Long before Werner Berger became known as the founder of Santi’s Delicatessen, he spent most of his life doing something far less visible but far more formative: working in kitchens across the world.
“I have been a cook since 1961,” Berger says. His career began early and moved quickly beyond borders. “I left very early Switzerland.” What followed was not a straight climb toward ownership, but a long apprenticeship shaped by movement, discipline, and exposure to different food cultures.
Berger left Switzerland for the first time as a young cook. “I left Switzerland for the first time in 1962 as a cook and later as a chef to Holland,” he recalls. That initial move set the pattern for the next phase of his life—learning by immersion, adapting to new kitchens, and refining his craft through experience rather than theory.
After Holland, he continued north. “Then, five years to Scandinavia—Sweden, Norway.” Those years exposed him to a different culinary environment—one that emphasized precision, preservation, and respect for ingredients. The climates were colder, the kitchens demanding, and the standards exacting.
By 1970, Berger moved again, this time to Asia. “And then, in 1970, I came to Singapore as a chef at the Oberoi Imperial Hotel.” The transition was significant. Asia’s hotel kitchens operated at a different pace and scale, catering to international clientele while maintaining strict consistency.
His performance did not go unnoticed. “From there, I was promoted to chef at the Peninsula in Hong Kong.” The Peninsula represented a new level of prestige. Berger stayed for two years, refining not just his cooking, but his understanding of large, complex hotel operations.
Not every assignment was easy. “From there, I worked with Intercontinental Hotel in Iran for about only eight months,” he says. The experience was challenging on multiple levels. “Because I didn’t appreciate the country. So it was a difficult experience for me.” Rather than staying for comfort or reputation, Berger chose to move on.
That decision reflected a pattern in his career: staying only where he felt he could grow. After Iran, he relocated once again. “After that, I moved to Kuala Lumpur, where I became the executive chef of the Regent Hotel.” By this point, Berger had accumulated deep operational experience—managing teams, sourcing ingredients, and maintaining standards across different cultural contexts.
Eventually, his journey brought him to the Philippines. “Then, I came to the Philippines,” he says. The move was not originally part of a long-term plan. “I was originally supposed to go to Brazil for a job, but I ended up staying here.” What began as a stopover turned into a turning point.
At this stage of his life, Berger had already spent nearly two decades in professional kitchens. He had worked across Europe, the Middle East, and Asia, gaining exposure to supply chains, hotel procurement systems, and the realities of food availability in different markets. He had seen what quality looked like—and where it was missing.
What stands out in Berger’s story is the absence of urgency to become a business owner. Unlike many entrepreneurs who rush toward ownership early, he invested years in mastering the craft and understanding the system. His focus was competence first, independence later.
Each country taught him something different: efficiency in Europe, scale in Asia, adaptability in unfamiliar environments. Even the difficult experiences shaped his perspective, sharpening his sense of what worked and what didn’t.
By the time Berger reached his late 30s, he wasn’t just a chef—he was a professional who understood food from production to service, from sourcing to execution. That depth would later become critical when he started something of his own.
But at this stage, he was still learning. Still observing. Still absorbing.
Werner Berger’s path to entrepreneurship did not begin with a business plan—it began with decades of discipline. By choosing to move across countries and kitchens, he built a foundation rooted in skill, exposure, and operational understanding. His story shows that some entrepreneurs are not born in boardrooms or garages, but in kitchens—learning patiently, one service at a time, until experience itself becomes the edge.
This article includes quotes from an interview originally published by Esquire Philippines, authored by Henry Ong.
