Inspirational Message delivered by Ms. Maria Lourdes Caudal, dietetic Chef Instructor of CIC during the Second Toque Ceremony

Good Afternoon.

I am both honored and flattered to have been asked to speak for this wonderful occasion. I am always grateful to feel the warmth of Cagayan de Oro when I am far from home.

First of all — congratulations!

Second, the reality of culinary school is probably starting to sink in for many of you. Some of you may find yourselves wondering exactly what challenges lie ahead. For example, many of you are working full-time, others are balancing family life and school, and still others are frightened by the fact that you need to learn how to cook and compute calories.

You are very lucky to be here in CIC, the first Culinary School in Northern Mindanao, to offer a certificate course in Culinary Arts with Holistic Nutrition. Studying in one of the best culinary schools is considered as a unique study opportunity for people who desire to gain more social and technical skills in the food service business and recently culinary arts has become one of the fastest growing industries in the world and it seems to grow continuously.

Many new hotels, resorts, restaurants and other food service businesses are being established every day in the world. This particular industry offers lots of new job opportunities throughout the world and requires many new and fresh qualified, dedicated and skilled individuals to take the challenges.

Forecasts predict an additional one and a half million trained culinarians will be needed by the year 2016. A major portion of that number will be employed not only in the Philippines but in other countries as well. You are definitely on the right track when you chose to enrol in CIC. Our Culinary Arts program offers the training, practice and experience needed for your entry into a successful, creative culinary career. We do not only teach students how to cook but prepare nutritious food as well. Our curriculum was developed to ensure a wide range of skills in Culinary Arts. This makes our program unique.

One of the advantages that you will gain by taking a culinary arts study from one of the best culinary school is a shorter way to start your career without having to start from a lower skilled kitchen job, such as: kitchen dishwasher or cook helper.

Your strong motivation and great passion to enhance your future career in the culinary arts and your desire to get a challenging employment with better salaries as a skilled individual are the best tools to start with. I am encouraging you our dear students to make a commitment to your career goals. This includes a time commitment to your education. And as the saying goes “Practice makes perfect”. Everything learned in school must repeatedly be practiced at home. Experiment. Try new recipes and play with them. Substitute ingredients. Be creative. Be artistic. Create. Innovate. Be different. Make a difference. Stand out.

While it would be easier to slide through life without a purpose, without a code, it would not be fulfilling. Only by setting difficult goals and achieving them can we find true self-worth. One final thing, each person's goals are different, and what comes easy to one may be difficult for another. Therefore, do not squash others' dreams. This is a sure fire way to know that you aren't working towards fulfilling your own.

I challenge you not to rest on your laurels but to continue to strive towards even loftier goals. In conclusion, I congratulate all of you today. You are truly the best of the best. Enjoy yourself, and remember as Mother Teresa said, "Life is a promise; fulfill it." Again, congratulations! On behalf of CIC and all the faculty and staff, we wish you all great success during your time at the Culinary Institute of Cagayan de Oro. Remember we are here to support you.