Filipino-Australian Chef Michael ‘Miko’ Aspiras is an executive pastry chef professional with over seventeen years of experience in the F&B industry. He has won multiple awards and been recognised for various achievements. To name a few, he has been awarded 2015 Chef of the Year by Esquire Magazine, 2018 Best Pastry Chef by Tatler Philippines and 2023 (till present) Valrhona Chocolate Chef Ambassador. He is currently based in Sydney, NSW.
This August, he was given the opportunity to be a guest judge for the final round of MasterChef Australia (Season 17). In this interview with The Philippine Times, Chef Miko shares about his journey and Filipino identity.
How did your journey as a Chef begin?
As a Chef, in a kitchen-led team with a hierarchy…I’ve been in that set-up since 2007, if I remember correctly. I was the lowest-ranking chef, not necessarily in pastry, but it was definitely in a kitchen. I was serving salads at that time…not necessarily with a proper pastry kitchen, but we did have desserts. That’s how it began. I always wanted to put my hands and ideas more into desserts. I stuck in that system, I learned how to serve cold dishes and appetisers. I was able to sneak a little peek into the hot kitchen. Definitely, my ideas were influenced by those earlier experiences.
What are your current roles as a Chef?
I’ve got my fingers on so many things here in Sydney! I’ve always thrived in situations with creative outlets. I’ve just finished working at a fine dining restaurant in Circular Quay called Oborozuki, but recently, I’ve been doing more than that.
I’m building a brand and empire of dessert offerings here in Australia. I’m truly excited about that! I’m doing costings, being the head chef of everything, leading recipes…it’s not my most favourite part, but it’s necessary. I understand how important it is in building a new brand.
How did the Master Chef opportunity come your way?
It was quite random. Not expected at all! Not in a million years, but I’ve always wanted to be a part of it. But I did not expect it to come in this manner. I received a message from the production team. It was something I was pleasantly surprised about. We had a meeting with them, they said they wanted me to be a part of the show. Absolutely, I agreed… and I loved that opportunity, I took it in.
Initially, they wanted me to be a part of a top 5/top 6 episode. Then they asked what are the desserts I can potentially make for the show. We had several options, in which they’ve already done the research for (they’ve seen on my Instagram).
Definitely, the one on the show is something custom-made…uniquely made for the show. We worked on it for a month. I worked on it with their production team, plus kitchen team, making sure this is the most creative dessert we can ever put out there.
Naturally, when we agreed on this dessert that we presented, they said they wanted it to be a part of the finale instead. I was really stoked, surprised once again.
It was something bigger instead; we did it for the finale. That was really something special. For me to be able to showcase my work on that kind of platform is something really amazing that will truly put focus on what I do.
How did it feel to be a guest Chef on Master Chef?
I still can’t wrap my head around it up until now, I don’t think I will ever be able to do so. Cause it’s such an exhilarating experience! I never thought there was so much things happening behind the scenes. I’m very thankful, humbled and honoured to be a part of the show..this legacy. They’ve been there for 17 long years. To be on this biggest version of this finale is something wild, beyond my dreams.
Again, for me to showcase my talent, my unique perspectives on dessert on a stage like that is something I’ve always wanted. And it finally happened! I’ll be forever thankful for the team behind the show and as well as the contestants who all did an amazing job in interpreting my dessert.
How has being Filipino influenced your practice?
I’ve thought about this many times before. I feel like there are so many ways being a Filipino has influenced me as a pastry chef. Definitely, the challenges I faced in the Philippines brought me to who I am right now. Also, the people, the support I had back then, living in the Philippines, is something I forever cherish.
If there is one quality I can pinpoint, it’s the Filipino ingenuity. It’s something that I’ve never seen before. It’s something I respect, and also I’m really proud of. And I use it to my advantage whenever I can. So Filipino ingenuity is very passionate. It’s a combination of passion and also extreme creativity.
It’s something that I use as needed. This could also go the opposite way, of not following rules, not being able to make something that makes sense. Because creativity sometimes is the opposite of putting structure. So I make sure that I use this to the best of my capabilities. Only when I need to.
Any words of advice for aspiring pastry chefs?
This is me talking to the future generation of chefs, not necessarily young people starting a new hobby, career or interest. I just want to tell you that the pastry industry is something that you can both enjoy and thrive from. It requires a lot of passion, patience.
There will be a lot of trials, it will really push you to your limits. Because creating desserts means you are putting yourself out there, you can potentially be criticised. Yet people also depend on desserts. Such as depending on it for happiness, people might look for perfection. All of this is wrapped up in a sweet confection, but it’s a big responsibility. You have to understand this requires commitment.
If you want to do it, make sure you are committed to it. Make sure you have the passion and drive for it. People will depend on you for happiness. That’s something I love to provide…happiness for people through my desserts.
Episode details:
The Season 17 Master Chef Australia finale aired on August 12th at 7:30 pm. Audiences can rewatch on channel 10’s website: https://10.com.au/masterchef
