From the Kitchen to the Classroom: The Story Behind ICAHS

A new chapter in culinary education has begun in Dauin.

At Atmosphere Resorts & Spa, the newly launched International Culinary Arts and Hospitality School (ICAHS) brings together culinary education, Filipino hospitality and the realities of working in a professional kitchen.

Rooted in Filipino hospitality and international standards, ICAHS was created to develop the next generation of chefs and hospitality professionals through hands-on training, mentorship and real industry experience.

At the heart of the school is Executive Chef Jun, whose own journey into the culinary world began far from where he is today.

From Bartender to Executive Chef

Chef Jun became a chef almost by accident. He began his career in hospitality as a bartender, but soon realised that working directly with guests was not where he felt most comfortable. When an opportunity became available in the kitchen, he decided to make a change. He started from the bottom as a porter and dishwasher.

It was there that he slowly fell in love with the craft. Watching his former Executive Chef work with passion, dedication and pride inspired Jun to pursue a career in the culinary field. He continued working his way up before eventually pursuing his culinary education at the International School for Culinary Arts and Hospitality Management (ISCAHM).

Starting at the bottom has remained an important part of how Chef Jun approaches leadership and mentorship today.

I see a little bit of myself in the people I train and mentor. Their challenges, their potential, and their dreams of becoming successful in the industry, he says.

After 17 years in the culinary profession, one of the most fulfilling parts of his career has been watching people develop their skills and take on greater responsibilities. Now, he wants to help shape the next generation.

Why ICAHS?

The idea behind ICAHS came from Chef Jun’s desire to share the knowledge and experience he has gained throughout his career, while also helping address the growing demand for skilled culinary and hospitality professionals both locally and internationally.

For him, teaching is not simply about passing on recipes or culinary techniques. It is about mentoring people, building their confidence and helping them discover what they are capable of.

I wanted to make a lasting contribution to Dauin by helping raise the standard of culinary education and developing industry-ready professionals who can succeed both locally and internationally.

The vision for ICAHS extends beyond its first students. Over the next five to ten years, the goal is for the school to become one of the leading culinary and hospitality schools in the Negros Island Region, while developing partnerships with hotels and restaurants and creating opportunities for international certifications and overseas careers.

Learning in a Real Professional Kitchen

One of the defining features of ICAHS is its setting. Students do not spend their entire program learning in a traditional classroom or training kitchen. Instead, they are immersed in the environment of a working luxury resort.

Located within Atmosphere Resorts & Spa, ICAHS gives students direct access to two fully operational professional kitchens and restaurants, where they train alongside experienced chefs and hospitality professionals.

This means students are introduced to professional standards from the beginning. They learn how to work under pressure, communicate with their team, maintain consistency and take responsibility for their role during service.

The program also incorporates an Early Stage Practicum, which begins after the students’ first month of training. Students attend classroom training three times a week and apply what they have learned in the professional kitchens twice a week.

Under the guidance of senior chefs, they gain practical experience while developing the confidence, discipline, teamwork and professionalism needed for a career in hospitality.

For Chef Jun, this real-world exposure is one of the most important parts of the ICAHS experience.

Unlike many culinary schools, students will not have to wait until the end of the program to enter a professional kitchen, says Chef Jun.

Instead, they begin experiencing the realities of the industry while they are still learning.

More Than Culinary Skills

While cooking is at the heart of the program, ICAHS is also a school of hospitality. Students begin by developing the foundations of professional culinary training, including kitchen safety, personal hygiene and sanitation, ingredient identification and knowledge, and essential knife skills. But they will also learn how to communicate, work as a team, serve guests and maintain professionalism in a demanding environment.

For Chef Jun, these qualities are just as important as technical ability.

Skills can be taught, but attitude and work ethic are what truly set professionals apart.

Teamwork is particularly important in a professional kitchen. Every service depends on people communicating effectively and supporting one another, and being a good chef means being a reliable member of the team.

The same applies across the wider hospitality industry. Successful hospitality professionals need communication, discipline, teamwork, a positive attitude and a genuine willingness to keep learning.

Rooted in Filipino Hospitality, Ready for the World

The name International Culinary Arts and Hospitality School reflects the school’s wider ambition. ICAHS aims to prepare students for careers not only in the Philippines, but around the world, while keeping Filipino culinary identity and hospitality at its foundation.

For Chef Jun, this means developing the talent, creativity, passion and work ethic that Filipino cooks are known for, while preparing students to meet the standards expected in professional kitchens internationally.

The aim is not to leave Filipino culinary traditions behind. Instead, students can carry that identity with them as they build careers around the world.

We believe Filipino culinary traditions should be the foundation, not a limitation, he says.

Discovering Your Passion Along the Way

Not every student who walks through the doors of ICAHS will already know exactly what they want from a culinary career. Chef Jun believes that passion can develop through experience.

Some students may enter the program believing they are passionate about cooking, only to discover that professional kitchens can be physically and mentally demanding. Others may begin without a clear idea of where they want their career to go, only to discover that they enjoy the pressure, intensity, teamwork and even the chaos of a busy service.

That is why Chef Jun does not look for one particular personality or quality in future students. Instead, he looks for people who are willing to learn, willing to work hard and willing to challenge themselves. The rest, he believes, can develop along the way.

Skills can be built. Confidence can grow. Discipline can be learned. And sometimes, passion is discovered only after you have stepped into the kitchen and experienced it for yourself.

Preparing Chefs for the Real World

ICAHS is designed to give students a realistic understanding of what a career in hospitality actually involves. The six-month program is intensive, with students learning to navigate the pressures and challenges they will eventually encounter in the workplace.

By experiencing those challenges during training, students can develop the resilience, confidence and discipline needed to handle them when they enter the industry. Graduates may pursue careers as chefs, line cooks, pastry chefs and other kitchen professionals in hotels, restaurants, resorts and hospitality establishments.

While ICAHS hopes to help strengthen the culinary industry here in the Philippines, it also wants to prepare graduates for international opportunities. Working abroad can expose young professionals to different cultures, techniques and professional standards, allowing them to continue developing both personally and professionally.

Growing Together

For Atmosphere, having a culinary school within the resort creates benefits that extend beyond the students. ICAHS provides an opportunity to identify new talent who may eventually join the Atmosphere team, while also giving the resort’s existing culinary staff opportunities to develop their own mentoring and leadership skills.

Senior chefs will work closely with students throughout their training, guiding them during their practical experience and helping them understand what it takes to work in a professional kitchen.

At the same time, the presence of the school encourages the culinary team to continually review its own standards and ensure they remain aligned with current industry practices. It creates a shared environment where the students, the school and the Atmosphere culinary team can learn and grow together.

Start Your Culinary Journey

ICAHS currently offers the Certificate in Culinary Arts, a six-month program designed to provide aspiring chefs with a strong foundation in professional culinary skills, combined with hands-on experience in a working luxury resort environment.

The first batch began on 15 August 2026, with the next intake opening in November 2026. The exact start date for the next batch will be announced soon.

A Professional Culinary Arts program, designed as a one-year program, will also form part of ICAHS’s program offerings.

For aspiring chefs, ICAHS offers the opportunity to learn beyond the classroom, work alongside experienced professionals and experience the realities of a professional kitchen from an early stage.

And for Chef Jun, perhaps the most meaningful part is the opportunity to help someone else begin the same journey that once took him from a porter and dishwasher to the Executive Chef he is today.

• I want to be part of their journey and, hopefully, be someone who makes a positive difference in their story when they eventually succeed, finishes Chef Jun.

The next chapter of your culinary journey could begin in Dauin.

Enquire now about the International Culinary Arts and Hospitality School and the Certificate in Culinary Arts program at Atmosphere Resorts & Spa.