I spent my Saturday afternoon a little bit different last week! I became a student for a day at CCA (Center for Culinary Arts) Podium and our teacher is no other than the Resident Nutritionist of Biggest Loser Pinoy Edition & Sexy Solutions by Belo, Ms. Nadine Tengco :-)

My classmates are Coach Jim Saret and four ex-contestants from ABS-CBN's Biggest Loser Pinoy Edition namely Art Mendoza, Raffy Tan, Ryan Razon and Angela Lupangco.


Our teacher is (one of the) responsible people why Raymond Gutierrez is thin & healthy now! She's also developing healthy menus and coaching the contestants of the biggest loser and is currently a fitness-nutrition consultant to The Sexy Chef, The Philippine Olympic Commission, among many others.

Now we can all learn her secrets from a special classes called "350 Calorie Plates for Weight Loss" at the Center for Culinary Arts – Podium Market Café, the first culinary school and market café in the Philippines, at the posh Podium Mall in Ortigas Center, Pasig City. The 5-hour class consists of lectures, demos on actual food preparation and cooking, including plating.


"We are extremely excited that Nadine agreed to be part of the first CCA Culinary and Market Cafe. Nadine provides unique perspectives on fitness, nutrition and cooking. She is an excellent addition to our current roster of fine and excellent chefs and cooking professionals," adds CCA Culinary School and Market Café founder Marinela Guerrero-Trinidad.

"This special course is targeted for people who are interested in pursuing health through cooking, people who are looking into weight loss, and people who simply want to prepare their own meals." said Nadine Tengco in an interview.

In our kitchen class she mentioned, "Losing weight is easy, maintaining it is the hard part!" which is so true. Sometimes we tend to deprive ourselves in eating food, but will eat a lot the next day. It doesn't work that way. She also said that, eating "cooled rice" is better than "hot rice" especially if you want to lose more weight.


Nadine Tengco also emphasize the importance of 'detoxification' before starting a weight loss plan. This will increase the effectivity of all your effort in losing weight. Sometimes people are asking her, why they are not losing weight even though they don't eat a lot and exercising regularly, she mentioned, "detox" is the key.

After the lecture, we were divided into 4 groups. My group consists of Alwin Aguirre of cityroamer.com and two doctor from Bulacan who owns a hospital and want to start a food business that's why they enrolled in the kitchen class.


The Detox 350 Plates consists of Moringa Arroz Caldo (240 calories) and Pineapple Basil Juice (60 calories) for breakfast. Ginger Fish Packet, (183 calories) Vegetable Chow Fan, (119 calories) and Sweet Potato Custard (55 calories) for lunch. Zucchini-Bean Dip and Vegetables Crudites (189 calories) for snack and Chicken Tikka, (142 calories) Black Rice Tabbouleh (160 calories) and Low-Cal Baba Ghanoush (53 calories) for dinner.

Such a fun day! I really learn a lot. The lessons are hands-on and our teacher are always checking us from time to time, if we're doing the right thing. Who says healthy food are bland & dull? at CCA Podium it's different.


Kitchen classes are conducted every Saturday for the whole month of February 2012. Limited seats only &  registration are on the first come, first served basis. All courses are conducted at the CCA Culinary School and Market Café, at the 5th floor of the Podium along ADB Avenue in Ortigas Center, Pasig City.

For more information, call CCA Podium at 509-3466 or visit their website at www.cca-manila.com.


other photos of our cooking adventure are here.