Chef David Kamen's presence was a stabilizing influence, and
he and the CIA are to be commended for their
assistance. As Jennifer says, if it was not for Chef Kamen's encouragement after
the assessment, she never would have taken the test. Then she never would have
felt the euphoria from her victory. And I would never have experienced a level
of satisfaction that's better than all the gold medals I've won in competition.
Jennifer:
Shepherdsville, KY
is not exactly what you would call a culinary epicenter. It wasn't until I went
to college in Florida that my
eyes were opened to different foods and cultures. That's where I discovered
food from Central and South America,
Cuba, and Puerto Rico that was a far cry from the fried
chicken and mashed potatoes I grew up with. It changed my life! I fell in love
with the experience of discovering new foods.
After graduating with a degree in English Literature, I went
to work for an international travel company. For three years, I traveled around
the world and experienced the local cuisine firsthand. Afterwards, I decided I needed
to learn more, but with the college debt I already had, I couldn't afford a
culinary degree. When I read about the ProChef program and saw that the
training materials could all be purchased, I decided to teach myself the skills
I needed to get certified. But once I discovered just how much information was
on the test, I knew I needed help.
I contacted Tama Murphy and she was amazing. She recommended
that I call Chef Patrick Wilson, a Level III
certified chef and an awesome guy. Somehow she got him to offer to take me
under his wing. When I walked into his kitchen the first day, I had absolutely
no knowledge or experience. Without hesitation, Chef Patrick flipped me an
apron and a towel and threw me behind the line.
The next few months excited, intimidated, and just plain
scared me. Chef Patrick taught me the fundamentals of cooking, as well as kitchen
etiquette, storage principles, holding techniques, sanitation basics, and so
much more. He challenged me, inspired me, and cracked me up. Mostly, he
believed in me when I thought I would never learn it all. The pinnacle of my
learning experience was helping Chef Patrick prepare dinner at the James
Beard House in New York City.
Of course, this Kentucky girl had
no idea what that meant until I Googled it. I was amazed that he wanted me
anywhere near his food on such an important evening but, then again, that was
his style.
After dragging my feet, I finally took the test. I know I
wasn't the top-scoring student, but I worked hard to earn my certification. I
am going to start right away studying for Level II, and I'll take comfort in
the fact that I have a great teacher.
Patrick Wilson, P.C. III,
C.E.C. and Jennifer Gaylon, P.C. I, C.C.
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