare.

Taste of Thai – experience one of the most popular cuisines in the world from the comfort of your home.

Flavors of India – taste a whole new palette of flavors and textures and demystify Indian cooking.

Dampa Seafood Feast – enjoy delicious seafood bursting with flavors that is Chef Him’s signature touch!

Hawker-Style Specials – have a different kind of street food experience with Singapore’s flavors.

Make sure to sign up at The Bailiwick Academy to access Chef Him’s delicious recipes today!

Final Thoughts

I’m going to leave you with what Chef Him thinks is important to truly become a great chef. The first is skill. You can’t become a great chef overnight–you really have to practice constantly and have the determination to have skill.

The second is to develop your taste. You can go to school to become a great chef, but taste is not something you can learn. It’s personal, something accumulated through the years.

And as a person becomes more experienced in cooking, they have to go from simply enjoying the taste of food to actually understanding how it was created. By honing their technique and experimenting with ingredients, a chef can develop a unique and personal style that sets them apart in the culinary world.

Such powerful and inspiring thoughts, agree?

Make sure to enroll in Chef Him Uy De Baron’s classes to get more nuggets of wisdom like these!

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Keep coming back to The Bailiwick Academy blog for more kitchen tips, tricks, and much more!

And you know the best part? You may already have the ingredients of some of these suggestions, so you can get started right away after reading this blog!

Excited? Well, without any further ado, let’s get to some decadent dessert ideas!

Decadent desserts meaning what, exactly?

When you call food decadent, what exactly does it mean? What does decadent mean in food? 

Well, the term usually refers to food that is rich, luxurious, and indulgent. And that usually means the food is high-calorie, high-fat, and high-sugar – definitely considered things you shouldn’t be eating on a keto diet. So in short, to answer the question, “What are decadent desserts?”, they’re desserts that taste super good – but are also super unhealthy.

Decadent foods are usually associated with events that are lavish or celebratory, like holidays, special events, or romantic evenings (hello Valentines!).

How did decadent food come to be? 

The story of this is actually quite an interesting one. According to Ehow.com, the “decadent movement” began in 19th-century France. Certain young and sophisticated people in Europe, for some reason, believed that civilization was, well, doomed.

And since everything was doomed, why not just make everything as pleasurable as possible, including food – even if it doesn’t make sense?

Well, as you read this, you’re probably already going, “Well, the word didn’t end!”, and you’re right. It’s just that a lot was happening back during that time, so we guess that’s why they thought that way.

Now, is “decadent” good or bad? Well, we would answer it really depends on your perspective. But one good thing about that movement is that the idea of decadent food was born. So now, we have food like chocolate truffles, truffle fries, foie gras, lobster bisque, and more!

Why should you build a decadent desserts menu?

You might be wondering why you would need to make a decadent dessert menu. Well, here are some good reasons, especially if you’re a food business owner.

You’ll have added appeal to your customers.

As mentioned earlier, decadent desserts are usually ordered for special occasions. That means if you have a menu that offers exactly that, you will easily appeal to your customers who are looking for something special – even to just cap off their lunch or dinner! A best desserts menu always gets the eye of people for sure.

You can use the decadent desserts menu to show off your skill and creativity.

When you offer decadent desserts, it means you have really special skills in baking. Show them off in your decadent offerings! Doing this also lets you explore and challenge yourself in coming up with new creations.

You will stand out from competitors.

Decadent desserts aren’t necessarily the norm, right? So if you offer them, your business will definitely stand out from your competitors. You’d easily attract customers who are looking for more than the usual fare.

Tips for creating a decadent desserts menu

Convinced to start making a decadent dessert bar menu? Here are some things to consider: 

• When selecting desserts, try to think about what beverages or drinks you’re going to pair them with, such as coffee or dessert wines. These can enhance the dining experience and create combinations that will definitely be remembered. You can even upsell them when people purchase your desserts!
• Don’t just stick to one flavor or type (i.e. chocolates only). Offering a different range of desserts with varying levels of sweetness, richness, and textures lets you hit more than one palate and preference. And when you add flavors or ingredients, you also hit another level of interest and excitement, which means more customers!
• Remember to also experiment with plating or presentation. Try to go about it as if you’re offering the most decadent desserts in the world! That means going all out in terms of presentation for added appeal and an experience that customers will never ever forget.

What are examples to include in a decadent desserts menu?

To be honest, there are countless options to choose from. But to make things easier for you, here are five of our suggestions of some of the best decadent desserts:

1. Churros

Churros are a popular dessert in Spain, Latin America, and several parts of the world. They are fried dough pastries that are made of delicious fried dough that are dusted with either cinnamon or sugar or even both. You can also see them in different shapes and sizes – knotted, thin, thick, long.

If that sounds decadent already, here’s something that makes it even better: you usually dip churros in a chocolate dipping sauce – making it a truly delicious and indulgent treat worth trying! Is chocolate decadent? It sure is!

If you feel like adding this to your decadent desserts menu, try out the Churros Con Chocolate class of Chef Joey Prats here at The Bailiwick Academy. It was born out of a frustration of not being able to find authentic churros in Metro Manila – so you can be sure that Chef Joey made it as authentic and as indulgent as possible.

2. Cheesecake

Cheesecakes are always a crowd favorite, but did you know they’re actually quite indulgent? Even the most classic, basic, New York-style cheesecake that has a graham cracker crust and a thick and creamy filling is decadent already. What more the other variations, especially when they’re topped with more delicious stuff?

And speaking of variations, you can get three of the creamiest, dreamiest, gourmet cheesecakes in the Luxurious Cheesecakes class by Chef Joey Prats – all pretty decadent, if you ask us!

3. Macarons

Macarons are delicate French cookies made from ground almonds, egg whites, and sugar, and filled with a creamy ganache or buttercream. They come in a variety of flavors and colors, and their crisp exterior and chewy interior make them a unique, delicious, and very indulgent dessert option.

Want to learn how to make not one, not two, but SIX variants of macaron that have the perfect look, crunch, and chewiness? Enroll in Parisian Macarons by Chef Joey Prats!

4. Crème Brûlée

Spelling out this indulgent, decadent treat is hard, but appreciating its taste is not! This smooth and creamy vanilla custard topped with a layer of crunchy caramelized sugar is luxurious and perfect for those who are looking for a treat that’s both creamy and sweet! It’s simple but is also one of the most decadent desserts in the world.

In fact, it’s so good, Chef Joey Prats featured this treat in two of his classes: The Cake Cannery and Special Celebration Cakes II! He makes both in cake form, effectively leveling it up!

5. Tiramisu

This Italian dessert is a heavenly combination of coffee-soaked ladyfingers and a mixture of mascarpone cheese, eggs, and sugar. Dust the top with some cocoa powder, and you get a heavenly, decadent dessert that is sure to satisfy any sweet tooth! 

If you’re looking for a surefire decadent recipe, check out this class: The Cake Pannery by Chef Joey Prats!

Here’s one more item to include in your decadent desserts menu

Notice something about all those decadent desserts we mentioned? They all have versions or recipes by Chef Joey Prats. And if you know Chef Joey, you’d know he’s a lover of all decadent food.

That’s probably why he transforms even ordinary, humble fare into extraordinary ones. The best example? His ensaymadas: they’ve been called “the Rolls Royce of ensaymadas” by FOOD Magazine for good reason!

And if you want to learn how he does it in person, and these luxurious treats to your menu, then we’re inviting you to join us for this very special, FACE-TO-FACE LIVE class: Deconstructing Decadence! 

This is happening on March 25, 2023, at Kessler’s Kitchen in Sta. Rosa Laguna. And in this class, you’ll not only learn to make the lightest, fluffiest, and most alluring ensaymadas ever, you’ll also get to take home plenty of good stuff, such as access to the recipes, and loot bags from our sponsors.

Plus, even if you’ve already taken his Artisan Ensaymadas class, Chef Joey will be releasing two new flavors that no one has ever tasted before! So those are added flavors to your menu instantly!

And ensaymadas are definitely good for a food business: one of our success stories, Joanna Cabrera, used ensaymadas to grow hers! 

Excited to enroll? Tickets are limited though – only 40 students are allowed!

So if you really want to learn how to make decadent ensaymadas – and so much more – make sure to buy your ticket today! Click here to reserve your slot at Deconstructing Decadence!

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Keep coming back to The Bailiwick Academy blog for more kitchen tips, tricks, and much more!

If not, well, let me tell you: you’re missing out on a lot!

Let me tell you, there’s a reason why it’s priced that way… and why Food Magazine declared his artisan Ensaymadas as the “Rolls Royce of Ensaymadas” back in 2016 –  it’s SO GOOD!

Of course, there’s more to Chef Joey than just his ensaymadas. If you’re a fan of delicious and indulgent desserts, you’d want to know more about this amazing chef. 

Curious about his teaching and cooking? Well, a blogger calls all his recipes “to die for”, and well, here’s what Bailiwickers have to say about him:

Want to know more? Well, without further ado, let’s take a quick look at one of the most beloved expert chef instructors at The Bailiwick Academy, shall we?

Who is Chef Joey Prats?

Now, Chef Joey Prats is a highly-accomplished chef, so to even summarize his achievements is hard, but we’ll try. Here we go!

Chef Joey is a highly distinguished pastry chef and baking consultant who started baking at the age of 12. He apprenticed in the Attic Inn, a family-owned restaurant, under the guidance of his mother Myrna Prats, herself a very-well known chef. 

Chef Joey earned the distinction of being the Philippines’ youngest Executive Pastry Chef at the age of 20 while working in the Hyatt Terraces Baguio’s kitchens. And after he graduated from Saint Louis University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Commerce and Business Administration, he traveled to New York City to further his education.

He got an Associate Degree in Baking & Pastry Arts from The Institute of Culinary Education (formerly known as Peter Kump’s New York Cooking School).

And from there, let’s just say he has done a lot, such as (in no particular order):

• Being one of the people who trained and mentored Chef Miko Aspiras and Chef RV Manabat, two of our TBA instructors
• Worked in different capacities for various restaurants and culinary schools such as Golden Bakery Inc., Puratos (Phil) Inc., The Mario’s Group, Rich’s Products Corporation (New York), Center for Culinary Arts Manila, De La Salle – College of Saint Benilde, The Culinary Institute of Aristocrat, The Embassy of Chocolate (Indonesia) and more
• Has established the Joey Prats Group of Companies – a holding company that houses 3 of his subsidiaries: the Joey Prats School of Baking & Pastry Arts, Joey Prats Ultra Mixes, and Luxury Sweets by Joey Prats, or now known as Froey’s Bakeshop Specialties.
• Various cooking and baking demos such as this one and this one
• Written columns for Food Magazine like this one

Pretty impressive, wouldn’t you agree?

How did Chef Joey Prats join The Bailiwick Academy?

No one knows about this story, but this is how I met Chef Joey Prats. 

Back in 2017, I purchased his recipe eBooks. I was able to do all the recipes which were all good, but I wasn’t satisfied. Because I looked up to Chef Joey, I wanted to meet this amazing chef in person, pick his brain, and just soak in his wisdom!

So you know what I did? I attended his face-to-face class in Paranaque back in April 2017. After the class, I approached Chef Joey and asked him to be one of the instructors at The Bailiwick Academy.

Here’s something you should know: The Bailiwick Academy wasn’t even established yet! But yes, I asked Chef Joey anyway. Hey, you miss one hundred percent of the shots you don’t take, right?

But if you predicted that he would say no, you’re absolutely right. And it wasn’t even once, it was twice!

But after so many follow ups (seven to be exact), Chef Joey finally said yes to featuring one of his classes: The Artisanal Ensaymada. After that, the rest is history! Chef Joey’s classes here at TBA are now 40, with more to come!

Who knows if he would have joined if I wasn’t persistent, right?

What are some of Chef Joey’s classes?

Do you know why Chef Joey Prats’ classes grew to that amount? My theory is that it’s because some of his classes are the top best-selling classes at TBA – and that makes Bailiwickers just want to learn more from him!

Some of his top sellers here are the Artisan Ensaymada class:

Special Celebration Cakes:

Ultimate Bibingka:

Flaky Gourmet Empanadas:

And Ube Jam!

All these have good reviews from our students. See more of his courses – click here!

Quick lessons from the master chef

One thing I and many other people really LOVE about Chef Joey is that aside from him being an icon in the baking and pastry industry in the Philippines is that he’s a really great teacher! An example here is when a student tagged him inside The Bailiwick Academy Student Lounge asking for help:

He immediately responded with this:

And because he’s an amazing teacher, it’s kind of hard to summarize his various nuggets of wisdom in one blog post. In fact, every time we have him as a guest on our various LIVE sessions, they usually end up going for more than an hour!

Like the time we had what we called Sweet Talk with Chef Joey last year. There were so many value bombs he dropped especially for people who want to get into the food business. I’ll summarize the five major ones, in no particular order:

1. Focus on one product.

When starting out in your food business, it’s best for you to focus on just one product at a time. That way, you can go full blast making it, up to the point that you perfect it and become known for it. 

The best example? Chef Joey, of course, with his artisan ensaymadas! Obviously, you know he’s more than capable of cooking and baking different kinds of food. But for some holidays, he has chosen to focus on his version of this pastry.

And this tip is related to number two, which is:

2. Don’t put too many items on your menu.

You know another reason Chef Joey only wants to focus on his ensaymadas? Well, having too many menu items can be overwhelming for you, especially if you’re just starting out. The end result is that you may find yourself with items that are not as prepared well. 

Also, it can overwhelm your customers with them having a hard time making a decision about what to buy first. And they won’t be able to associate that product with you, which is helpful for marketing purposes. 

Focus on a small, well-curated menu when you’re starting out.

3. Do your projections early.

Did you know that your product pricing should be flexible – but in a way that helps you out? You see, when you buy ingredients from your suppliers, they won’t keep their prices the same all the time. You have to be ready for them to increase your price – and for yours to increase too.

As much as you want to keep your prices the same, can you really afford to not make a profit with your products when running a business? According to Chef Joey, that’s not a good business practice! 

4. Choose products that have long shelf lives and are logistically friendly.

Here’s one thing to help you choose a product to sell: sell something that will last a long time (like his Best Ever Cookies) and something that will stay together even if it’s being transported. That way, you won’t be worried if you need to hire a motorbike or other delivery service and you end up with a driver who’s not a careful driver.

Also, on the off-chance that you encounter a bad day and you only have a few sales, or someone orders from you but is a scam, at least you know that your products won’t spoil right away. You can sell them at a lower cost or something.

5. Treat all your customers well.

This goes without saying, but whoever your customer may be, be sure to treat them well. Don’t discriminate whether they’re celebrity customers or regular ones. Always make sure you give them the best service possible.

Once they become your fans, you might find that they’ll be the ones bringing more customers to you!
Of course, there can be difficult clients, but we’d need more context into how to deal with those.

For more amazing business lessons, make sure to watch Chef Joey’s other videos on The Bailiwick Academy’s Facebook page and YouTube channel!

What’s next for Chef Joey Prats?

Well, you can be sure a chef as busy, as well-known, and as good as Chef Joey will always have plenty of projects scheduled. But as for The Bailiwick Academy, well, you can always expect him to come out with many more courses that will help you turn your passion for baking and cooking into profit!

If you haven’t yet, make sure to enroll in Chef Joey Prats’ courses here.

And if you want the chance to see him demonstrate one of his delicious recipes LIVE and IN-PERSON, make sure to join us at The Bailiwick Academy’s 5th year anniversary!

Not only will you get to talk to Chef Joey, ask him all the questions you want, and see his techniques personally…

But you’ll also get to TASTE his creation when he’s done, as well as take home loot bags that The Bailiwick Academy team has compiled for attendees. I’m sure you’re going to love the goodies inside!

Oh, and did I mention there’s going to be a raffle? And that you’ll get the chance to take home amazing prizes?

And before I forget, not only will you get to talk to Chef Joey and experience his baking, but you’ll also get a recording of his live demonstration. It’s like you paid for one of his courses here at TBA!

Slots are limited to the anniversary though – make sure to get your ticket at the TBA shop!

Chef Joey and I would love to see you there – so… see you there, I hope!

In the meantime, make sure to sign up at The Bailiwick Academy if you haven’t yet and experience our world-class courses!

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Keep coming back to The Bailiwick Academy blog for more kitchen tips, tricks, and much more!

So if you didn’t know that, and you’ve been eating eggs the same way all your life, we’re here to tell you to live a little. In fact, this article is for you. It’s going to take up not only how you can cook your eggs differently, but also how else you can use them for a delicious breakfast meal.

Let’s get to it, shall we?

The different ways of cooking eggs

Like we said, you don’t only have to cook your eggs in one way over and over again. Here are different methods for cooking them. Make sure to memorize these so you know what to answer the next time you’re at a breakfast buffet and the chef asks how do you like your eggs!

Scrambled eggs

One of the most basic ways to cook and enjoy an egg. Break open the desired number of eggs in a bowl, add some salt, then start beating them until the yolks and whites have completely combined. Put them in a pan and start cooking. 

Some mix their eggs with butter and milk for more creaminess.

Sunny-side up eggs

Sunny side up eggs are another of the more well-known ways to prepare an egg. It’s a way of cooking where the egg whites are solid but the yellow yolk in the middle is still runny. That’s why it’s called sunny-side up: the round yolk looks like the sun.

Hard boiled

When you hard boil an egg, that means you’re cooking the egg without breaking the shell by putting them in water brought to a boil. The whole inside of the egg should be solid for you to consider an egg as hard boiled.

So how do you eat one after? Let it cool, break open the shell, and start peeling. Add salt for more flavor!

Soft boiled eggs

You often see soft boiled eggs placed in ramen, but you can also eat them by themselves. They also look like hard boiled eggs but there’s a difference!

Remember that you make hard boiled eggs by putting eggs in cold water that you boil. Soft boiled eggs, on the other hand, are placed in water that’s already boiling. 

How do you know it’s a soft boiled egg? Look for an egg that has been cooked in its shell with whites that have a custard-like texture and yolks that are creamy, ranging from runny to jammy consistency.

Pressure-cooked

Have a pressure cooker? Then you basically have the shortcut for making soft boiled and hard boiled eggs. The result will depend on the minutes of cooking.

And if you have an air fryer, even better: you won’t need water at all

Poached eggs

Poached eggs, in our opinion, are beautiful. You have egg whites that are very firm to contain an oozy yolk in a nice, round shape. Then when you cut the circle open… 

Oh, that burst of yellow. So beautiful!

Poached eggs have a reputation for being difficult to make, but you just need plenty of practice. 

How do you poach an egg, exactly? Keep that question in mind – we’ll get to it later.

Over easy

Eggs over easy are simply sunny-side ups that you flip over. You’ll also get a runny yolk, which is great for dipping stuff into. 

How to eat eggs for breakfast

Now that you know how to cook eggs in different ways, you should also know how to eat them in whatever way they’re cooked! Here are a few ideas.

As the main course

Whether you’re going to eat eggs with rice, or egg with bread, or just eggs ‘cause you’re on a keto diet, eggs are more than good enough to become the main course for breakfast. We’d recommend eating more than one, too. Contrary to popular belief, eggs aren’t really as bad for your cholesterol as we’d like to think.
Hey, the Mayo Clinic said it – who are we to argue, right?

As a side

This is the usual state of eggs: a supplement to whatever protein we crave in the morning. That’s not really a bad thing. It just means more protein, more tastes, and more to eat. 

We really can’t find a way to complain about that.

As an omelet

Think of an egg surrounding a filling like meat, mushrooms, other vegetables, and so on. That’s an omelet. The ingredients are incorporated into the egg. 

One of the more popular ones here in the Philippines is the tortang talong. Yes, that’s an omelet! 

Why not just eat the ingredient and the egg separately? Well, we’re guessing psychologically, it’s more filling since the egg gets thicker as it merges with the filling of your choice, but again, that’s just a guess.

In a sandwich

If you don’t want rice and eggs together, another option is to make a sandwich with either egg as the main ingredient or added with more proteins, like ham or a meat patty. As you can see with one of the fast food brands here, that combo is very popular.

Speaking of eggs and sandwiches…

We hope this article gives you more ideas on how to enjoy your eggs! And hopefully, it has revived your love for this simple but versatile breakfast protein.

And speaking of love for eggs, because we love eggs so much, we produced a class dedicated to eggs! 

Or well, to one particular sandwich, at least.

Have you heard of Eggs Benedict?

It’s a traditional American breakfast or brunch item. It’s an open faced sandwich composed of 2 halves of an English muffin, bacon or ham, runny poached eggs (told you we’d get back to this!)…

AND… it’s topped with a delicious, rich, and silky Hollandaise sauce. Add a few herbs as well, and what you have is pure INDULGENCE.

If reading that makes you hungry, well, don’t worry: Chef Max Nadin is back with another class for you!

And if you guessed that it will show you how to make restaurant-quality Eggs Benedict, from poaching eggs, to making Hollandaise sauce and to putting everything together – you got it right!

The best part? Just like Chef Max’s Roasted Garlic class, this one is also FREE for all The Bailiwick Academy students! 

Just go over to your Student Dashboard and look for FREE COURSES:

You’ll see this class:

Just click on it and you’ll be ready to get started!

All you need to do to get access is to sign up at The Bailiwick Academy! It’s that simple.

So what are you waiting for? Sign up, go to your Student Dashboard, and start on one tasty eggs-perience!

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Keep coming back to The Bailiwick Academy blog for more kitchen tips, tricks, and much more!

If you’ve eaten from delicious restaurants like Poison Donuts, Workshop Bakery, and Scout’s Honor, then congratulations. You have already experienced the genius of one of The Bailiwick Academy’s instructors, Chef Miko Aspiras!

At a very young age, Chef Miko is already living the dream most chefs would want. He has multiple restaurants and awards under his belt and has been featured on multiple websites and magazines, not just locally but also abroad. He is even known for coining the term basque burnt cheesecake!

What more could any chef want?

His accomplishments are certainly very aspirational. But oftentimes, we forget that successful people had to do a boatload of work before getting their breakthrough. 

And that’s why in today’s blog, let’s take a quick, closer look at Chef Miko’s journey, and let’s appreciate all the work he did to get where is today. 

Get ready to be inspired!

Chef Miko Aspiras’ beginnings

Chef Miko told Philippines Tatler that his love for food came at a very early age. For example, when he was five years old, every time he didn’t like the food that was being served to him, he would mix seasonings, herbs, and spices with rice. 

But Chef Miko’s first true baking experience was when he was 11 years old. He assisted his Aunt Annie in making food for her catering business. This particular experience was the start of his walking down his current culinary path.

He then started studying hotel and restaurant management at De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde. What he would do next would be one of the many accomplishments he would have in his more than 10 years of baking.

One of Chef Miko’s first wins

While he was still studying, he joined a cheesecake competition and made it into the finals, even if he didn’t have any culinary or pastry training. As he says in his interview with Harvard Business Review:

“During the elimination round, one chef even said that my entry was not edible. I thought I’d be eliminated but the judges gave me a chance and a spot on the final round because they said my concept was strong and they saw potential in me.”

What he did instead was to keep practicing the recipe, a white chocolate and strawberry fondue cheesecake, over and over. And he won first place!

According to this SBS article, after this, Chef Miko would then gain recognition as the best pastry chef out of 175 students. And as soon as he graduated, he was hired by EDSA Shangri-La as a commis chef.

Solidifying his pastry presence

Even if he already got hired by one of the best hotels in the country and won first place in a competition, Chef Miko Aspiras didn’t let success get to his head. If anything, he wanted to achieve more!

And in fact, he did:

• He was invited by the Pastry Alliance of the Philippines to represent the Philippines in a contest in Hong Kong, where he won the gold medal.  
• He has a total of six golds, three silvers, and two bronzes, both for local and international competitions.
• Chef Miko Aspiras was one of the speakers at the 2016 Madrid Fusion Manila event.

• He has also worked for Maxims Hotel and Fairmont Hotel, where he created unforgettable desserts.
• Chef Miko was featured in Asia’s Forbes 30 under 30, Moneysense’s “Millionaires Under 30”, and recognized as Philippine Tatler’s Best Pastry Chef in 2018.

• He opened Tasteless Food Group with partners. They currently have more than 20 stores and seven concepts (including franchises) across Manila.

• He wrote a book with Chef Aileen Anastacio entitled A Piece of Cake.
• Of course, let’s not forget that he has online classes with us at The Bailiwick Academy involving the basque burnt cheesecake, croquembouche, and fruits!

The move to Australia

In June of 2019, he and his husband JV moved to Australia.

In an interview with Australian Filipina, he shared that the move was an eventuality. Plus, he felt that he had already accomplished all that he could in the Philippines.

And true to his tenacious nature, Chef Miko Aspiras hit the ground running upon arrival. Three days after the move, he scored an interview at the Hilton and became the Executive Pastry Chef at Hilton Sydney!

Sadly, because of the pandemic, they were all let go. But Chef Miko wouldn’t be as influential and as well-known if he let setbacks stop him, right?

That’s why in June 2021, he put up Don’t Doughnuts.

He calls it a similar concept to the Poison donut in the Philippines, but more leaning towards an Australian audience. And it hasn’t been very long, but it’s already earning rave reviews with its flavors!

Chef Miko hasn’t forgotten his Filipino roots either! He is well-known for his love of the country and always highlighting Filipino ingredients like adlai and calamansi. 

He’s doing the same with his donuts! Check out this Choc-nut inspired donut:

And as he shared in an interview with Our Awesome Planet, he even managed to do a project with Select Kuwait, where he created 56 desserts for them.

And on weekends, Chef Miko accepts orders for Basque cheesecakes.

In short… there’s no stopping him anytime soon! We’re proud to have him on our Instructor roster and we can’t wait to see what ideas he comes up with next!

One last Chef Miko Aspiras fact you NEED TO KNOW…

Here’s one last thing you should know about Chef Miko. This thing is probably the most inspiring thing ever about this very talented chef.

You might have missed it.

He revealed it in an interview with Inquirer about being the first Filipino featured in So Good Magazine, what Chef Miko called “the Vogue for pastry chefs.” 

Okay, enough suspense. Here it is:

Before he officially left for Australia with his husband, he has never worked or trained anywhere except in the Philippines. He loved to travel, though. So what he would do during travel was keep his eyes open and pay attention to the various desserts he would see so that he would always have new ideas.

Imagine that!

So if you’re aspiring to be a success like Chef Miko, you don’t need to go anywhere else to become a first-class chef. Just practice what you know, be the best you can be, put yourself out there, and the world will notice you!

And when it comes to skills, all you need to do is enroll in one of our classes at The Bailiwick Academy. All of our classes are from the world’s best bakers and chefs. That means that not only are these recipes tried, tested, and very delicious, but you can also use them to fulfill your dreams of becoming a world-class chef one day.

So what are you waiting for? Learn Chef Miko Aspiras’ delicious dessert recipes (as well as many others) – sign up at The Bailiwick Academy today!

See you inside!

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Keep coming back to The Bailiwick Academy blog for more kitchen tips, tricks, and much more!

(Don’t forget to eat them with French fries for the full experience.)

And in case you’re wondering, “Is a burger a type of sandwich?” the answer is yes! After all, a sandwich is defined as “two or more slices of bread having a filling in between.” And a burger is essentially ground beef (shaped into beef patties) sandwiched between bread.

So yeah, a burger is a sandwich.

Going back to the actual topic, if you didn’t know that burgers can be more than just beef patties slathered with cheese and topped with lettuce and tomatoes, well… after reading this article, you’ll know! There are ground chicken patties (meaning chicken burgers), patties made from black beans, and many other burgers recipe variations!

What types of burgers are there, you ask? Well, let’s jump right into the different types you should definitely try when you get the chance!

So… what are these types of burgers I should try?

Well, to make things easier for you, we’ll classify the burgers according to different kinds: meat, veggie, any burger type of chicken or other bird, and finally, types of fish burgers!

(Surprised to know that there are so many? Don’t worry, we were too!)

Oh, and disclaimer: we’re just after the taste, not the nutritional value of the burger. Hey, it’s food that’s meant to be enjoyed and savored. Why bother with finding out if a juicy burger is healthy, right?

On to the list!

What types of veggie burgers should I try?

Why start with burgers made from vegetables, you ask? Well, they’re not beef, so they’re like the real opposite of traditional burgers.

But that doesn’t stop them from tasting good! After all, just because you don’t eat meat is not an excuse to indulge in a burger.

Some examples are:

Black bean burger

Bean burgers are burger patties made from black beans, mixed with onions, garlic, and options of your choice of sauce, as well as vinegar, bread crumbs, eggs, and finally, salt and pepper. These ingredients are needed to make sure the patty holds its shape, and so that you taste more than just beans when you bite into it.

Also, apparently, they’re one of the healthiest veggie burgers out there, so hey, an added benefit is always good!

Portobello mushroom burgers

A portobello mushroom is a popular choice for a veggie burger ingredient because apparently, it has a texture that is meaty. Plus, it’s huge, so it’s a great substitute for the usual burger patty.

Oh, and the best thing is that eating it will make you feel like you’re eating an umami burger: you won’t have to cover it with condiments just to find it delicious.

Falafel burger

You’ve encountered falafel before in our post about Middle Eastern foods. But have you ever encountered it in burger form? Well, yes, it exists!

These particular patties have a nice texture and a delicious aroma, thanks to their ingredients of chickpeas, sesame seeds, garlic, onion, carrots, cilantro, various spices, flour, and salt and pepper.

If you love eating falafel solo, you’d definitely love it in burger form.

What are the different types of beef or meat burgers I should try?

Beef is the classic meat for the usual burger, but that doesn’t mean you can’t add twists. Here are examples of those burgers.

Chili Burger

Want something rich and indulgent? Go for a chili burger.

A chili burger is basically the usual burger, with chili on top. Some also add cheese, so it’s a cheeseburger that’s spicy and has an extra kick. Add bacon, and it’s a spicy bacon cheeseburger!

Well, you get the idea.

Buffalo burgers: more than just one of the types of beef burger

A buffalo burger is, well, a hamburger that has meat from the American Bison. It has less cholesterol, fat, and calories compared to the usual beef hamburgers. But don’t be disappointed: buffalo meat is extremely tasty.

Top this burger with cheese and caramelized onions and enjoy your meal!

(If you want another meat, you can also look for a lamb burger or an elk burger.)

Smash burger 

Smash burgers are two patties that have been literally flattened on a very hot grill. The idea there is that the fat and the juices go back up into your burger. You’ll basically get double the juiciness. 

That’s definitely worth something experiencing, wouldn’t you agree?

How about the bird meat burgers?

Burgers made from birds simply offer an alternative to people who don’t want to eat beef (again, religious reasons, like some Indians) but still want to experience a burger. Or maybe you don’t have time to eat rice with chicken – bread IS a good alternative.

Here are some popular burgers made with different birds. 

Fried chicken burger: the most popular type of bird meat burgers

Apparently, there are a lot of origins of fried chicken burgers, but one thing’s for sure: they’re good! Crispy, bursting with flavor, mouthwatering… we could go on describing them. 

Eat these sandwiches with barbecue sauce or any kind of sauce for added flavor and deliciousness.

Turkey burger 

Oh yeah, when they say turkey burger, they really mean actual turkey. As in the bird. 

And if you’re wondering about turkeys in the Philippines, well, there are some already. But it’s not likely you’re going to be seeing turkey burgers in restaurants anytime soon, which is a shame. After all, turkey burgers are pretty delicious.

Plus, they’re a good choice if you’re health-conscious. It has lower calories, meaning you can eat more to satisfy your burger cravings!

Ostrich burger

The demand for ostrich meat is increasing here in the Philippines. So while chicken is still the most-eaten bird, who knows if ostrich can replace it one day? 

Besides, you may not know it but ostrich is also lower in calories, cholesterol, and fat than chicken. And that’s another reason to indulge.

As for the taste, well, it’s similar to beef – and we all love beef, right? So ostrich is definitely something we wouldn’t mind trying!

What types of fish burgers exist?

If you want to take a break from beef or simply just prefer or need seafood (or even for religious reasons like Lent), fish burgers are the way to go. They can be as juicy and as flavorful as classic burgers!

Here are some you should try:

Salmon burger

Salmon is a popular fish because of its health benefits. So yes, you don’t have to eat a veggie burger to be eating “healthy.”

Most salmon patties require binders like breadcrumbs or mayonnaise, but some don’t. Either way, these burgers are light, tender, and super moist. 

Tilapia burger: one of the types of fish burgers that Pinoys will likely love 

We Pinoys love us some tilapia, right? Maybe if you can’t get your kids to eat tilapia normally, the burger form would work!

The firmness of tilapia meat makes it ideal for burger patties. Eat it with some tartar sauce and lemon for a delightful fish sandwich!

Tuna burger

Who doesn’t eat tuna, right? Plus, it’s a very common ingredient. Look for a restaurant that serves it with mustard and lemon, and enjoy chomping away!

This list made me hungry! What are the nearby burger places?

Has this list made you crave burgers? Well, you can Google “near me burgers” for example, or just look around for nearby burgers (we’re sure there are plenty).

But we’d like to present you with another option:

What if you could make not one, not two, but THREE different kinds of restaurant-quality burgers, all in the comfort of your own home?

It’s possible, with the latest class of The Bailiwick Academy by Sir Rodney Martinez: Burger Obsession!

Learn to make the following burgers:

– the irresistible SMASH BURGER, a double patty of crispy-edged burgers dripping in cheese, slathered with a special sauce in between fluffy sesame buns and served with twice-cooked fries

– the PINOY LONGGA BURGER, consisting of garlicky, slightly sweet longganisa patties with a unique Atsara sauce, placed in soft Pan De Sal buns and served with kamote fries

– the FRIED CHICKEN BURGER, a crispy and super flavorful fried chicken topped with a rich and tangy mayo-mustard sauce and sandwiched between light, tender home-made brioche buns (comes with potato chips made from scratch)

Three different burgers flavored with three different sauces, and served with three different breads and three different sides – what more could you ask for?

Don’t stop at drooling! Enroll now and level up your burger – sign up at The Bailiwick Academy today!

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Keep coming back to The Bailiwick Academy blog for more kitchen tips, tricks, and much more!

Do We Need to Look Our Best?

Of course we do!

We know how hectic it can be to bake, pack, clean up and deliver. Or meet with a client then rush to meet deadlines. There is no time to fix ourselves. The star of the show is our products not us, anyway.  So, why bother? Well, we should because our overall appearance can make an impact on our image as a business owner.  Our look can define how we run our business.  As home bakers and  home cooks, we need to look neat, clean and presentable. I mean, would you trust a baker with dirty fingernails? 

We talked to the “experts” Professional Makeup Artist Rae Salazar and Wedding and Food Photographer Noel Salazar about our concerns and they shared their recommendations.

Good Skin Care

“ Start and invest in your  skin… skin care is your best friend…alam mo pag gising mo ang fresh mo na. Additional nalang ang makeup.”

Rae Salazar

Having good skin certainly has a lot of advantages.  We can look fresh and young if our skin is healthy. We would need minimal makeup too! This means more time for our products. Isn’t that great? So, let us invest in good skin care!

But wait,  wouldn’t that be expensive and time consuming? 

Not at all. 

Having good and healthy skin doesn’t need a gazillion products and procedures.   Aside from maintaining a balanced diet, all you need is cleanse, tone and use moisturizer with spf.  Also, don’t underestimate the power of keeping hydrated! 

MakeUp In 5 Minutes

Sometimes, even with diligent care for our skin we can’t help but have late nights, bad days, hormonal changes and other skin emergencies.  This time we need makeup to cover our flaws and enhance our best features. 

And as promised, Rae has given us tips to be Zoom ready in 5 minutes with the use of only 5 tools!

Full Coverage Foundation Powder

This is to prepare the canvas which is your face. Apply  a thin layer of full coverage foundation powder all over your face.. This is to cover some imperfections such as puffy eye bags, slight redness of the skin and even out the skin tone.  This will act as your foundation, concealer and powder in one.  Use this with a brush for a more even coverage. 

Contour

Zoom or having meetings online can make you look flat. You need contouring to give your face the depth and life it needs.  Use a shade darker than the shade of your full coverage foundation powder. Dust them on your cheekbones, neck, nose line and temples. But don’t overdo it! Remember we are trying to go for something natural. 

Blush and Lip Tint

These add color to your cheeks and lips making you look rosy and healthy. Apply a light shade of blush on the apples of your cheeks for a healthy glow. Add a pop of color to your lips by applying a tinted lip balm. This is a great way  to moisturize dry chapped lips while looking Zoom-worthy!  

Eyes

We just want something natural and simple. Yup, no dramatic dark smokey eyes for a Zoom meeting. We aren’t competing in a beauty contest! HAHAHAHA

Mascara can do wonders in lifting those tired peepers.  Apply a coat or two and it will do wonders for your eyes. It would also not hurt to apply some neutral eyeshadows to add a bit of color to your lids. 

Eyebrows

Well-groomed eyebrows are key to a neat and presentable look.  Trim, brush and clean excess eyebrow hair. Fill in spots with sparse or less hair to make your eyebrows look even. Go for eyebrow pencil colors that are close to your hair shade. Safe colors for Asians would be chestnut or ash brown. Here’s a quick guide to make those eyebrows dandy in a jiffy!

Also, check out this course Make Up 101 for all the essentials you’ll need in knowing the best kind of makeup suited for you!

Tips and Tricks For The Camera

That wasn’t too hard, was it? It’s nice to know that we don’t need a luggage full of makeup and brushes to achieve a well-groomed look.  But there’s more tips and tricks to look even better especially for online meetings! 

“ First, have a good night’s sleep. Second, get a camera with a better resolution. Third, achieve good lighting through natural or artificial light.”

Noel Salazar

There is no substitute for a solid eight hours of sleep.  It will really show! Your eyes are more alive, your skin is clearer and you’ll look fresh and ready to handle anything.

Getting an expensive external camera for online meetings is really not necessary.  Most phones now have great front cameras that work just fine. But if you have the budget, then, why not?

With online shopping nowadays, getting a ring light is easy peasy! That’s basically all you need to illuminate your face. If this isn’t available, natural light to the rescue! Just position yourself in front of a window with a sheer curtain and you are good to go! …Uhhh, make sure your meeting is during the day!

Oh and Noel added that your camera angle matters.  We should position our camera higher than our faces.  This would “hide”  flaws such as double chins and wide faces.  We want to have leaner features, right? Also, avoid slouching! This would give an air of being unprepared. Sitting up straight, on the other hand, will make you appear confident, prepared and ready to take on life’s challenges!

Our Products Too!

Now that we’re all set and Zoom ready, let’s talk about how to make our products drool-worthy on our social media pages! Most of us eat with our eyes first. Let’s admit it, better food pictures usually have the edge over ones that aren’t really scrumptious to look at.

The question is how do we take good food pictures? Do we really need an expensive camera to have beautiful images?

The answer is NO! You don’t need an expensive camera to make your food look amazing in pictures. Phones nowadays have good quality cameras and you should take advantage of this. However, there are still a few guidelines that we need to follow to capture great food photos. Noel shared practical tips and tricks to get us started.

It is important to light your food.  But never use flash as it can flatten the image.  A light source can give shadows and show textures making the subject more interesting. Artificial light is good as you can shoot anytime fo the day. But if you don’t have access to artificial light yet, natural light can help you create stunning images too!

Another tip would be to highlight your food’s best and unique feature. Focus on the cake’s chocolate drip, the fresh strawberry on top of a cupcake, the juicy meatballs on a spaghetti platter and the bite mark on a brownie. You get the drift, right? The Bailiwick Academy has a course on mobile photography if you want to learn more. Here’s a sneak peek:

Now, let’s go shoot some awesome food photos!!!

She’s the female powerhouse that founded Way Beyond Cakes which specializes in these unique and novel cakes that changed the norm of cake decorating.  Her cakes are these awesome works of art that you can hold, carry and sometimes they defy gravity.  Let us get to know the woman behind these masterpieces.  

Mayen was a teacher in the Philippines teaching high school BIology and Chemistry.  Later on, she also joined the corporate world as a medical representative of a multinational pharmaceutical company before moving to the United States in the early 2000s.  As she settled in a new country, she continued her career in the pharma industry. 

Way Beyond Box Mixes

But it wasn’t until several years later that Mayen got interested in baking. She had a hard time conceiving so for the baptism of her son she wanted a really grand cake.  The price of custom cakes urged her to make cakes for her kids.

“ …I started with a box mix. I baked it and nakakatuwa pala ang feeling na something from the box turned into something you can eat. Parang nakaka-amaze!… Doon ako na hook! …Pag naalala ko yung first cake ko. It was the most unimaginative cake, pinaka ordinaryo na cake na nakita ko pero nung ginawa ko sobra akong happy!”

She started doing more cakes and she learned through trial and error. While she was making more cakes she realized that this will make her stay home with the kids. This can be a career for her.   She also started a YouTube channel with the aim to help beginner bakers shorten a twenty step process into four steps. Well, once a teacher… always a teacher.

So, that’s how Way Beyond Cakes by Mayen got its start. 

Of Lemons and Lemonade

Now, with almost 12 years of cake decorating experience and several international awards tucked under her belt, Mayen is a sought after international cake artist and educator.  She travels the world to teach her unique cakes.  In fact, she has a gravity-defying cake class here at The Bailiwick Academy.

But despite her success and stature, Mayen experienced loss and uncertainty when the pandemic hit.  Her workshops, which are her bread and butter,  got cancelled.  There were even no cake orders.  It was an awful time.  

But as the saying goes,”When life gives you lemons, use them to make lemonade!” And so she did! Instead of wallowing in defeat and giving up, she created cake decorating kits that can be shipped and made more online teaching tutorial videos.  Now, she’s back on track and as busy as she’ll ever be.

Mayen’s Tips

Fortunately for us Bailiwickers,  Mayen shared valuable tips and advice on work ethics, pricing your cakes and dealing with challenges.  Read on to find out.

Think Outside The Box

Competition is fierce in the cake-ing world. One way to stand out is to have something unique and different to offer. Look around you, everything is an inspiration for cake design. Go beyond the ordinary!

Don’t Turn Down Cake Orders

Dealing with difficult designs or designs that you aren’t comfortable with will make you grow as a cake decorator. You will learn new skills, gain confidence and discover new abilities that you think you don’t have.

Work Smart and Know Your Worth

Aside from the ingredients, we also need to put a premium on the time spent creating a cake.  Sadly, this is the most neglected factor but it is also the most valuable.  Clients  should not only pay for a cake made of flour, eggs and milk.  They should pay for the design and all the years you spent perfecting your craft. Don’t underestimate yourself. Charge what you’re worth.

Be Comfortable In Discussing The Budget

This is an awkward situation for most of us. But we also need to protect ourselves. It is always a must to safeguard our business by requiring  the client to pay a downpayment before we discuss our ideas with them.  You have the option to decline too if you feel that this project is not worth your time.

Identify Your Market

Selling your premium cakes with premium prices won’t work if you sell them in the wrong market.  You must first need to know what your market is and then make products that your market can appreciate. 

Paid vs Free Tutorials

Sure, there are a lot of free tutorials out there but you’d still undergo trial and error for the most part.  Whereas, paid tutorials are almost foolproof. You will be guided accordingly by the instructor.  Not to mention, you will learn a lot of tips, tricks and industry secrets. We have lots of excellent classes here at The Bailiwick Academy that can jumpstart a business in baking (some of them are free too!)

Practice Makes Perfect

Even if you watch hundreds of free and paid tutorials, they won’t be making much of a difference if you don’t practice what you learned. It is only through constant practice that you will be able to hone, improve and perfect your craft.  

Mentorship and A Support System

Having a mentor and a good support system behind you is one way to ensure that you stay on the right path.  

Lastly, Mayen has this to say to newbies and oldies alike.

“Persevere! I think that is the key word. You should have this mindset to keep on going. You have to persevere through all the challenges that will come.  Because the only way that you will fail is when you stop trying…”  

Mayen Orido