Let Me Cook or Let Me Teach? Nurturing the Future of Culinary Education

This phenomenological study investigates the lived experiences of six chef-educators employed in private and state universities in the Philippines, exploring the tensions, transformations, and triumphs inherent in navigating dual professional identities as both industry practitioners and academic instructors. Anchored on Dewey's (1938) Experiential Learning Theory and Deci and Ryan's (1985, 2000) Self-Determination Theory (SDT), and employing NVivo 14-assisted qualitative data analysis, the study surfaced three overarching themes: (1) Negotiating the Dual Role, (2) The Pedagogical Transformation from Kitchen to Classroom, and (3) The Sustainability of Passion under Academic Demands. Findings reveal that chef-educators experience significant role strain arising from the structural incompatibility between culinary industry norms and higher education culture, yet demonstrate resilience sustained by intrinsic motivation, community of practice, and a deeply-held commitment to culinary heritage transmission. The study argues that the perceived binary between cooking competence and teaching excellence constitutes a false dichotomy, and that culinary education's long-term viability depends upon deliberate policy and institutional frameworks that simultaneously cultivate both dimensions. Practical recommendations are offered for curriculum designers, academic administrators, and industry stakeholders seeking to strengthen the pipeline of qualified, pedagogically competent culinary educators in emerging hospitality economies.