Chef Evangeline Gongora

Asia / Pacific

Chef Evangeline Gongora...or Chef Vangie, as she is called by everyone...joined Gate Gourmet's Manila operation -- Miascor Catering Services Corporation (MCSC) -- as a "pioneer" cook in the newly established flight kitchen in 1998. She was promoted to chef de partie in 1999 and since then has been managing the hot kitchen with her knowledge of specialty cuisines, ranging from Asian to Mediterranean.

Prior to her appointment with MCSC, Chef Vangie worked for 16 years in Manila's Five-Star Midtown Hotel as a demi chef in the Fine Dining restaurant and was chosen to represent her employer in culinary competitions on several occasions.

Since starting her job at MCSC, Chef Vangie attended a number of trainings, both domestic and international. In September 2005, she participated in a five-day "Thai Cooking for In-flight Catering" workshop organized by Thai Airways in Bangkok, where she was elected one of the top three team members.

Chef Vangie's love for good food and the desire to make people happy by serving it were her motivating factors to enter the culinary arts. Her motto: "Always put your heart in what you're doing." She adds that offering the best quality food gives ultimate delight to any chef.

But cooking is not Chef Vangie's only talent. In her time off, she enjoys singing at the videoke bar (video karaoke), and her artistic streak has even taken her around the globe -- as a former musician in a Bamboo Musical Group that performed all over the world! Now Chef Vangie has exchanged her bamboo instrument for cooking utensils and is putting music and melody in the dishes she creates.

Hot entrées, ranging from Mediterranean to Asian cuisine, are Chef Vangie"s specialty. Interestingly, Vangie"s favorite dish is not an Asian delicacy, but rather a very wholesome, traditional Italian dish.

Here's her own recipe for Osso Buco.