The Walk

Over a year and a half ago, I was banging my head against quite a tough and immovable wall, trying to figure out how I was going to afford to graduate with my Bachelor's degree. I wasn't happy with my major, I honestly could care less about thread counts or how the front of the house worked as far as hotels were concerned. All I cared about and had a passion for was food. I've been cooking since I was 14 and have been working since I was 16. Each year, getting better and better. I had always wanted to go to culinary school, to learn the ropes and become a better cook. But I was always so scared to go.

I knew that school would be expensive and I wanted to go to the best school for me as possible. It was a huge decision for me to go to culinary school and I didn't take my options very lightly. It all started with a conversation over phone that I was having with my mom one night about finances and my degree that I was currently working on. In the middle of the conversation, my lovely mother asked "why are you spending so much money on a degree that you're not happy with? why don't you just go to culinary school?? you've always wanted to!" I thought that going was a lot harder than it really was. I finally decided to stop making excuses and I requested info from some of the schools I knew. One of them was the Art Institute of Phoenix. It just felt like a perfect match from the beginning, everything fell into place and I knew this is where I was meant to be. My first class ever was my Basics and Fundamentals class taught by Chef Kline; I didn't know then but this man changed my life for the better in the year I was at AI. He pushed me hard through every class I had with him and he honestly cared about all aspects of my life, not just my academic life. One of the first things he said to my class in our first week was "if you are not completely exhausted by the time you leave my class, you haven't worked hard enough." Let's just say that I definitely needed a nap after each class period with Chef Kline. He worked me. He also recognized that I felt most comfortable in a kitchen and saw that from day one. We clicked, he was my go to chef whenever I needed anything!

In all of the time I was at AI, I never felt like I was going to school. Sure I had some lecture classes but all in all, I cooked for an entire year and learned soooo much. I am definitely not the same cook I was when I first started. I feel as if I have a more focused and refined look at what it is that I want to do. There have been so many ups and downs, obstacles, triumphs and defeats along the way but it's made me into the person that I am today. Into the cook and future chef I will become. There was a time where I felt like giving up, if this really was what was right for me but I can say to you now without a doubt in my mind and with my head held high that cooking is what I want to do for the rest of my life. In whatever outlet or opportunity life hands to me! Because of my decision to go to school, I have met chefs and students that I would otherwise probably have never met and get to know like I have while I was at school. I was able to go to Austria for a cooking competition and have one of the most amazing weeks of my life doing what I love to do! I have been so richly blessed and I'm so thankful each day that I was able to do this and get on to a path that will make me happy for as long as I allow it!

Tonight was definitely a bittersweet night for me; as I sat with the audience, a wave of memories hit me of my times at school and the things I've done. Graduation, to me, seemed to be the last seal on this part of my journey and to be honest, I'm quite scared for it to be over. My life has drastically changed the moment I landed back in Sky Harbor 5 days ago. But this change is for th better and quite necessary. I have new things to do experience and different avenues to explore. This was the beginning after all, quite a beautiful and amazing one at that. I was fortunate enough to have my wonderful mother, a great best friend, my boyfriends parents, a loving sous chef, and inspiring chef all there to witness me walk across that stage to fulfill my dream of becoming a chef! It's still frightening to know that it's all done now and I have to grow up but at the same time, I'm excited to see what life has in store for me!

Before I wrap this up for tonight, I just need to brag a little about a special person that has helped me through this journey. My mentor and guide, Payton Curry, has helped me so much from the day I first asked him to help me with a class assignment. From there he just took me under his wing and has guided me on this wonderful journey. He's coached me a long, listened to my rantings, had discussions with me on the possibilites of a pancake bread pudding at 2:30 in the morning, encouraged me when I felt like I couldn't go any longer, and pushed me to apply for the team. He's the reason my passion for food is so alive and strong as it is today. Without him, I'd just be another cranky, foul mouthed line cook stuck in a rut. But because of him and his willingness to listen to me and understand me, I have incredible confidence in myself, my food, and my future! Thank you Chef for creating me into your Ninja, now it's time for a slumber party to bang out some amazing dishes!

Thank you everyone for your love and support! On to the next walk in my life, turning the page to the next chapter! It's going to be one crazy and wonderful ride!

New and Exciting Things

Many new and exciting things happening here shortly!! First of all, 150 days until I get to see that boy of mine again! I'm getting beyond excited, it's probably really annoying :) Secondly, today I get to start reading the Book of Mormon with that same boy today! By the end of TJ's first month, I was having a hard time missing him and wondering how to keep us growing together so that we would still be on the same page when he came home and one of my lovely roommates, who happened to help me so much during the first 6 months, suggested that we read our scriptures together and talk about what we've learned. This suggestion has helped us grow so much; I ran the idea past TJ and he loved the idea so much and so we ran with it. Our goal was to read all 4 books of the Standard Works during his mission and for the past 17 months we have successfully (and sometimes slowly) trekked our way through the Doctrine and Covenants, Pearl of Great Price, the Old Testament, and the New Testament. Now, for the last leg of his mission, we get to read the book that is the cornerstone of our religion, the book which he teaches and converts people from. I already have a strong testimony of the truthfulness of this amazing book but I know that there is going to be something special about reading the Book of Mormon with my missionary while he gives his all this special work these last few months. I can't wait to grow even more alongside him and I'm so excited for this little journey!

Yesterday I had fully off of work (a day off on a Friday?! in a restaurant?! whaaa???) and I took full advantage of it! I washed my little car from this HUGE dust storm we had over here, replaced her wipers, and made an amazing dinner for my family and my newly engaged friend and her fiance! I had the hardest time coming up with this dish for a couple of days and finally the day of, I came up with it! Let me just say... I can kinda cook ;)

I made a Moroccan Broiled Salmon with Israeli Pearled Couscous, white corn, butter braised radishes, and seared bok choy. Ummm... yum?! But the family, friend, and fiance all loved it! As my friend and her significant other were eating the dinner, the fiance said that he needed to treat me to ice cream as a form of payment. My argument was I've got 5 months left to try and look ok for my guy when he comes home, I can't be eating ice cream. After about 3 go arounds with us saying the same thing, he finally said "I'll train you for the next 5 months." He's dead serious. So I'm excited, my butt is finally going to get kicked and get in shape! Me= happy!

I need to give a quick shout out to Kendahl, my best MG friend ever! She is getting to reaching her boys year mark in just 5 days and I'm so excited for her! She has been such a positive light to me and I'm so glad to have her! She's always there for support, to listen to, to get excited with, to swap stories and ideas with. She's been such an amazing friend to me for the past 8 months and I'm so lucky to have her in my life! We've become great friends through Facebook, texting, and our weekly Sunday Skype dates! I hope I've told her enough how much I appreciate her love and friendship!

On Thursday, I picked up my last school schedule ever!!!! Well probably not ever, but my last one at this school! It's a bittersweet moment because I'm so excited to get out in the real world and just be totally encompassed by the industry but at the same time... I've had a lot of great memories at school and have met a lot of incredible chefs who have made me who I am today! I get to take my last cooking class at AIPX with the chef who started me off and I'm excited for the butt riding he's going to give me while in class (he knows I'm going to Austria so he's going to be right in my ear the entire 9 weeks of his class). I'm so excited for this last quarter, all that I've been dreaming about for years is starting to wrap up in the next few months and then I get to start my career as a young culinarian. This also means that I get to start the ever amazing eeeearly morning practices for the competition! They start next Wednesday morning at 6 am... all I can say is heaven help me. I'm very very excited for the amazing things coming up in my life these next 3 months, time is going to fly by and I absolutely cannot wait! I may not be posting as much once school and practice starts but at least I'll have cool stories and pictures when I do!