Filipino-Chinese chef Carl Dy (front) among contestants on Netflix’s ‘The Maverick Academy’

Filipino-Chinese chef Carl Josh “CJ” V. Dy is set to showcase his culinary skills on the international stage as he recently joined a new reality cooking show as a contestant. netflix“Maverick Academy.”

Aiming to showcase a “progressive Filipino-Chinese cuisine,” Dy will compete against chefs from different countries, including Thailand and Myanmar.

In an online interview with INQUIRER.net, Dy shared that she grew up in a household where food and cooking were “valued,” which led her 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 “ah-mah” (my grandmother) organizing the kitchen and I always join her,” she said.

“But when I was in the 6th grade, when my uncle had a small home cooking business selling pastries, I started taking cooking really seriously and started helping him bake banana bread, cheesecake, and cupcakes to earn 5 pesos for each item. “And then I realized that this passion of mine could become a profession,” he added.

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Dy, De La Salle College of St. He graduated from the Benilde School of Hotel, Restaurant & Management with a bachelor’s degree in culinary arts.

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Chef Carl “CJ” Dy

Dy, who now has the opportunity to step onto a global stage and showcase Filipino cuisine, emphasized that this means “everything” to him, and that he aspires to become the first Filipino to earn a Michelin star. To be among the best in a city.

“I want to show the world that Filipino cuisine can be taken to higher levels and be world-class. I wanted to invite Michelin to our country. We have what it takes to earn Michelin stars. We have many good restaurants here and can be on par with Michelin star restaurants in Southeast Asia such as Thailand and Singapore. I believe Southeast Asian countries share the same ingredients, cooking techniques, and culture. My question is; Why don’t we still have stars? Actually, this is my aim; To say it’s time. “We Filipinos are ready to earn a Michelin star,” he affirmed.

Dy shared that he wanted this introduce her style He will use “a modern fusion of Filipino ingredients that blends my Filipino-Chinese heritage with Western cooking techniques” in his dishes for the competition.

When asked what message he would like to give to 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 achieve your dream. It may take some time, 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 British-born Hong Kong-Canadian chef Alvin Leung, also known as The Demon Chef, one of the famous names in the culinary world with his avant-garde approach and Michelin-starred venues.

The show will also feature a panel of distinguished mentors, each of whom is an icon in the culinary world. Apart from Dy, there are seven other contestants in the reality show.