Aside from cleaning the house, doing laundry, mending clothes, and washing dishes, among the household chores that we are expected to learn growing up is cooking. While there are people who weren’t able to develop this skill, there are others who didn’t simply learn how to prepare various dishes, but also acquired passion towards it.

Thus, there are some who decided to enroll themselves in culinary schools to further hone their kitchen skills, just like the nine celebrities we listed in this Kapamilya Snaps feature!

Jodi Sta. Maria

She may have been busy with various projects in the recent years, but Jodi didn’t her work hinder her from pursuing her other endeavors, such as finishing her psychology degree in 2021. And this year, the Jodi decided to go back in school, but this time to improve her cooking and baking skills and earn a certificate from the Center for Asian Culinary Studies.

Recently, she posted a few photos taken from one of their classes and related her experiences in the caption, wherein she also wrote: “I believe everyone can cook and bake — it’s a skill you can learn and develop.” She also expressed her gratitude to their chef mentors who “make each day of learning fun, encouraging, and less intimidating kaya mabilis kang matututo!”

Dimples Romana

Having a little child and a busy career didn’t stop Dimples from accomplishing her degree in International Hospitality Management Major in Culinary Arts at Enderun Colleges in 2007. Being one of her most remarkable feats, she posted throwback photos from her student days, which she described as the “best time”.

Since then, she’s been cooking and baking in her kitchen for her family, friends, and other loved ones. In fact, she gets to share her love for food and tips through the Dimps’ Kitchen series in her official YouTube channel.

Julia Montes

Recently, Julia shared photos of her while cooking her version of Hainanese Chicken and Japanese Beef Curry and the finished products. She captioned it: “Cooking is one of my love language… I’m not a chef but i’m passionate about food.”

And just in case you missed it, the FPJ’s Ang Probinsyano actress actually graduated from the Center of Culinary Arts Manila in June 2015.

Ivana Alawi

Those who have been religiously watching her vlogs are certainly aware that aside from amusing us with her innate humor and random shenanigans with her family, Ivana is also a kitchen whiz. While she loves to eat, she also knows how to cook, which she’s able to develop by taking up a culinary arts course.

In a Magandang Buhay interview in 2020, Ivana divulged that it was actually her late dad who encouraged her to do so because he wanted her to serve good food for her future husband. Ivana particularly loves to cook Filipino food like adodo, sinigang, or anything with sardines.

Angelica Panganiban

Amidst her busy schedule at work then, Angelica still managed to go back to school in January 2017 by enrolling at the International School for Culinary Arts and Hotel Management (ISCAHM). She was apparently classmates with fellow actress Isabel Oli, who’s now the wife of her best friend John Prats.

Nowadays, you might catch the award-winning actress making different meals like beef tacos or roasted lemon chicken on her family’s well-loved YouTube channel.

Sarah Geronimo

Aside from singing and performing, Sarah is also passionate about baking and cooking. In 2016, her ardent fans could perhaps recall that she took cooking lessons at the Center for Asian Culinary Studies. And six years later, she’s able to develop her baking skills at Heny Sison Culinary School. 

The Popstar Royalty’s beloved and proud husband Matteo Guidicelli shared the milestone on his Instagram by posting a few pictures from her graduation and captioned it: “Super proud of you my love!! Officially graduated from baking school!! CONGRATULATIONS! Yesssss “chef sarah” it is!! We are super proud of you! Your achievements are limitless because you always strive for excellence! I love you!”

Judy Ann Santos

Apart from being a great actress, Judy Ann, as we all know, is also a certified kitchen whiz. She has been generously sharing her recipes in some of her television guestings and her YouTube channel Judy Ann’s Kitchen through the years. Besides, she has also published a recipe book and currently runs a restaurant called Angrydobo.

She started her formal training by taking a short course in Thailand, and then pursued cookery and graduated at the Center for Asian Culinary Arts Studies in 2006. In an interview with the Megastar Sharon Cuneta, she revealed that it was actually her husband Ryan Agoncillo who encouraged her to take up culinary, with their panganay Yohan and her yearning to learn something new as her inspirations.

Yam Concepcion

For sure, not a lot of people know that Yam is actually one of Julia Montes’ batchmates at the Center for Culinary Arts Manila in 2015, together with their FPJ’s Ang Probinsyano co-actor PJ Endrinal.

She actually has a number of cooking videos on her YouTube channel, wherein she’s often seen whipping up seafood dishes.

Amy Perez

Being a mom is what propelled Amy to take a three-month Fundamentals in Culinary course at the International School for Culinary Arts and Hotel Management (ISCAHM) in 2014, as what she disclosed in a feature she did for Umagang Kay Ganda.”

The It’s Showtime host explained that she wanted to improve her cooking skills to prepare more delicious food for her family. She’s also able to share some of her recipes through her cooking segment in the now-defunct morning program.

Did these celebrities inspire you to improve your cooking skills and also enroll yourself in a culinary school?