A qualified engineer with a successful career at Toyota back in the Philippines decided to follow his parent’s footsteps and joined the Culinary Industry. Meet Chef Carlo Sobing, who took charge of his mother’s restaurant in Dubai and took it to newer heights.
Chef Carlo is a double graduate, one in technology and the other in culinary arts. However, his quest for knowledge did not stop there. He is currently pursuing an entrepreneurial course along with his hectic restaurant schedules to climb higher on the success ladder.
Let’s find out what Carlo has to say about his career transition and his journey so far as a chef and an entrepreneur.
Shruti: You are a qualified engineer, so what inspired you to change your career path to culinary arts?
Chef Carlo: The restaurant that we have here in Dubai was started by my mom around 14 years back. All these years, she has managed to run that successfully all by herself. But lately, she has been having some health issues, and at such time it only felt right to take care of her and the business. She has invested a lot of time and effort into building up the business, so I did not have the heart to let it go.
Shruti: Did this sudden change in choice of career upset your family?
Chef Carlo: Oh yes, my mother was upset with my decision. She wanted me to go back to my engineering field, as she knew I was happy with my career at that time. When I came to Dubai to help her with the restaurant she asked me to apply for jobs worth my qualification. I even gave some interviews, but when it came towards the last lap I invariably rejected the offer. I think I had made up my mind to manage and develop the restaurant and was prepared for a new career adventure.
Shruti: How did you feel about the drastic career transitioning?
Chef Carlo: It was definitely a huge transition. The fact is, I have always enjoyed being an engineer, but that never bothered me in deciding to become a chef, mainly because there was a part of me who also enjoyed cooking. From childhood itself, I used to help mom in the kitchen not because she asked me to but because I loved cooking and being around food. I remember reading a book based on restaurant management, which says, “consider having an own restaurant only if you are passionate about cooking or you have it in your family”. In my case, it fits very well with my decision.
Shruti: Give us a glimpse into your career as a chef so far...
Chef Carlo: When I joined mom’s restaurant, I started with the basics since I didn’t have any formal culinary training. I handled more of service, purchase,and deliveries. Thanks to GPS, I never lost my way doing deliveries being new in Dubai. From there, I slowly got promoted to the cash counter, and I had also started doing digital marketing by then for the restaurant.
Although I used to help in the kitchen, I was not that comfortable getting involved too much with cooking since I did not know the right way to do things as per the industry standards. That is when I thought about getting professionally trained and did my culinary education at ICCA Dubai.
Shruti: How did you find out about ICCA?
Chef Carlo: I came to know about ICCA through a random Google search and decided to do a short course before I got into a long-term professional course.So, I did a 3-day Artisan Bread Making course to learn the traditional way of bread making as I like bread a lot. I loved the course, which eventually led to the professional program.
Shruti: How did your experience at ICCA Dubai help you after graduation?
Chef Carlo: ICCA gave me a proper insight into the culinary world. Even when I was doing my course in the evening, I used to get back to the restaurant and try to apply things that I was learning from school. After finishing school, I was able to keep my kitchen in a much more organized way. Now when we do outdoor catering, I am confident about taking up orders for international dishes, which I was not comfortable doing earlier. Also, we have one more branch opened up in Al Nahda. Moreover, all my batch mates and most of the Chefs from school have enjoyed the food at my restaurant.
Shruti: What did you enjoy the most about studying at ICCA Dubai?
Chef Carlo: It was always the kitchen that I enjoyed the most at ICCA. It’s massive, and I loved working and cooking in that environment that gave me some real industry exposure.
Shruti: What do you like the most working in the hospitality industry?
Chef Carlo: As I said before, I have always enjoyed being an engineer.However, when it comes to the culinary world, I feel this industry is more about giving, and is highly gratifying. I am not just applying my knowledge here, but also getting the chance to impart my knowledge to my staff.
Shruti: What is your signature dish? Is there any story behind it?
Chef Carlo: I will have to say my signature dish is still under construction.(smiling)
Shruti: Are you still in touch with your batch mates?
Chef Carlo: Everyone is busy with their own lives but we all try to stay connected through our class WhatsApp group.
Shruti: What are your plans for the future?
Chef Carlo: : I want to concentrate more on being in the kitchen and managing both our branches well. I believe good food should be affordable to everyone; it shouldn’t be something overly priced and served only in restaurants, so I am working on a plan to start a mobile food truck. And,hopefully down the line, I want to open a branch back home.
The ICCA Dubai especially trains and equips students in industry best practices for a work placement in the Hospitality Industry and its graduates do it all in the Food World. They are successful Chefs, Restaurant Owners, Hospitality Managers, Entrepreneurs, Food Stylists, Food Writers, and more.
Looking to equip yourself with the right set of hands-on skills and knowledge to set up your very own Food Business?
A qualified engineer with a successful career at Toyota back in the Philippines decided to follow his parent’s footsteps and joined the Culinary Industry. Meet Chef Carlo Sobing, who took charge of his mother’s restaurant in Dubai and took it to newer heights.
Chef Carlo is a double graduate, one in technology and the other in culinary arts. However, his quest for knowledge did not stop there. He is currently pursuing an entrepreneurial course along with his hectic restaurant schedules to climb higher on the success ladder.
Let’s find out what Carlo has to say about his career transition and his journey so far as a chef and an entrepreneur.
Shruti: You are a qualified engineer, so what inspired you to change your career path to culinary arts?
Chef Carlo: The restaurant that we have here in Dubai was started by my mom around 14 years back. All these years, she has managed to run that successfully all by herself. But lately, she has been having some health issues, and at such time it only felt right to take care of her and the business. She has invested a lot of time and effort into building up the business, so I did not have the heart to let it go.
Shruti: Did this sudden change in choice of career upset your family?
Chef Carlo: Oh yes, my mother was upset with my decision. She wanted me to go back to my engineering field, as she knew I was happy with my career at that time. When I came to Dubai to help her with the restaurant she asked me to apply for jobs worth my qualification. I even gave some interviews, but when it came towards the last lap I invariably rejected the offer. I think I had made up my mind to manage and develop the restaurant and was prepared for a new career adventure.
Shruti: How did you feel about the drastic career transitioning?
Chef Carlo: It was definitely a huge transition. The fact is, I have always enjoyed being an engineer, but that never bothered me in deciding to become a chef, mainly because there was a part of me who also enjoyed cooking. From childhood itself, I used to help mom in the kitchen not because she asked me to but because I loved cooking and being around food. I remember reading a book based on restaurant management, which says, “consider having an own restaurant only if you are passionate about cooking or you have it in your family”. In my case, it fits very well with my decision.
Shruti: Give us a glimpse into your career as a chef so far...
Chef Carlo: When I joined mom’s restaurant, I started with the basics since I didn’t have any formal culinary training. I handled more of service, purchase,and deliveries. Thanks to GPS, I never lost my way doing deliveries being new in Dubai. From there, I slowly got promoted to the cash counter, and I had also started doing digital marketing by then for the restaurant.
Although I used to help in the kitchen, I was not that comfortable getting involved too much with cooking since I did not know the right way to do things as per the industry standards. That is when I thought about getting professionally trained and did my culinary education at ICCA Dubai.
Shruti: How did you find out about ICCA?
Chef Carlo: I came to know about ICCA through a random Google search and decided to do a short course before I got into a long-term professional course.So, I did a 3-day Artisan Bread Making course to learn the traditional way of bread making as I like bread a lot. I loved the course, which eventually led to the professional program.
Shruti: How did your experience at ICCA Dubai help you after graduation?
Chef Carlo: ICCA gave me a proper insight into the culinary world. Even when I was doing my course in the evening, I used to get back to the restaurant and try to apply things that I was learning from school. After finishing school, I was able to keep my kitchen in a much more organized way. Now when we do outdoor catering, I am confident about taking up orders for international dishes, which I was not comfortable doing earlier. Also, we have one more branch opened up in Al Nahda. Moreover, all my batch mates and most of the Chefs from school have enjoyed the food at my restaurant.
Shruti: What did you enjoy the most about studying at ICCA Dubai?
Chef Carlo: It was always the kitchen that I enjoyed the most at ICCA. It’s massive, and I loved working and cooking in that environment that gave me some real industry exposure.
Shruti: What do you like the most working in the hospitality industry?
Chef Carlo: As I said before, I have always enjoyed being an engineer.However, when it comes to the culinary world, I feel this industry is more about giving, and is highly gratifying. I am not just applying my knowledge here, but also getting the chance to impart my knowledge to my staff.
Shruti: What is your signature dish? Is there any story behind it?
Chef Carlo: I will have to say my signature dish is still under construction.(smiling)
Shruti: Are you still in touch with your batch mates?
Chef Carlo: Everyone is busy with their own lives but we all try to stay connected through our class WhatsApp group.
Shruti: What are your plans for the future?
Chef Carlo: : I want to concentrate more on being in the kitchen and managing both our branches well. I believe good food should be affordable to everyone; it shouldn’t be something overly priced and served only in restaurants, so I am working on a plan to start a mobile food truck. And,hopefully down the line, I want to open a branch back home.
The ICCA Dubai especially trains and equips students in industry best practices for a work placement in the Hospitality Industry and its graduates do it all in the Food World. They are successful Chefs, Restaurant Owners, Hospitality Managers, Entrepreneurs, Food Stylists, Food Writers, and more.
Looking to equip yourself with the right set of hands-on skills and knowledge to set up your very own Food Business?
