In his most recent YouTube tutorial, Chef RV Manabat pleaded to viewers not to judge the pale-looking pancit because it's not a book, not until crunchy chunks of lechon are spread on top. Now, that's a fiesta on a plate that's ready to sell on Instagram and Facebook.
In Chef RV's online cooking and baking video tutorials, there's no shortage of free tips, hacks, and even hugot lines so much so that you'd think you're in a paid-for culinary class.
With several accolades to his name, Chef RV doesn't believe in secret recipes, preferring to share as much of his knowledge as he can with home cooks and bakers. The culinary entrepreneur with a 1.5-million strong social media following prides himself with the successes of his viewers who went on to business with his lessons.
"Sa totoo lang kasi wala naman talagang secret. Even in life, we always say 'walang sikreto na hindi nabubunyag'," he told reportr in a video call.
"You want to empower people and in empowering people you'll want to share with them things that would lead to success," he said.
How empowering are Chef RV's videos? Netizens who went to business using the culinary entrepreneur's recipes and tutorials range from one who has put up his own cake shop, a couple who were able to raise funds for their wedding, and laid off ABS-CBN employees who put up a small food business.
"There's no secret. It's just how you convey the message that they can do it too. When people get inspired, they get motivated," he said.
From the kitchen to an influencer chef
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Watch Chef RV's videos and you'll see why his tutorials rack up millions of views and earn praises from netizens -- ranging from those who were inspired to pick up the pan again to those who simply found an escape during quarantine.
To date, Chef RV has 1.5 million followers on Facebook and over 923,000 subscribers on YouTube. He is also well-known for his delicious cakes and pastries sold in his shop, Chef RV Café, in his hometown Biñan, Laguna.
What makes him a social media hit? Chef RV thinks it's the honesty of his cooking.
"I think it's the honesty na kapag pinanood nila yung tutorial ay magagaya nila yung niluluto o bine-bake ko," he said.
Chef RV knows his viewers' concerns even before they ask them. In almost all of his tutorials, he offers alternatives to what some would say as pricey ingredients. As he said, why sugarcoat the fact that there are really ingredients that would dent people's pockets (especially during the pandemic)? So if you can't afford pork, try chicken. Butter is too pricey? Margarine is an alternative.
"I think it's the educational part and the empowerment. When you see me on screen, you don't see a person na nagpapa-cute o nang-o-okray. I am there to teach people. I am there to help people whether you want to learn how to bake or cook," he said.
"We teach people these techniques kasi gusto natin sila umunlad. Let's share the success and the happiness to everyone," he said.
An educator at heart
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Even before he became a social media star for his tutorials, Chef RV was already an educator--teaching classes at his alma mater, the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde (fun fact: he's classmates with another social media chef, Ninong Ry.)
With his professional experience in teaching and baking, it's obvious that Chef RV could charge fees for online lessons. So why does he do it for free? It's to empower people who need a respite during the pandemic, he said.
"What people really want to hear and experience is the inspiration. They want to feel inspired. Di ka marunong? Maliit lang puhunan mo? Don't be scared. There are alternatives...We just have to inspire them," he said.
"Even if you're a plain housewife, natanggal ka sa trabaho, gusto mo mag-food business, kaya mo pa rin mag-establish ng credibility basta kailangan masarap, malinis at consistent ang produkto mo," he added.
While formal training adds credibility to one's craft, Chef RV said home cooks and bakers who want to go to business need not be discouraged. What's more important, he said, is to have the guts to do it.
"Mag-try ka lang. Because when you get there that's really the only time you'll learn. You have to have guts, yun lang talaga," he said.
And true to his hugot lines, Chef RV equates success in the kitchen with finding true love.
"Pag nagmahal ka hindi puro maganda lang dapat diba? Dapat may mga challenges ka din na pagdadaanan at pag napagdaanan mo yun that's the only time you can prove na you're really in love with something or someone. True love talaga yun," he said.
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