Vital Kitchen Journey respects the privacy of students, prospective learners, journal readers and website visitors. We process personal information in accordance with the principles of transparency, legitimate purpose and proportionality reflected in Republic Act No. 10173, the Data Privacy Act of 2012, its Implementing Rules and Regulations, and applicable issuances of the National Privacy Commission. This Policy should be read with our Cookie Policy and Terms of Service.
1. Scope and identity of the personal information controller
This Policy applies to information processed through vitalkitchenjourney.info, our contact and registration interest forms, journal subscription form, course communications and learner support. Vital Kitchen Journey is the personal information controller for those activities. Our contact address is 27 Legazpi Street Legazpi Village Makati City Metro Manila 1229 Philippines, our telephone number is +63 2 8795 2846, and our privacy contact is [email protected].
The Policy does not govern an independent website, communication service or social platform merely because we link to it. Those services determine their own processing and publish separate notices. When a course uses a clearly identified learning or video platform, we explain the platform’s role before personal information is entered there.
2. Categories of information we collect
Identity and contact information. We may collect your name, email address, telephone number, city or region, preferred contact method and the details you provide in an enquiry. If you register interest in a programme, we also collect the programme selected and any description of the skills you wish to learn.
Learning and support information. When you participate in a course, we may process enrolment status, module progress, support requests, submitted reflections, attendance at an optional session and feedback. You should not send medical records, government identification numbers, payment-card information or other sensitive personal information through a general website form. If you voluntarily mention an allergy, dietary restriction or accessibility need, we use that information only to understand and respond to your request and do not treat our response as professional medical advice.
Technical and usage information. Our server may record IP address, device and browser type, operating system, referring page, pages requested, approximate time of access, error data and security events. Where you permit optional analytics, we may also process aggregated interaction information such as page sequence, general geographic region, device category and whether a page element was used. We do not intentionally use the website to collect precise location or biometric information.
Communication information. We retain messages, our replies and reasonable internal notes needed to resolve an enquiry. Journal subscription records include the email address, consent status, date of registration and withdrawal record.
3. How information is collected
We collect information directly when you complete a contact, registration interest or newsletter form; email or telephone us; participate in a course; request support; submit feedback; or otherwise communicate with the academy. Required fields are limited to information needed to respond or provide the requested learning activity. Optional fields help us give a more relevant answer.
Some technical information is collected automatically by hosting, security and cookie technologies when your browser requests a page. We may receive limited information from a service provider acting on our instructions, such as confirmation that an email was delivered or that a learner successfully accessed a lesson. If another person gives us your information to arrange group learning, we ask that person to confirm they are authorised to do so and we provide this Policy to you at the appropriate time.
4. Purposes and lawful grounds for processing
We process information to answer enquiries; provide requested course information; administer access to learning materials; communicate lesson or schedule information; deliver learner support; maintain course records; operate, secure and improve the website; remember cookie preferences; send a journal email where requested; comply with law; establish or defend legal claims; and maintain accurate business records.
Depending on the context, processing is based on your consent, steps you ask us to take before entering an educational arrangement, performance of our agreement with you, compliance with a legal obligation, or a legitimate interest that is not overridden by your rights. Legitimate interests may include protecting website security, preventing misuse, maintaining necessary correspondence, understanding service performance in an appropriately limited way and improving educational content. When consent is the basis, you may withdraw it prospectively. Withdrawal does not make earlier lawful processing invalid and may not affect information that must be retained on another lawful ground.
We do not use solely automated decision-making that produces legal or similarly significant effects. Course suggestions are general educational guidance and may be reviewed with the academy team. We do not sell personal information or use sensitive personal information for advertising profiles.
5. Cookies, local storage and analytics
The website uses functional storage to remember your cookie preference and to support essential behaviour such as forms and navigation. Optional analytics may be used only according to the choice presented in the cookie banner. “Accept All” permits functional and optional measurement categories; “Partial” permits limited measurement with functional storage; and “Functional” restricts storage to what supports requested operation and preferences.
You can change or remove stored choices through browser settings. Blocking functional storage may cause the preference banner to reappear or prevent a requested feature from remembering its state. Our Cookie Policy describes categories, examples, durations and controls in more detail.
6. Service providers, disclosures and data sharing
We may engage carefully selected providers for website hosting, security, email delivery, learner communications, video or learning access, business records and technical support. They may process only the information reasonably needed for the assigned service, under contractual and confidentiality obligations where required. We assess providers proportionately and expect appropriate safeguards.
We may disclose information to professional advisers subject to confidentiality; to public authorities where a valid legal requirement applies; or to another organisation in connection with a genuine restructuring, provided appropriate notice and protection are maintained. We may also disclose information when reasonably necessary to investigate fraud, protect users or systems, respond to an emergency involving safety, or establish and defend legal claims. We do not share a journal subscription list with unrelated companies for their independent marketing. Data sharing for commercial purposes will not occur without an appropriate lawful basis, notice and safeguards.
7. Processing outside the Philippines
Some hosting, communications or learning technology providers may store or access information from another country. Laws in that country may differ from Philippine law. Before permitting such processing, we consider the nature of the information, the purpose, the provider’s security and privacy commitments, available contractual protections and the ability to respond to data subject requests. We limit transfers to what is necessary for the service and apply appropriate safeguards as required by applicable law.
8. Retention and deletion
We retain personal information only for as long as reasonably necessary for the purpose collected, including support, security, legal, accounting and dispute requirements. General enquiries are normally reviewed for deletion or anonymisation within twenty-four months after the final substantive communication. Unsubscribed journal records are retained in a suppression list only as needed to honour the withdrawal. Course participation and support records may be retained for the duration of access and a reasonable period afterwards to provide continuity and handle questions.
Exact periods may change when a legal obligation, unresolved complaint, security investigation or legal claim requires longer preservation. When information is no longer needed, we delete it, anonymise it or securely isolate it until routine backup copies expire. Aggregated information that no longer identifies an individual may be retained for educational and operational analysis.
9. Information security and breach response
We use proportionate organisational, physical and technical measures intended to protect confidentiality, integrity and availability. Measures may include access controls, least-privilege practices, password protection, secure transport, maintained systems, provider review, backup procedures, staff confidentiality, logging and response planning. No internet transmission or storage system can be guaranteed completely secure; users should protect their email accounts, use trusted devices and avoid sending unnecessary sensitive information.
If we identify a personal data breach, we contain and assess it, preserve appropriate records, take remedial action and notify affected people and the National Privacy Commission where notification is required. The content and timing of any notice will reflect legal requirements and information available during the investigation.
10. Your data subject rights and choices
Subject to applicable conditions and lawful exceptions, you may have the right to be informed; to access personal information; to object to certain processing; to correct inaccurate or incomplete information; to request erasure or blocking; to receive portable information where applicable; to withdraw consent; to claim damages where legally established; and to lodge a complaint with the National Privacy Commission. The Commission publishes information about these rights at privacy.gov.ph.
Send a request to [email protected] with the subject “Privacy Request” and describe the right you wish to exercise. We may ask for information reasonably necessary to verify identity and protect information from unauthorised disclosure. We will acknowledge and respond within the period required by applicable law, or explain a lawful reason for restriction or delay. There is ordinarily no charge, but we may address manifestly unfounded or excessive requests as permitted by law. You may unsubscribe from journal messages using the withdrawal method in the email or by contacting us.
11. Children and household cooking
The website and independent course registration are directed to adults. We do not knowingly request personal information directly from a child below the age permitted to consent independently under applicable law. Family cooking activities should be selected and supervised by a responsible adult who accounts for age, ability, heat, sharp tools, allergies and food safety. If you believe a child submitted personal information without appropriate authority, contact us so we can investigate and take suitable action.
12. Questions, complaints and Policy changes
Questions or complaints may be sent to Vital Kitchen Journey at [email protected], by telephone at +63 2 8795 2846, or by post to 27 Legazpi Street Legazpi Village Makati City Metro Manila 1229 Philippines. Please provide enough detail for us to identify the issue without including unrelated sensitive information. We aim to resolve concerns directly, but your right to contact the National Privacy Commission remains available.
We may update this Policy to reflect changes in law, services, technology or processing. The effective date will be revised and a prominent notice will be used when a change materially affects how previously collected information is handled. We encourage periodic review. Continued website use after an ordinary update means the current notice applies to later activity; where consent is legally required for a new purpose, we will seek it separately.