The Persevering Spirit of Enderun Alumni Featuring Patch Bautista
The culinary industry is an intense and demanding field to work in. From starting in a kitchen to creating your own restaurant, an individual must possess intense determination, and certain skills in order to make a name for themselves. An alumnus of Enderun Colleges’ culinary arts program has had first-hand experiences of just how grueling it can be. Patch Bautista has proven that her passion for cooking has enabled her to persevere through the challenges along the way.
Patch Bautista, current “kitchen warrior”, recounts the roots of her decision to enter the culinary arts in a Facebook post she shared. Growing up, she had quite a few career choices in mind such as chemistry and sports, but culinary seemed to be something she always came back to. Her mother had been the biggest influence on her through her journey of realizing her passion to become a chef. As she continues to grow in the field, she advises those who will follow the same path that failure is something that should be embraced. Failure is inevitable. It’ll always be there to slap you in the face, and giving up should never be the answer.
When we reached out to Patch Bautista, she was able to share some advice to those who aspire to be like her.
In her days as an Enderun student, with the campus’ multiple opportunities, she was able to volunteer to work in the Prep Kitchen, giving her additional knowledge of the basics when it comes to French Culinary Arts. Along with many things she has learned in the school’s kitchen, she reminds herself that knowing your basics from techniques to theories then putting it into discipline in your everyday life is important.
Though life as a chef may seem as simple as that, it’s really quite the opposite. Patch Bautista noted that she’s had plenty of challenges come her way in her culinary journey. According to the kitchen warrior, “There will be people who would pull you back and bring you down. There will be times that you won’t have the best day in the kitchen.” With this, she still manages to find the light through her passion and hunger to reach her goals. She has also discovered that surrounding herself with an environment with whom she could feel safe and at ease with can help with your motivation; a strong support system such as her co-workers, friends, and family. They will be there to push you to move forward and never give up.
Currently, although Patch Bautista has yet to reach her goal to become a chef, she’s been taking each day step-by-step. Armed with her passion for cooking, she’s determined to pursue this dream no matter what.
