Executive Chef

Despite an early school diagnosis of a ‘learning disability’, she maintained a positive attitude to ‘learn differently’ while supported by caring parents, teachers, and mentors. Maybe someday you, the reader of her story, will have the opportunity to dine at one of the prestigious, resort restaurants where she is an Executive Chef, loving her career. 

FAMILY BACKGROUND

WC is an only child. Her father’s career was in law enforcement. Her mother’s career was in education as a 9^th grade history teacher. Neither parent initially recommended a specific career path until WC struggled academically during her first year at a community college. 

CHALLENGE – LEARNING DISABILITY

Despite trying to learn from listening to her teachers talk about course subjects, WC was not able to mentally organize and retain what they were saying. But WC could easily remember anything she was shown what to do. The school diagnosed WC’s situation as a ‘learning disability’ involving mainly reading comprehension and dyslexia – not an ‘attention deficit disorder’ – so her teachers customized their teaching techniques for WC to learn differently. 

CHILDHOOD THOUGHTS OF AN ADULT CAREER

Combining her love of animals (even sharks!) and the ocean, WC hoped to become a marine biologist – until her ‘learning disability’ was diagnosed, so she realized that she would likely not be successful sitting through classroom lectures involving important math and science concepts to be mastered.

AFTER-SCHOOL LIFE EXPERIENCES SUPPORT A CAREER PATH CHOICE

When WC was not playing volleyball or softball after school, she would be with her grandmother, a wonderful, self-taught, patient teacher and cook. WC enjoyed learning about and helping prepare a wide variety of family foods, ranging from soups and salads through main course entrees and desserts. 

AFTER HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION – NOW WHAT?

Having graduated from (Editor’s note – an academically well-regarded, suburban public) high school, WC still had not chosen a career path. So, she thought enrolling in a community college could provide the opportunity to learn some new things, which might lead to an interesting career within her capabilities. 

During WC’s first year at the community college, she realized that she was “not a fit” for sitting through school lectures. She was bored and wondered if there was a trade school where she could learn by ‘watching and doing’ and then proceed with an interesting career to financially support herself. 

WC’s dad had a suggestion: “You love to cook with your grandmother. Have you thought about culinary school?” Bingo! Great idea! 

CULINARY SCHOOL OPTIONS – WHICH ONE TO CHOOSE?

WC went online to investigate different aspects of culinary schools but the most important factor for her choice was class size; she didn’t want to be lost among a large class sitting through lectures. So, WC found a school featuring classes of only 10-15 students, focusing on ‘hands-on’ learning. 

(Editor’s note – Culinary schools train students for jobs as chefs and cooks. Students study cooking techniques and cultivate knife skills. Culinary arts programs incorporate classes on topics like cooking meats, baking, plating, and presentation. Many culinary arts programs include an internship – sometimes called an ‘externship’ when working away from the school – to give students hands-on kitchen training in a real-life setting. In addition to cooking courses, culinary degrees include classes on food safety, cost control and inventory management. Some programs include business and management training, preparing graduates for leadership roles in the kitchen. 

Some culinary schools offer electives or specializations, such as hospitality management, allowing students to tailor the degree to their goals and interests. Graduates can work as head chefs, sous (prep) chefs, pastry chefs and private chefs.)

WC was very happy with her choice of the relatively small, culinary school, which required participation, off-campus, in an ‘externship’. WC sent her resume to several different resorts, hotels, and restaurants, both large and small. Fortunately, WC’s dedication as a culinary student was noticed by one of the school’s teachers, who recommended WC to a friend then employed as a head chef at a large resort, for whom WC’s enthusiasm and abilities “would be a good fit.” Her teacher’s prediction turned out to be accurate.

ADULT CAREER PATH – EXTERN TO EXECUTIVE CHEF

WC commenced her food service career as an extern, within a highly regarded, large resort. Her entry level job responsibilities included ‘pantry and hot appetizers’ – essentially following the recipe to prepare salads and desserts toward the multiple, concurrent goals of the highest quality for food presentation and consistency. 

Because she always paid close attention to fulfilling all the details of her job, WC was eventually promoted to involvement with different responsibilities: 

• ‘Garde Manager’ – involving the ‘cold side’ for banquets
•  Supervisor for salads and dressings
•  Supervisor for the ‘hot side’ of appetizers and entrees 
• Chef Tournant
• Chef de cuisine (for the three outlets on the resort property)
• Executive Sous Chef
• EXECUTIVE CHEF (first female!) at this world class resort, which includes 5 prestigious restaurants

FOOD SERVICE CAREER CHALLENGES

Most everyone working full-time in the food service industry, must learn to cope with working ‘crazy hours’ involving nights, weekends, and holidays. Plus, constant mental / emotional pressure from multiple sources: 

• Clients (ranging in numbers from one busload to a convention of 2000) who demand ‘top service’ (regardless of whether they or their business is paying for it)
• Management’s goal to provide top service to all its customers
• Your own self-motivation to provide top service
• Your need to stay constantly aware of food service trends for your area (types of food and geographic location)

CAREER SATISFACTION FOR A ‘DIFFERENTLY LEARNING’ EXECUTIVE CHEF

• Overcoming a ‘learning disability’ with assistance from caring teachers, mentors and most important: patient and supportive parents
• Learning how to steadily perform daily tasks to the high satisfaction of customers and management
• Earning the trust and guidance of an instructor who had been a chef serving a former U.S. President, who took a personal interest in WC’s career, advising her to “work in every department, so you learn its details thoroughly.”
• Continuing to learn and apply that learning to your profession
• ‘Paying it back’ by helping new culinary students to learn the skills of the trade
• Induction into WC’s high school’s exclusive ‘Wall of Fame’ in recognition of her lifetime accomplishments. (Editor’s note – Among the thousands of graduates, WC is now one of the first 15 to be honored. Her acceptance speech follows the conclusion of this career story.)

WALL OF FAME ACCEPTANCE SPEECH

(edited to preserve privacy)

I am humbled and honored to be standing here this evening as a recipient of the Education Foundation’s Hall of Fame Award.

My education did not begin in this district. I attended school in a neighboring  school district. I was diagnosed with learning disabilities in the second grade. I struggled with dyslexia, short term attention and reading comprehension to name a few. My parents made the decision to move here as I entered the eighth grade. I was not very happy with that decision, but my parents knew of the excellent reputation of this Special Ed department, and both wanted me to receive the best education (My mother had the inside track since she taught at the high school.)

Academics did not come easy for me. Through the dedication of multiple teachers, I was taught strategies and coping skills to deal with my disabilities. These strategies served me well in high school, through community college and culinary school and to my current position as Executive Chef at a world-class resort. I still put food orders in alphabetically to compensate for the dyslexia, maintain organized binders for all functions and triple check all my math. So, thank you not only to the Special Ed Department, but to all the teachers who helped me along the way.

I did not have a vision or defined career planned after high school. I just knew that some form of higher education was a must. I attended a community college. That’s when I decided on a career in the culinary field. My maternal grandmother was my mentor. She had worked in a high school cafeteria and at a retirement community as a cook / kitchen supervisor. Granny sure could cook and bake. She was an inspiration guiding me through my culinary career and sharing life lessons. 

I became an Extern at a resort where I have been continuously employed to this day. The externship was a requirement of the university where I was a student within their one-year, culinary program.

Upon completion of my extern hours, I was hired as a ‘Cook 1’ at the resort. The Executive Chef became another mentor who insisted that I learn all the venues within our culinary department. His foresight proved valuable. 

Post 9-11 when the food industry took a major decline, I may have found myself unemployed if I hadn’t rotated through all the food service stations within the resort. Those varied experiences have helped me interact with my employees today because I have “walked in their shoes (or clogs)” and understand their jobs and concerns.

Thank you to all the teachers and mentors in my life who have guided me to achieve many of my goals. I am so grateful.