College undergrad from Albay, now award-winning Dubai resto chef

DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES – With one year left before graduation, Oscarlito “Caloy” Madregalejo quit college and left behind his old gig of “binalot na ulam” in Albay to join his mother and older brother here.

That was in August 2021. Two years later in December 2023, he landed a job as a chef at a fine-dining restaurant. Just recently, he was adjudged third runner-up in a competition for young chefs.

“Winning is one of the moments I will never forget. When my name was called, everything stood still. Suddenly, every hardship from leaving the Philippines to missing milestones with my kids made sense,” Madregalejo, now 29, said.

“It was not just an award. It was proof that the dream I carried across oceans was real. That all the love and sacrifice were worth it,” he added.

“Binalot na ulam” from a basket

Just a few years ago, he was in his third year at the Tanchuling College in Legazpi City, Albay taking up hospitality management.

On the side, he made the rounds of his neighborhood and sold “binalot na ulam” from a small basket.

“Wala akong pormal na trabaho. Tamang diskarte lang sa buhay,” Madregalejo, who has two little sons back home, said.

(I had no formal job. I just lived life through ways I could think of.)

Upon arriving in Dubai in 2021, Madregalejo got his first job at a cloud kitchen. A few years later, he transferred to CÉ LA VI Dubai, the restaurant where he got lucky.

“Nagpasa ng CV at maswerte namang nabigyan ng chance para mag-one day duty trial,” he said.

(I submitted my CV and was fortunate to have been given a chance to prove myself through a one-day duty trial.)

From there, Madregalejo powered through “burns, cuts, exhaustion, and self-doubt,” as well as moments when it was tempting to give up instead of keeping on pushing forward.

Fateful cook-off

In May this year, the restaurant’s management sent him to join a culinary competition by the International Center for Culinary Arts (ICCA) and organized by Hozpitality Group.

Around 16 participants, including nationals from India and Myanmar, joined the cook-off.

The winners for the 8th Middle East Chef Excellence Awards, held in partnership with Emirates Culinary Guild, were announced on June 2 at the Address Skyview Dubai.

Madregalejo won third runner-up in the cooking tilt.

“Now I am a chef who knows exactly where he is going. Someone who understands that passion without hard work is empty, and dreams without courage stay dreams forever,” he said.

Madregalejo is broadening his horizons, as his plans to diversify his skills “and advance into specialized or leadership positions and hopefully establish a personal brand.” — JMA, GMA Integrated News