Edwin David Acosta, College Teacher & Entrepreneur

Edwin David Acosta is a College Teacher at Colegiatura Colombiana and runs Come Calles, his own Open Chefs Table project in Colombia. After graduating from the gastronomy course at Colegiatura Colombiana, Edwin decided to join the the 9-month Professional Thai Cuisine Diploma from Le Cordon Bleu Dusit in Bangkok, Thailand. This was a fulfilling year for him in terms of learning and getting to know more about Thai cuisine. Living in Thailand and studying the Professional Thai Cuisine Diploma helped him to develop his dining experiences based on Thai flavours by understanding the complexity of Thai gastronomy.

When did you realise you wanted to become a College Teacher and Entrepreneur?

I realised I wanted to become a chef when I discovered the aesthetics and cultural aspects of cooking. When you understand what's behind the preparation, the full picture starts to grow, from the farmers, to the markets, and the technique. Gastronomy is the best way to showcase a culture.

What’s the best thing about being a College Teacher and Entrepreneur?

The best thing about being a chef is the possibility to prepare a dish with the sensitivity and creativity that it takes to plan and execute a meal, and to contemplate all the cultural aspects related to that plate of food: tradition, culture, nutrition, anthropology and so on.

What are your main responsibilities?

As a cooking teacher it’s important to listen to all of my students and understand they all have differences. I put all my passion into becoming involved in the learning process. As an entrepreneur I showcase my kitchen with Thai influences. I use my creativity in designing dishes with Thai flavours. People come to my dining table wanting to taste a mixture of Thai flavours and culture.

How do you work with your team? Any management tips?

The way I work with my team is always based on respect. I can not expect a good result when I don’t respect my team.

Why did you choose Le Cordon Bleu Dusit in Bangkok, Thailand?

I chose Le Cordon Bleu Dusit because I visites before I decided to study. I used to stay next to the Dusit Thani hotel where the school was located, and I thought to myself ‘I want to study here.’ It was like love at first sight.

How did studying the Professional Thai Cuisine help you to achieve your current role?

Studying the Thai diploma helped me develop my dining experiences based on Thai flavours. It helped me to understand the complexity of Thai gastronomy, and find a respectful way to showcase it.

What has been the best moment in your career so far? What have been some challenges you’ve overcome in your role?

My best moment is when I see my diners eat, and I listen to how much they enjoyed my food. I think for a chef that’s the best part of cooking.

What have been some challenges you’ve overcome in your role?

One thing I learned the most is not being scared of failure. Sometimes things don’t go the way we want, and there is always a lesson to be learnt.

What advice would you give to anyone looking to follow in your footsteps?

My advice is to never forget what it was that made you decide to become a chef. We cannot forget the passion we feel when we do what we love.

Who is your biggest inspiration?

My biggest inspiration is the cooks who are in the street cooking traditional street food. They have very important knowledge of flavour.

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