THE CALM BEFORE THE SOUP...

It was the day that FCA55 dreaded. Our first encounter with Chef Mike Oberle. Horror stories abound with regards to his temper and his class management. We collectively held our breaths and wonder if all of these things were true.
Well, let's just say that he did not disappoint.

CHEF MIKE OBERLE

At first, he started off quite okay. He mentioned that looks can be deceiving and that we shouldn't be afraid of him. He narrated personal stories about his wife and his mother-in-law which were very amusing. He also explained how we should respect food (citing an onion as an example) because of the time it takes to grow and the work done by the people behind it. He even cracked jokes. I thought... "Hey, this guy is not as scary as I thought... He is actually kinda cool."

He then asked the class to start working...

Group 4 with their signature group blocking...

While Chef Mike was out smoking, we even had time for the peremptory picture-taking...

Hindi po sila members ng Legion of Mary... classmates ko sila... hehehe

O di ba, ang saya namin?

But some strange thing happened during Chef Mike's cigarette break. There was an immediate and unexplainable transformation. He came in almost entirely a different person. It was like a scene from Jekyll and Hide. He started banging pots on the stove, shouting at the helpless and hapless student-assistants and generally scaring the hell out of us.

All that time, I kept a safe distance from him (no less that five meters away) so I wouldn't be the object of his ire... because, heaven forbid, had he scolded me or made a sarcastic comment about me in front of the class I know that I would fall into a coma. Well, either that or the class would find me at the corner of the kitchen sobbing profusely on the floor and curled up in a fetal position.

THANK GOD, Chef Mike gave us a 45-minute break...
I contemplated on having a quick psychiatric therapy session.

Instead, the class dealt with the ordeal the best way we knew how...

PICTURE-TAKING!!!

hehehe... Wala talaga kaming kupas...

Then, the cooking and the terror continued...



The boiling soups on top of the stove I believe was a metaphor of sorts...

... but then again, in the end, the products were satisfying.

THE SOUPS

BEEF CONSOMME WITH CELESTINE

HERBED FISH QUENELLES

CREAM OF TOMATO SOUP

SEAFOOD WITH VEGETABLES

MINESTRONE SOUP

CREAM OF PUMPKIN SOUP WITH CINNAMON FOAM

LENTIL SOUP WITH VEGETABLE BRUNOISE

FRENCH ONION SOUP

HUNGARIAN GOULASH SOUP

After he was done with the plating and presentation, Chef Mike went back to his jolly, friendly persona.
What's up with this guy?!

Hay naku, kumain na nga lang tayo...

Ate Ditas, hindi ka naman gutom ano?

Si Ate Agnes kasi gutom... siya lang nakatingin sa ibang side...

I usually want my picture taken with the Chef instructor but because of the delicateness of this particular situation (i.e., I don't want to have recurring nightmares of Chef Mike), I just decided to stand beside Clark (a.k.a "The Assistant with the Twang") and have my picture taken with him instead.

[A short side story: While Chef Mike was unleashing his wrath, Clark sauntered up to me and jokingly asked, "Are you guys having fun yet?". I mumbled an answer which I can't remember at the moment. My reply was probably nothing interesting and I'm pretty sure it was something idiotic. Ito kasing si Clark walang kaabog-abog na nagi-English e! Nakakadalawa ka na ha. Hmp!]

Because it was not enough to have soup for lunch --- even if you have all ten different kinds of them, the class went to Eastwood to have lunch...
at magpa-picture.

This photo was conceptualized, directed and shot by Atty. Debbie...
ang galing di ba?... hehehe

As you can see, wala kaming pinipiling lugar...
pinilit pa namin yung janitress na kunan kami.

We had, more or less, a two-hour lunch at Something Fishy. So for those who were not around, rest assured... pinag-usapan namin kayo! Bwahahaha!