SUCCESS is not determined by age but by the will to push for what one really wants in life.
At 20, this young Chef already has what it takes to compete with Davao City’s rambunctious culinary industry where restaurants and cafés are mushrooming almost everywhere.
Unlike most millennials who are gaining attention in social media through their selfie photos and blogger poses, this young Chef is garnering attention and recognition through the same channel by featuring his one love -- food.
He is Chef Patrick Co and at 20, he is already owner of The Fat Cow along Mapa Street. He is already managing the business at his own pace and with a unique business concept and principle saying he'd rather do it his way than go with the mainstream.
And he can take the punches. He can say “I was fired from my previous jobs” to you without batting an eye and without showing any hint of inferiority or pretentions that he is invincible. He is just proud for what he is and what he has at the moment.
His journey towards the culinary industry started with his love for food even as a kid.
“It started with ‘I love food’ because you cannot love cooking without loving food first. It just does not make any sense,” Co said.
At 17, he was already getting his on-the-job training at the Marco Polo Hotel Davao where he did the rounds of the hotel's food and beverage outlets from banquet, pastry, show kitchen, Polo Bistro, and everywhere else.
He was being considered for employment, except that he was under-aged.
So, while waiting for another year to be of legal age, he decided to enroll at the Center for Asian Culinary Studies (CACS).
After he finished his culinary degree, he was employed at the Marco Polo Hotel and was assigned at the fine dining restaurant but eventually he was fired. He then made his way to another known establishment, The Vikings, and worked there for three months. Eventually, he shared that he was fired again.
“These had become my drive to open a restaurant as I figured that I cannot be an employee,” Co shared.
The Fat Cow is now nearing its 7th month, it opened on April 20, 2016.
According to Co, the restaurant served as his playground where he can do and serve everything without limitation.
"My only enemy here is myself,” Co said.
“It’s an open environment for me. I’m not limited to anything,” Co added, emphasizing that he is striving to be better every day. As a chef, Co said that he invents his own food.
He does not compete, he said.
“I serve my own kind of food with my own taste, with my own plate. Wala akong kalaban,” Co shared.
As a sole proprietor, Co admitted that he is into a lot of pressure as he is the one who manages the resto and even market for their ingredients.
“When you’re in the kitchen, pressure always builds. But you have to control yourself because if you release your anger through the food, it would reflect,” he said.
“The world is endless. Every day you can find inspiration and you can serve it right away,” this is what Co believes the most.