One thing that this pandemic has taught me about myself is that I’m terrible at keeping in touch with people. Often times, I take people for granted when they are nearby until someone leaves. At BU, I didn’t have that many close friends, and my social life was more limited to a few people who lived nearby on campus or who were in most of my classes. The same goes for people I worked with in DC and Boston. I tend to look back fondly at the people I liked, but never really took the opportunities to have fun or bond at the moment like I think I should have. The same can be said for the people I met at culinary school. I made some friends quickly, but for a variety of reasons, I still look back at myself as somewhat of an outsider, similar to my college and work experience. I’m not sure if it’s because I’m very self-conscience of myself or because I was an older student.
The people I met at the CIA were so different compared
to the people I spent my time back home, BU, and work.
It’s even more apparent when I started working in kitchens
in Tennessee, New York, and Providence. That’s a beautiful thing.
High School Graduates
My class had people from a variety of backgrounds beyond a bunch of fresh-faced high school graduates. The drop out rate is a lot higher than my previous college experience. Most students drop out because of financial reasons or quit. Typically, some of the younger students may already have some experience in the industry. Some might come from families that own a restaurant or bakery. Others were in a technical high school that had some sort of culinary or baking program in the curriculum. Some are part of industry organizations such as CCAP or participated in SkillsUSA and got scholarships. While their immaturity can show sometimes, these are some of the students in the best positions in the industry since they are starting so young and already know what they want. I’m still amazed that I was able to be friends with people who were born in 1999. You know, when Britney Spears, N’Sync and the Backstreet Boys were the biggest names in music and the top-grossing movie was Star Wars Episode 1 - The Phantom Menace, cringe.
Medium Rare. I Want It That Way.
College Graduates
There were a couple of students here that had gotten bachelor’s degrees in unrelated fields, but for one reason or another, ended up attending the CIA to pursue their passion. Most of these students did well academically and in the kitchen and went on to win several awards at graduation. The previous academic backgrounds likely help them prepare for the CIA. I was almost one of these students if I had the financial means to attend after getting my bachelor’s degree.
Career Changers and Continuing Education
This was the group I ended up in after leaving a career in marketing. In this group, you’ll even find people in their 60s fulfilling their dreams of going to culinary school after they retired. Some others also worked in the industry and are finally getting their official degrees. Most of these students did well academically, but in the kitchen, the skill range varied greatly whether that was just being older or unfamiliar with the kitchen environment’s speed and pace. While I personally struggled at times to keep up, I also found instances where I could really push myself to complete double the daily tasks without a partner. I wouldn’t necessarily advocate for going at that speed all the time, but it’s nice to know you can do it if you push yourself. Validation is always nice.
Bad form, accurate expression if you're using a dull knife.
Former Military
A big part of the CIA’s history surrounded veterans returning home after World War II. The school was originally located in Connecticut and was meant as a way to help veterans learn new skills and return to the workforce. Eventually, the campus moved to Hyde Park, but there is still a large military presence. The GI Bill helped many students pay for their education after serving. A couple of my friends were in this group. One of them was our group leader, and he wasn’t afraid to use his presence to yell the slackers into submission. Think sleeve tattoos, standing over 6’3” and built like a Nordic god. This guy had some great stories that I could never fathom having happened to me. During my first year, we both ended up working at the same place on campus, had the same classes, and were both part of the Student Government. We ended up spending up to 16 hours a day with each other and it was honestly a blast despite the lack of sleep. Eventually, he went on to be a Sous Chef at the MET in NYC but is currently working at a company that builds and restore tech hardware, his other passion. One of my other friends was a corporate chef at Google. He was one of the goofiest guys I’ve ever met and was so outlandish at times you can’t help but love him. He was one of the guys that could make the most serious chefs crack up with his antics in the kitchen. He went on to become a manager in training (MIT) on campus at the cafeteria and is now back in this hometown as a private chef.
So when are you getting the chef sleeve?
International Students
During my start date, about 33% of the students were international students and 17 of the 25 international students were from South Korea. By the time I graduated, half of the students in my class were Korean. I was glad to have been friends with so many of them, and I’m looking forward to visiting them in Korea one day. One of my best friends was previously an engineer and eventually worked his way up to being a sous chef at a Michelin starred restaurant in NYC. A few others I’ve kept in touch with will be opening up their own places back in South Korea. When I was in college getting my undergrad degree, eating different cuisines in Boston for the first time is what helped me get into food. My friends were also Korean and introduced me to new dishes and flavors that I wasn’t familiar with. At the CIA, being around a diverse group of people made me feel at home and helped me become more outgoing. There is a lot to learn when you work with different types of people, and I got to experience that in different kitchens since graduating from the CIA. I think working in a diverse workplace is one of the most valuable experiences you can have and can help you become a more patient and understanding individual.
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