Food. It is and will forever be a necessity. It is basically the wonders of that thing called food that has inspired me during my college years to take up bachelor of arts in culinary arts at the Art Institute of California in San Diego. And, it is also going to be my motivation as I move on to pursue a master’s degree in food science, majoring in food processing at the University of California as a company scholar.
My passion for food began as a kid whose only companion at home is my mom and a younger sister. My dad died early, that is why mom had to work 18 hours per week to make ends meet, most especially since my sister has an inborn gastrointestinal disorder that meant costs in medicines, consultations, and regular check-up with the family doctor. My sister’s disorder also meant the necessity of always serving nutritious food at the dining table. But nutritious food, as most people know it, are often boring, bland, and dull tasting. Being the one left most of the time to attend to household chores, one of which is cooking our meals, I was forced to leaf through pages of cookbooks for nutritious yet tasty and hearty menus. I was able to find some, mostly from Asian recipe books. The challenge for me then was to find less costly alternatives, because Asian ingredients in the United States can be pretty expensive. I was also able to create my own healthy yet tasty meal innovations, which consisted mostly of veggie barbecues, fruit and white meat salads, and seafood pasta or rice dishes.
My entry to the Art Institute of California came as a proverbial gift from the heavens by a councilor who discovered my talent for cooking at a dinner party in which I was one of those hired to whip up the menu. Studying culinary arts at the Art Institute has been, for me, the grandest learning experience I’ve ever had. I got to practice the skills I already have and at the same time acquire new skills. The best thing that happened to me then was when one of my dishes won first place at a food exposition in Hollywood. The dish was my own simple rendition of Salisbury steak with macaroni and cheese. The only difference is, I used my own recipe for vegetable patties to make the steak. I had to go through a lot of research and trial cooking before I came up with the dish. This was to make sure that I will be able to come up with the right mix of nutrients, tastes, and holding time once I present it.
Right now, I am currently working for a Hollywood restaurant as sous chef. My graduate studies in food processing will be of great help for my research skills especially now that our restaurant is planning on expanding our job descriptions as well as the menu. My masters education will also help when I start training the apprentices.
Photo Credit : waffler
