TV chef promises a show as fun as himself

CHEF Sharwin Tee. Photo by Romy Homillada

Cooking on television is a tricky task. One needs to have the dexterity and presence of mind to slice, dice and sauté while talking and projecting energy on camera.

Lifestyle Network’s “Clash of the Toque-n Ones” grand winner Sharwin Tee has exceptional culinary talent and the gift of gab to take on the challenges of hosting his own cooking show, “Curiosity Got the Chef.”

A self-confessed chatterbox, Tee, 32, is confident that his education and experience will carry him through. In 2002, he attended the Pacific Institute of Culinary Arts in Vancouver, Canada where he trained in French cooking techniques. He holds a degree in Communication Arts from Ateneo de Manila University, and now works as a personal chef and high school culinary instructor in Xavier School.

Sharwin fancies himself a funny guy, and promises to bare this playful side on the cooking show. He told Inquirer Entertainment, “My kitchen will be a fun place.”

Are you comfortable with celebrity?

Maybe I won’t even become a celebrity. But I’m ready to spread the word about cooking.

Have you had a celebrity client?

I prepare a low sodium and low fat diet for Ely Buendia. I cook for him weekly, and deliver the food to him in big batches. We freeze the food, tapos nire-reheat na lang niya.

If you could cook for celebs in your home, who would you pick?

Chris Tiu because I know him personally and he’s interesting. P-Noy (President Aquino), because I’ve always dreamed of cooking for powerful people.

Why not his sister Kris?

I’m curious to know what she likes, since she knows a lot about food. Also Bea Alonzo because iba ’yung ganda niya .

Pundits say celebrity chefs aren’t real chefs.

Iba talaga kapag you’re cooking everyday in restaurant. Kahit masugatan ka or what, hindi ka pwedeng umalis sa kusina. But of course, it’s unfair to say that celebrity chefs can’t really cook. There’s a reason they’re asked to cook on TV.

Now that you have your own cooking show, do you have any more food-related goals?

Like any other chef, I would love to have my own restaurant. I also hope to use any sort of influence I have to help change the way Filipinos eat. It’s scary that people are so dependent on packaged food like noodles nowadays.

“Curiosity Got the Chef” primer airs on Lifestyle Network 9:30 p.m. July 13. “Clash of the Toque-en Ones” rerun starts tonight, also at 9:30.