A pair of high-top sneakers placed side by side on a black background. The left sneaker is red with white laces, while the right sneaker is blue with white laces. Both shoes have a worn, vintage appearance with visible scuff marks on the toe caps and dirt on the rubber soles. The laces on both shoes are loosely tied, with the ends hanging down to the sides. The image has a striking contrast due to the dark background, making the colors of the sneakers stand out prominently

Culinary School

It was after the ketamine treatment and hitting bottom that I decided to pivot from food photography and learn more about food itself. It was then that I decided to enroll at the Culinary Institute of America. With a history of graduating top culinarians in the field, going there seemed like a no-brainer.

A winter scene on the campus of The Culinary Institute of America. The ground and trees are covered with a layer of snow, and the sun is rising or setting, casting a warm golden light that filters through the bare branches of the trees. On the left side, there is a large brick building partially visible, and on the right side, there is a smaller building with a steeply pitched roof. A paved road curves through the scene, with snow piled along its edges.
Roth Hall At The Culinary Institute of America

The course load at the CIA is grueling, with class starting at 6 AM and basically going until 7 PM. They drop you into kitchens immediately, and it’s either catch up or drop out. I, as a novice cook, struggled like crazy that first semester. It’s said that around the tenth week, something clicks, and a bumbling, panicky, hot mess like me turns into a chef-in-training. That’s exactly what happened, except right after I clicked, the school shut down due to COVID, and everything changed.

Ask anyone who went to school during the pandemic, and they’ll tell you how much online learning sucks. Imagine that for a culinary school. Most of the academic stuff was handled online, but the kitchen portions of classes were done in person with full protective equipment on. It was awful.

The image shows a chef working in a restaurant kitchen, viewed through a large window. The chef is wearing a white uniform, a hat, and a face shield, adhering to health and safety protocols. The kitchen has white subway tile walls with a decorative black and white diamond pattern border. The chef appears to be focused on preparing food on a stainless steel counter. Various kitchen utensils and equipment are visible in the background.

We powered through, though. Thousands of future chefs endured the difficulties the coronavirus presented and graduated. I was one of them. I’m trying to stay humble, but that alone was one hell of a feat. Considering all the complications I deal with from Retinitis Pigmentosa, ranging from migraines to low vision, I’m pretty damn proud of myself.

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