Day 1: School orientation

As with any other academic institution, we started our first day with an orientation. Mark Anthony Catarojja, GCHA administrator and human resources manager, briefed us on Global Academy's background and the regulations, grading system and requirements we needed to take note of as students. The pertinent points of his talk include:

Global Culinary & Hospitality Academy's history
* Founded on February 28, 2007; our campus in Ortigas was the very first branch
* Timog in Quezon City will be the future site of GCHA's first restaurant
* Statistics: 399 diploma course graduates, 59 certificate course graduates, 84 Fast Track students, 18 batches graduated
* Industry partners and on-the-job training (OJT) venues (I wanted to know about this when I was inquiring but the school personnel I spoke to were coy about it): Shangri-la, Mandarin Oriental, Hyatt, Sofitel, Dusit Thani, The Peninsula, Sheraton, Hilton, Crowne Plaza
* Mr. Catarojja also said that students are now getting a chef's knife, paring knife and steel - all "worth P7,000 and hand-picked by the chef-instructors" - as a gift because the school overshot its enrollment target by 200%. Was this the surprise he mentioned?

Grading system
* Grades are released a week after the final exam
* The passing mark is 75%
* On non-lab days, students are graded for participation in class
* Marking scheme:
Final practical exam 25%
Midterm practical exam 15%
Regular practical exam 15%
Final written exam 15%
Midterm written exam 10%
Quizzes 5%
Professional conduct 10%
Attendance, punctutality 5%

* Students can re-take their final written or final practical exams, or both, only once, but may not re-take their OJT. Students who pass the re-take automatically earn a final grade of 75%. Re-takes are subject to availability of the room and instructor and students also have to pay fees for ingredients and room use
* Loss of diploma privileges, which means the student only has the option to continue attending in-house training towards earning a certificate of attendance, occurs in the following instances: failing re-take exams; and failing two class levels
* Failing students will not move on to their OJT

Other program requirements
1. Student assistance (SA) hours
* Students can begin assisting chefs after the first week of Level 2
* At least 10 SA hours are required for each class level; 40 accumulated SA hours are required in preparation for OJT

2. Externship/OJT/Industry training
* 480 hours for Diploma in Culinary Arts; 600 hours for Grande Diploma, both in a single venue
* Termination from OJT leads to expulsion from GCHA
*Requirements:
-complete admission requirements
-good professional conduct (violation of school rules leads to loss of endorsement)
-SA time card
-student clearance

Other school rules
1. Class attendance and punctuality
* More than two days' unexcused absences leads to a grade of zero in attendance
* Excused absences need to be supported by: a doctor's note in the event of illness; parents'/guardian's note in case of emergency or death in the family; a police report in case of an accident
* Tardiness of more than 30 mins after the start of class is considered an absence
* Being in incomplete uniform is also recorded as an absence
* An absence of more than one week without official notice is classified as absence without leave
* Tardiness is defined as being 1 minute late after the official start of class and after a break.
* Official breaks usually last for 20 minutes only.
* Unofficial/bathroom breaks are permitted when cleared with the instructor

Violations
* Littering is subject to a one-day suspension
* Off-limits: School office; lounge area (but the night students are exempted from this); classroom and kitchen while classes are ongoing
* Smoking inside or near school premises and chewing gum in class are no-nos

Attire
* Complete uniform includes the chef's jacket, plain white undershirt, pants, skullcap, scarf, apron, black/white clogs or work shoes, black socks and hairnet for women
* Jewelry, watches, perfume and make-up are not allowed
* Men are required to have short hair and be clean-shaven
* Wearing one's uniform at inappropriate venues (eg, at a costume party) is prohibited