This episode features Yassy Honorio, whose remarkable career trajectory has taken her from enlisted personnel in the Philippine Air Force to becoming a professional chef in Australia.
Yassi shares how her educational background in International Hospitality Management laid the foundation for her current culinary career, despite a five-year detour in military service. The conversation reveals how military training instilled valuable discipline that transfers effectively to the hierarchical structure of professional kitchens. Yassy also discusses her content creation platform "Chasing Life with Yassy," where she documents her international student experience to inspire others navigating similar paths. Her story exemplifies career adaptability, cross-continental transition, and finding professional fulfillment by returning to one's original passion.
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In this episode, we cover:
Yassy's educational foundation in International Hospitality Management provided the groundwork for her eventual return to the culinary industry after military service.
Military training during COVID-19 (which included extended lockdown within a military camp) developed emotional regulation skills that proved invaluable in high-pressure kitchen environments.
The military principle of "comply before complain" translates effectively to professional kitchen hierarchies, demonstrating transferable skills between seemingly disparate careers.
Yassy is completing formal culinary education in Australia (Commercial Cookery) and achieved chef status in September 2023, with graduation expected in April 2025.
Her content creation focuses on authentic representation of international student experiences, particularly the challenges and administrative requirements faced by Filipinos pursuing careers in Australia.
Resources and links mentioned in this episode:
You can also email Yassy here
Detailed Synopsis
The episode begins with host Kangaroofern introducing Yassy Honorio and her unique career transition. Yassy immediately clarifies that her journey began with a bachelor's degree in International Hospitality Management, specializing in Hotel and Restaurant Administration. After graduation, she worked briefly in hospitality before joining the Office of the President's food and beverage committee during the 2017 ASEAN Summit.
A pivotal moment occurred when a colleague suggested Yassy had potential for military service, which prompted her to explore this unexpected career path. Despite having no prior knowledge of military culture, she enlisted in the Philippine Air Force. Although her original goal was to become an officer, she found herself serving as enlisted personnel for five years. During this time, she attempted to transition to officer status through examinations and even began pursuing a master's degree in Public Management at the University of the Philippines Open University.
Yassi candidly shares that despite these efforts, she never felt fulfilled in military office work, which included serving as secretary to the National Defense Secretary. This realization led her to research international opportunities that would allow her to return to her hospitality roots.
After extensive research comparing Canada and Australia, she chose Australia for its favorable conditions for international students in the culinary field. She enrolled in Commercial Cookery studies and is now approaching graduation in April 2025, having already secured professional chef employment since September 2023.
A significant portion of the conversation explores how military discipline influences Yassy's approach to culinary work. She recounts a recent discussion with her boss about her exceptional emotional regulation in high-pressure kitchen situations. The rigid training she underwent during COVID-19 (which extended from the typical four months to nine months due to lockdown restrictions) taught her to function effectively under stress and respect hierarchical structures—skills that transfer directly to professional kitchen environments where the brigade system operates similarly to military command chains.
The conversation shifts to Yassi's content creation platform, "Chasing Life with Yassy," where she documents her international student experience. She explains that her motivation stems from wanting to provide authentic guidance to both current international students and those aspiring to study abroad. While initially hesitant to share her private life, she found purpose in creating content after emotionally connecting with her own story during script writing and receiving calls from friends seeking advice about similar journeys.
Yassy emphasizes the substantial financial and administrative requirements facing Filipino students pursuing Australian education and eventual permanent residency, including IELTS exams, the Job Ready Program, and skill assessments. She sees her content as a way to validate the struggles of international students while providing practical guidance through these complex processes.
The episode concludes with Yassy sharing a pivotal moment in her professional development when her boss began training her to lead a kitchen section independently. Despite initial fear about handling high volumes during busy reservation periods, she reminds herself of her military background as a source of strength. Her learning philosophy—preferring to be shown once, then implementing independently and learning from corrections—reflects the self-discipline instilled during her military service.
What Readers Will Learn
How military training can provide transferable skills for high-pressure culinary environments
The practical challenges facing international students pursuing culinary careers in Australia
The importance of emotional regulation and hierarchical respect in professional kitchens
The process of career reinvention across different countries and industries
How content creation can serve both as documentation of personal journey and as guidance for others
The financial and administrative requirements for international students seeking permanent residency in Australia
The educational pathways available for culinary careers in Australia
How to leverage seemingly unrelated past experiences in new professional contexts
The psychological journey of career transition and finding fulfillment
Music:
Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):
https://uppbeat.io/t/prigida/moonshine
License code: O6B7BV39QDARYJJZ
Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):
https://uppbeat.io/t/peter-lainson/over-the-sea
License code: UQ3B9QG1J47D7TOR
Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):
https://uppbeat.io/t/brock-hewitt-stories-in-sound/happiness
License code: HS0YLR4EYUGBWG9N
This podcast is powered by Kangaroofern, Australia's Independent Podcast Management Company.
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