I have always loved cooking with my mother and father since I was a child. I have been a stay at home mother since my children have been born thanks to my wonderful husband Rico being our great provider. I wanted to make a difference in my family’s life, so I decided to go to school to be an example to my children, so they will follow their passions as well. I wanted them to know that no matter how old you are, it’s never too late to go to school to get a degree. I will be the first person in my family to graduate college, so this is a big deal to me. I would love to have my own restaurant one day.
Where are you in your culinary studies?
I am a senior at Reynolds and taking my last and final class, which is my Capstone course. I am revisiting my weaknesses and improving on them, while maturing with my skills.
What are you working on now?
We are working on menu planning, logic, flow and quality. We also have to do a nutrition analysis of our menu a HACCP Analysis, food costing, and create an ingredient list for our food, setting pricing for our menu and then cook the items. We will be tested in what we have learned in Culinary French as well. Then we will take a final exam of 458 questions to test our knowledge of what we have learned in our entire culinary program.
What is your favorite task as a culinary student?
Culinary arts have brought my talent to the table. I have loved to learn to cook cuisines from all over the world. We have experienced cuisine from different cultures and learned the history behind it all. I enjoy the hands on experience in the kitchen.
What is your favorite ingredient?
Cooking with fresh herbs from my garden is very important ingredient in my kitchen. They are so versatile and can add some great flavor to any dish or drink.
Do you have a “signature dish”?
I love smoking ribs; I am still working on perfecting my father’s recipe. He cooked the best ribs I have ever eaten. I am working on mastering my smoking and grilling techniques.
What would you most like to do in culinary arts when you graduate?
I am going to jump in the culinary field and work my way up to become a great Chef and work on having a food truck. One day having a restaurant may be in my future.
What is your favorite restaurant in Richmond?
I love the Jefferson Hotel, they have amazing food, and it’s a great dining experience that you will never forget. They have the Lemaire, TJ’s, and Sunday Champagne Brunch. All of the menus are locally sourced and sustainable ingredients with a Southern influence of the Richmond food culture.
What would you tell other potential students interested in studying culinary arts at Reynolds?
We all will go through hardships in life, and we all will have some situations that take us by surprise. One thing I have learned in culinary that has helped me is perseverance. I kept working hard, no matter how hard it has been to achieve my degree, I am here and finally about to finish. I never gave up even when I have failed, I kept trying, and trying. You are going to have things in life that are out of your control, just don’t give up.
My mother passed away on December 17, 2015, which was the most devastating thing I have ever dealt with. Then five months later her sister, my Aunt Patricia, passed away on May 22, 2016. Then my father passed on October 18, 2017. Life can be unbelievably painful, but God has the final authority in my life and yours. No matter what situation you may face in life don’t give up on your dreams. If I can do it, so can you. You can do anything if you put your mind to it.
Going to Reynolds you can gain the culinary experience and all of the professional skills you need to further advance your career. You will get the education background to understand the chemistry of food, and learn the roots of recipes and the science behind it all. You will have to chance to try new cuisines, and experiment in creating dishes.You will learn how to give dishes flavor and what to pair with them that will give you the groundwork you need so you can create some culinary masterworks. Chef Miller has taught me all of this and has helped me to move forward in my culinary career. Come talk to him if you are thinking about Reynolds Culinary Arts, Pastry Arts, or Culinary Management. It is a great opportunity for someone if you have a passion for cooking. You will love to eat delicious foods and learn from different ethnic or cultural backgrounds.
