17/07/2025
TEACHER TO CHIEFCOOK SA BARKO, PAANO?
Chief Cook's Tale: A Tribute to the Helping Hands Along the Journey
For they say, “Nothing is impossible for a dreamer”. But I say, “Yes, Nothing is impossible but each dream must be coupled with action, determination, passion and faith in the Creator.”
Who would believe that my dreams would take me this far?
I’m Wisley N. Wacguiyan, a 31 year old dreamer from Ifugao, Philippines. I’m more than a month now here in Mv Sakizaya Respect as Chief Cook. And here is a short story of my journey from teacher to
I’m a teacher by profession and also a board passer but because it’s difficult to get employed in the province, I needed to go to the city to find a job. I stayed in my cousin’s apartment while hunting for job. Since I was the one who has no work yet, I did the daily cooking.
One time, my cousin’s husband, Ark Age who is a chief engineer visited the apartment we were staying and tasted the food I cooked. I was elated when he exclaimed “Why don’t you go on training for messman and become chief cook someday? Your menu tastes good and you seem skilled in cooking.”. It’s already a great lift to me and I didn’t give a pass so I immediately acted on it. However, I lack finance and so we sold our small lot in the province to finance my trainings.
The rest is history. My first contract as messman challenged me a lot even if I’m used to hard works. I was culture shocked and on the verge of homesickness to the point of calling home to quit. However, I surpassed those challenges with the words of encouragement of a dear Uncle Odi Vicente. Hurray! I finished my first contract with flying colors. I got a recommendation from my chief cook, Marvin Lucerna who I credited for helping me improve my cooking skills greatly.
On my second contract, Ma’am Lorena Martines, the late manager of Synergy gave me another contract as messman. I was once again fueled with joy and motivation when she encouraged me to ace with another recommendation in order to become a chief cook. God didn’t fail me when I was given another recommendation by Capt. Jimmy Mabaquiao without any second thought.
I was so challenged on my first contract as chief cook. I needed to level up my cooking skills because my superiors were Indians. I did extra efforts watching Indian recipes and even bought Indian cookbooks to make sure I serve them well with their exquisite cuisine.
Fast forward with highs and lows, I am overly grateful to SynergyGroup Operations Inc. for the person I am now. Now is my 7th contract and my 5th as chief cook.
The menus that I prepare are special to me for they have representation and value in my life and my journey as a chiefcook. My main dish is kare-kare with fried rice, lumpia as my appetizer or side dish and brazo de Mercedes as my dessert.
I can say that it’s Kare-kare that opened me the door to my job now. It was the dish that I cooked when Kuya Ark Puguon visited my cousin’s apartment and encouraged me to try seafarerhood. This food is a uniquely made Filipino dish with simmered meat, vegetables and peanut sauce. Now, I’m gonna make it more special with a spoonful gratitude for all the people who helped me, big or small in my journey as chiefcook. I used Lechon kawali (crispy, fried pork belly) as my meat on top of the peanut sauce w/ vegetables and sauteed shrimp paste.
Kare-kare will not be perfect without fried rice. This fried rice represents my family especially my parents (Linda Wacguiyan and Charlie Wacguiyan) and in honor of their sacrifices and unending support despite the difficulties of our life before. When we were young, a mixture of rice, used oil and a pinch of salt is already a sumptuous meal. But now, I can say that our life is better so I’m gonna make my fried rice more colorful. I will sauté with butter, garlic, onion, vegetables and prawns on top.
No way that I’ll miss lumpia as side dish or appetizer for it represents my wife, Shani G. Bulahao-Wacguiyan. Whenever I cook lumpia onboard, I remember her who is my inspiration to keep going and work hard for family. It makes me feel at home because it’s her all-time comfort food. And it’s more special now because it’s our 5th monthsary as married couple. This lumpia is made with paper-thin lumpia wrapper and filled with a savory mixture of ground pork, carrots, and other vegetable. It is served with a sweet chili or vinegar sauce- her favorite dipping sauce.
Brazo de mercedes will be the perfect dessert after the sumptuous foods. This dessert reminds me of all the crew I worked with. Whenever I prepare this in every ship I’m in, they would ask how I made it or I would hear “It’s my first time to taste like this on ship” or even ask me to teach them how to make one. Whenever I see the crew satisfied with the food I prepare, it makes me keep doing my best serving them and helping them ease out the exhaustion from the tiresome work and in return make me forget my own battles. This brazo de mercedes is a traditional Filipino rolled-type cake made from a sheet of soft meringue with sweet and sticky egg custard dusted with powdered sugar.
The challenge here in the ship is how am I going to provide good foods with the only available ingredients and cooking equipment without sacrificing the taste. Therefore, I need to be more creative and strategic in order to provide the best food everyday and that by doing so provides me pleasure to overcome daily challenges.
Life at sea is not easy but companionship with the crew, love for work and faith in God are what I always carry onboard.
Synergygroup Operations Inc. Synergy Marine Group
