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What motivated you to study culinary arts?
I worked for a restaurant for several years
in many positions, then I got married and my husband at the time encouraged me
to open a cafe. I went to San Fransico to study how to mix herbal teas for
health and enjoyment purposes and learned how to prepare simple
elegant cafe style foods. My cafe started off as a tea and coffee shop,
then I added simple foods and over time it became a small jazz shop. On the
weekends I would offer a pre-fixed three-course menu and live music for
two.
Where are you in your
culinary studies?
I am a triple major student at Reynolds. I have nearly completed my degree in culinary art and I have a few classes left
in my culinary management degree. I am about halfway with my Horticulture
degree, which I am studying at Reynolds. I have taken a few of the classes I need to
transfer to Johnson and Wales when the transfer agreement is completed.
What are you working
on now?
I work full time at VCU Health the local
number one trauma hospital downtown. I am a roundsman in the patient care
kitchen.
What is your favorite
task as a culinary student?
I really enjoy washing dishes. I love to
cook yet my fellow students enjoy using a number of dishes and pans so we have
a large amount of dishes that need to be handled at the end of lab. I feel that
there is a sense of tranquility that comes when I wash dishes because I know the
meal was complete and someone got to enjoy it and I am just readying the next
chef for his or her turn at greatness. Most people don't enjoy doing the dishes. But I think it
gives you some time alone with your thoughts so you can reflect on how things
went during class.
What is your favorite
ingredient?
Garlic and onions, I love them because they
are a perfect pair. Like a good balanced marriage both are great on their own yet
together they make a wonderful base for anything from a sauce to a marinade.
They are very diverse and can be complex or dulled down.
Do you have a
“signature dish”?
When I opened my second
restaurant I had a signature sandwich which was called the
"Big Mother Trucker" because I was located near a truck stop and
it weighed nearly a pound. I would offer food challenges to people who
could complete it. The sandwich was made up of two Texas toast grill
cheese sandwiches, quarter pound burger patties, sauteed onions and
peppers, bacon, french fries and close slaw with lettuce, tomato, and cheese. It was served with fries and a house mayo and spicy spread
What would you most
like to do in culinary arts when you graduate?
I would really like to be a personal chef or
a chef with a medical facility focused on organic growth for health care
purposes. Since I have worked in the restaurant scene and enjoyed it I
would like to venture out into another area where I can still enjoy my craft
yet not so much of the burnout from a restaurant.
What is your favorite
restaurant in Richmond?
To be honest, I do not have one, Richmond has
so many options when it comes to dining. I love local foods yet I am crazy
about authentic cultural foods.
What would you tell
other potential students interested in studying culinary arts at Reynolds?
I would tell them that it is a wonderful
program and it is full of challenges not just academic but ones that test your
character and help you build confidence in yourself and your skills. The
teachers are amazing because they come from all walks of life and they truly
have a love for the craft and they have the desire for you to learn it the right
way and to enjoy it. I appreciate that they are so talented and have used their
skills to experience a number of great things in the industry and they
bring back the good and the bad of the craft. Things are not sugar coated. They
expect you to want to learn and it is not made easy, yet they are reasonable and
fair.
