The name
“Kristine J. Oro” may not be recognizable but one day, it
will. Tin is one of the very few female sous chefs in the country. Even
more amazing is that she attained that position at 29. Imagine what else
she could achieve in the years to come
Story Anson Yu
Photography Zac Moran
 This
Hotel and Restaurant Management graduate of De La Salle University (Dasmariñas)
decided to be a chef while doing her practicum at the Mandarin Oriental
Hotel, under no less than then-executive chef Norbert Gandler. Taking note
of her hard work and the right attitude, he recommended that she work at
the seven-star Burj Al Arab in Dubai. There she worked 13 hours every day
at the fruit amenities section and, within a year and three months, rose
to Commis 2 at the cold and dessert section of Al Muntaha, the hotel’s
fine dining restaurant. Tin could have gone farther had the US-Afghanistan
war not broken out. Heeding her family’s call, she returned to Manila
and worked briefly at the Bellevue Hotel in Alabang before moving to the
Hyatt Hotel and Casino Manila as a commis chef. After 11 months, she was
promoted to Chef de Partie in the cold section but she wanted more and persuaded
her supervisor to let her work in the hot section to learn how to prepare
the entrees. It didn’t take long before she caught the attention of
executive chef Daniel Patterson, who promoted her from Chef de Partie to
Sous Chef, putting her in charge of running the Hyatt’s famed Fireplace
Grill.
It all started
with a toy cooking set made of plastic. It was my favorite toy.
One time, after my mom was finished cooking, I put the toy pots and pans
on the grill and they melted! I cried! It took a while for my mom to replace
it, as she was afraid that I might put them on the grill again!
My actual working experience really began under Chef Gandler.
One of the more important things I’ve learned working with him is
that you must always listen to your chef. You always have to communicate
with him and acknowledge that you heard his command. If you don’t,
you will be in trouble.
It is important to follow your superior. But, if you
see that your superiors are not doing the right job, then you might have
to step in. For example, when I was a commis chef, I had supervisors who’d
say “Yes” to the instructions of the executive chef even if
they didn’t understand what he is saying. They would then ask me
and I’d help them out. I also step in if my supervisor’s action
is out of line or irresponsible, but I only do this with due respect and
not step on anyone’s toes.
I made a lot of mistakes and received complaints, but that didn’t
break me. It is okay to make mistakes. It is how you redeem yourself
that matters. I get more upset over not making the dish right than being
scolded. I am not afraid to accept my weaknesses and mistakes. I am not
afraid to ask. Not knowing something doesn’t make me less a chef.
Learning is a daily thing for me. It is not just about learning from a
book, but from the people you work with. That is why I sometimes help
out others in the kitchen—I want to learn.
More of Chef Kristine J. Oro’s Q&A in the February
2010 issue of Appetite
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