Filipino-Chinese chef Carl Dy (front) among contestants in Netflix’s ‘The Maverick Academy’
Filipino-Chinese chef Carl Josh “CJ” V. Dy is set to showcase his culinary skills on international stage, as he recently joined as a contestant in a new reality cooking show on Netflix, “The Maverick Academy.”
Dy, who aims to showcase a “progressive Filipino-Chinese cuisine,” will compete against other chefs from different countries including Thailand and Myanmar, among others.
In an online interview with INQUIRER.net, Dy shared that he grew up in a household where food and cooking are “valued,” which led him to pursue culinary arts as a profession.
“I grew up in a traditional Filipino-Chinese household that valued food and cooking. I started cooking at a young age — 5 years old. I always see my “ah-mah” (paternal grandmother) orchestrating the kitchen and I always join in,” he said.
“But when I was in 6th grade, I really took cooking seriously when my uncle had a small home cooking business selling pastries, and I started to help him bake banana breads, cheesecakes, and muffins to earn 5 pesos for each item. And by then I realized that this passion of mine can be a profession,” he added.
Dy graduated with a bachelor’s degree in culinary arts at the De La Salle College of St. Benilde School of Hotel, Restaurant, & Management.
Chef Carl “CJ” Dy
Now that he has the opportunity to appear on a global stage and showcase Filipino cuisine, Dy emphasized that it means “everything” to him as he aspires to be the first Filipino to earn a Michelin star, an award also given to restaurants that are considered to be among the best in a city.
“I want to show the world that Filipino cuisine can be elevated and be world-class. I wanted to invite Michelin to our country. That we have what it takes to earn Michelin stars. We have so many good restaurants here and can be on par with Michelin-starred restaurants in Southeast Asia like Thailand and Singapore. I believe Southeast Asian countries share the same ingredients, cooking techniques, and culture. And my question is that, why don’t we still have no stars? That is really my goal —to say that this is the time. We, Filipinos, are ready to earn a Michelin star,” he affirmed.
Dy shared that he wanted to introduce his style of “modern fusion of Filipino ingredients mixed with my Filipino-Chinese heritage and Western cooking techniques” in the dishes he will make in the competition.
When asked what message he would like to give aspiring Filipino chefs who dream of reaching a similar stage, Dy said, “Don’t lose hope. Laban lang (Just fight). Always manifest what you want in life; with prayers and hard work, you will definitely reach your dream. It may take a while but the journey is worth it and the result is just a bonus.”
The first five episodes of “The Maverick Academy” are now streaming on Netflix. The show is hosted by English-born Hong Kong-Canadian chef Alvin Leung, aka The Demon Chef, a celebrated figure in the culinary world known for his avant-garde approach and Michelin-starred establishments.
The show will also feature a distinguished panel of mentors, each an icon in the culinary world. Aside from Dy, there are seven more contestants in the reality show.
