Behind the Scenes Story 2: Feeding of the 1,000

Kuya Mario Payad and these four huge rice cookers cooked rice non-stop from
three in the morning until seven in the evening during the anniversary celebration.  

Did you know that at the annual retreat and anniversary celebration in Tagaytay we ate 120 kilos of chicken or 110 kilos of beef at each meal? 

And did you know that the kitchen crew peeled and sliced and cooked  220 kilos of veggies for each meal?

And did you know that we drank 40 - 50 five-gallon containers of water each day?

And did you know that we ate a total of  40 fifty-kilo sacks of rice? 

Ate Derlie, chef and kitchen manager said that for regular days at the Tagaytay Retreat and Training Center, the kitchen has three cooks, four kitchen helpers and four waiters.  

To feed 1,000 persons during the anniversary celebration (staff plus video crew, additional security guards, board members, speakers and other guests), 34 additional kitchen workers had to be hired. Twelve helpers worked in two overlapping shifts - 3 am to 4 pm, and 10 am to 10 or 11 pm,   and 30 waiters worked in two shifts.  

If you forgot to say 'thank you' to the kitchen crew while you were in Tagaytay, it's not too late to do so! Send a message of thanks to them by way of the comment box below. 

Photos by Jill Hall