The Reggie Aspiras School of Culinary Arts
There is never a dull moment in Chef Reggie’s class. “Anyone who cannot do this had better go into gardening, or play cards, or watch movies,” Chef Reggie would tell her students, who always laugh, never mind that they often hear that funny statement.
They’re almost always the same students, with a new tag-along now and then or a daughter who is beginning to enjoy what her Mom had been attending for the last 10 or 20 years. Now, she understands why on certain days of the week, and the day could vary from Wednesday to Friday to Tuesday, her Mom is driven off to far La Vista in Quezon City from their Pasay or Makati home.
To Chef Reggie, taste is what matters. A food has to be delicious. “It cannot be anything else,” she says. “It all boils down to the taste. One can have a beautiful dish visually, but if the taste does not make you happy, everything else that went into making it look beautiful and inviting is useless.”
It is a dictum that she keeps repeating in class - taste, taste, taste is what matters. It is how to create delicious food that she teaches them.
Student Stories
“I have not stopped attending because right in the first class, I saw that Chef Reggie had a unique approach to sharing her knowledge. She teaches and cooks with love and passion, something that is missing in a number of chefs who try to teach. She could also teach without a ‘codigo’ (teacher’s cheat reference sheet), which only confirms her knowledge of her craft is very keen. As I love listening to her, including her jokes, I do not only learn new recipes, I also get to relax. Chef Reggie’s classes the best stress relievers for me.” -- Melanie Chua
“I love the way Chef conducts her classes. She makes food magically. I mean no matter what dish she teaches us, the outcome is always super delicious. Chef could concoct a dish right before our eyes as she picks ingredients here and there. The result is always perfect. She really does wonders in the kitchen. As a young housewife, I used to try and do some standard dishes but they somehow didn’t turn out right, but after I began attending her classes, I learned how to do them correctly, like the way I cook my steaks and salads. Believe it or not, I also can make ice cream now.” -- Abby Dichaves
“Chef Reggie is a bottomless pit of new ideas, new recipes and information. She is brilliant. She is a genius. Her creativity surpasses anyone I know. Everything is in her head. In fact, she does not need recipes to guide her in teaching us. We had to bring notebooks to class and wrote the recipes as the class proceeded. I did not think that was unfair because she did not have notes too. Everything she said and taught came straight from her head and heart. There is always a new recipe to be learned. It is not like her to repeat her lessons so if you miss it, it is your loss. While Chef Reggie has taught the class recipes from various countries, she adjusts to local taste and the availability of ingredients, and the results are always better than the original.” -- Imelda Tan
“Chef Reggie's teaching method is not just limited to the cooking procedure or the steps. She also tells us about how we should choose our pots and pans, our knives and ladles. And then, she shares where to buy the best ingredients in the city. She is not just a good teacher, she is a great friend.” -- Judy Uy
Class Schedule
Classes are conducted from 9:45AM until 2:00PM on each scheduled day.
Victor Barangan Bakes - June 29, Saturday
Witness the creativity of Eastwood Richmonde's Executive Chef as he prepares: Adlai Polvoron, Pan de Coco, Salted Egg Ensaimada with Cured Egg Yolk, Tablea Tart, Halo-halo Eclair
Japanese Korean Dishes as Served in Japanese Restaurants in Korea Cooked by Korean Food Expert Lily Min - July 3, Wednesday
Chicken Teriyaki Roll with Cream Cheese, Shabu Shabu Salad with Sesame Dressing, Mille Feuille Nabe (Shabu Shabu), To Die For Grilled Fresh Water Eel with Teriyaki Sauce, Okonomi Yaki
So Easy, So Sosy: Impressive Dishes for Entertaining - July 5, Friday
French Style Mussels in Wine Cream Sauce, Asian Beef Salad, Grand Marnier Baked Salmon, Stuffed Chicken Marsala, Pork Tenderloin with Spinach Sauce, Lamb Meatball Pasta, 1-Minute Striploin Steak in Garlic Butter, Mushroom Truffle Adlai, Parsley Potatoes