“I remember I was walking from Discovery Gardens to International City because I didn’t have even one dirham in my wallet… I was so tired of crying. I had to think and I started to walk….” This was 2017.
His restaurant had closed, there was no money in the bank, investors were pounding on the doors, and life was unbearable.
This is the story of Filipino celebrity Chef John Buenaventura, named the best young chef in Dubai, and his journey to the brink of loss and back.
If one word can define him, it would be “experiences”. Everything that has happened to him until this point in life shapes his cooking and culinary decisions.
“All the experiences I’ve had, come together on the plate. If you try my food … you are not going to forget it,” says the 38-year-old.
Son of a farmer and a banker, he has known struggle, deprivation and the failure that arrogance and pride brings. The collective sum of that is a person today who knows, very clearly: “When you are alone and in a very dark place, then know that you have to get back up. It is you, on your own. No one is going to help you. You need to do something about it.
“That’s why today, when I want to do something, I do it wholeheartedly. No half measures. I believe in energies … when you cook you put a lot of good energy, good vibes into what you are doing. You get to taste it, even if it is fried egg. When someone cooks for you, it tastes good, even if it is instant noodles. It’s the love that you put into it. That’s why it tastes like that. Food is a vessel for sharing love … that’s why you say Mum’s food is the best.
“I do the same thing when I cook, I’ll put so much effort into what I cook. I am very particular about the chefs I work with in my kitchen. You know if the person is genuinely focused, in love with what they do - it makes a huge difference.
“The way I cook or make dishes is that I need to go somewhere and taste… so I travel a lot and spend a lot for food.”
Growing up…
“My father is a farmer. My mother is from a rich family, which owns petrol stations. My father applied to drive the gasoline tank trucks for the petrol station owners, and ended up falling in love with their daughter.
“My grandmother used to cook rice cakes and rice sweets to pay for the schooling of my Dad.” Their relationship survived the test of family disapproval, they got married and had three kids.
Money was not the easiest to come by but they wanted the best for their children. Buenaventura, the eldest, was sent to an expensive private school with children of politicians, officials and businessmen.
“Everybody had new shoes, mobile phones … bags, would be picked up by a private car, while I had to take public transport. This is where it started, because I was trying so hard to fit in. It is not easy to be with rich classmates. I was no one in high school. The grit to succeed came from that jealousy of not having ….”
After high school, he was lost for a bit.
“I didn’t know what I wanted to do. I was failing in mathematics, and science, chemistry was a headache. I was good in arts, music, etc. My parents were not happy because in Asian culture, they want you to be a doctor or lawyer.
“Whenever growing up my grandmother was always in our house in Manila. She always made fried fish with fish sauce, and tomatoes and rice. For some reason when she crushes the tomatoes with her hand, it tastes different than when you chop it. It was a staple, it was so good. It all started from there. My mum cooks, my dad also cooks. It started there. This is where I found my space. Then I discovered the Center of Culinary Arts in Manila and fell in love with the drama of culinary art in the kitchen. I was doing what I wanted to do.
“It was very expensive. My parents worked really hard to get the money. I had to ride five public transport vehicles to get to school - two hours going and coming. It was also located near a place prone to gang fights. So, I would buy freshly baked bread for people called ‘barkers’, who would be riding at the back of jeepneys that we used as public transport. If something happens, at least they would help. Back then I didn’t know about manifesting. But everything I am today, I manifested. One day everything you do will pay off. I graduated in 2003.” He was 18 years old.
Career… Executive Chef at 18
He met a young Chinese heiress looking to prove herself to her father. She wanted to set up a restaurant. Buenaventura had graduated with honours. He was the top student. Their paths crossed and they decided to go into business together.
He was out of his depth but failed to see the reality. Eventually the restaurant closed and he was left with no career.
“After graduating you fall into the trap that you are the best and you learn the hard way. I got tired of working in different hotels in the Philippines. The Dubai InterContinental Hotel in Festival City was hiring for its pre-opening in 2007. I applied. The CV said executive chef.
“They interviewed me because they found it funny that I was an executive chef at such a young age. I got a commissary position, but I was determined to show what I could do.
“I was so excited to arrive in Dubai, started my career with Bistro Madeleine.”
He then moved to the Maldives as the executive chef of a mini cruise ship from 2008 to 2009.
“I enjoyed Maldives, you get to explore water sports while working but you really need to love the ocean to enjoy the job. I was there for a year. They paid well. It was good. My experience was different, the catamaran cruise ship which goes around only the Maldivian islands had 10 rooms. It was like running your own small hotel. You had to make breakfast, lunch, and dinner, for the guests. When the weather was good, we had to make beach barbecues, etc.” He then came back to Raffles Dubai and eventually to Atlantis.
“Atlantis … it was a good team. We did so well. Hard work is very important but also camaraderie, you cannot be where you are alone. It is not going to work. You go alone, you might go fast but you are going to reach a stop point. If you are with a team, you are going to go slow but you will reach a better position. Before I was always alone. At one point I was arrogant. So full of myself. It was a lesson.”
There he met a group of Filipino investors. “They asked me, ‘What’s your dream?’” He told them about opening a restaurant – they were a crowdfunding company opening several projects.
“That conversation opened something in my head. So I presented my plan, money started coming in. But, I wasn’t guided well in terms of legalities etc. This was 2016. I didn’t do due diligence. Eventually, I found out that they were diverting the funds to other projects. I was stuck.
“I stepped out of the group and the person disappeared. I was left with the restaurant under construction with no job. I didn’t know what to do. Then I went and got my own funding. Took almost a year to build, and I had hired staff almost a year before.”
Buenaventura’s finances were draining fast, his parents had pulled out their savings for building Cuisinero, and the investors started getting tetchy.
“It folded after a year. A hard death for any restaurant. I couldn’t manage it anymore. I had hired people who were not better than me. I thought I had to be the best, the most intelligent person in the room. It ended up with me wearing all the hats. No one was challenging me or teaching me. Hire people who are really good at what they do. I should have just stuck with what I was really good at, the cooking part. I should have hired a really good finance manager or operations director. But I was also stuck with the budget I had in hand. It was really tough. There were days I didn’t sleep. I was really sick. A couple of people who were there with me all through.
One advice I would like to give all young chefs is that you really need to have a good mentor. Throw your ego out of the door and accept criticism, accept you are not the best and really just stay humble. Learn how much you can. Find a mentor you might not like but has gone through tough times and risen. And this is what I am trying to do. I share with young chefs.
“When the restaurant closed, it came to point that everyone was upset with me. I realised, nobody cares when you are down. Frauds started approaching. But someone above was watching over me. I was so desperate. A friend told me to stop it - close the restaurant and move on.” He listened.
“So I went back to basics and looked for a job … attended a food and beverage conference. Met a contact who helped. Waldorf Astoria DIFC had an opening. They were looking for an Executive Chef. After a meeting, I got the job.”
Buenaventura started rebuilding his life, slowly, dirham by dirham, brick by brick.
“I pushed … eight months later I was in a hotel in Al Seef as an executive chef.” Eventually, he had “… the opportunity to open Hilton in Yas Island Abu Dhabi. I am so proud of it.”
After two years, yet another opportunity came up with for Emirates flight catering. “I applied and all the experience of the last 30 years was brought to that opportunity. And I got in. I still feel that at the times when you are low, and sad, you need to look back and see how far you’ve come. Things are progressing the right way.
“In my job I don’t get to talk to guests. I need to release my creativity … so I launched a supper club to showcase my passion. I hope to eventually meet someone who wants to open a restaurant and redeem myself.
“Before I opened my restaurant I was so full of myself… I learnt that businesses can fold, even really good businesses. But, one day you are going to make it. My dad is very proud. He is very old. What I have done, the hardships I have gone through, all sacrifices will lead to something beautiful, and I am manifesting that.
“One advice I would like to give all young chefs is that you really need to have a good mentor. Throw your ego out of the door and accept criticism, accept you are not the best and really just stay humble. Learn how much you can. Find a mentor you might not like but has gone through tough times and risen. And this is what I am trying to do. I share with young chefs.”
