With midterms coming to a close, many college students are breathing a collective sigh of relief. But for students in Kirkwood’s culinary arts program, the heat has only begun to turn up. For four weeks, from Oct. 20 (Tuesday to Thursday) through Nov. 12, students in the program showcase their culinary skills by serving special menus in Iowa Hall.
The culinary students are split into two teams, with one serving food from our oceanic neighbors in the Caribbean and the other team plating dishes from the romantic hillsides of Italy.
Although these four weeks may seem like nothing more than a welcome opportunity to eat some of the most delicious food on campus, to culinary arts students this project is the culmination of a semester’s worth of work.
Abi Bartlett, member of team Italy, puts into words how it feels to see the team’s hard work pay off.
“It just puts into perspective all that work that you put into it. These months that we’ve been planning and prepping and all that stuff, it finally shows,” she said.
Bartlett’s teammate, Alaina Bormann, agreed, sharing that students working on the project spend much more time working behind the scenes to put the event together.
Although it may be time consuming, the project provides students of the culinary arts program with a unique opportunity to get a taste of the professional environment of the culinary world, preparing them for their futures.
Lillie Crossin, team Caribbean, shared how the program is shaping students into the professionals of the future.
“A lot of people say cooking brings people together,” said Crossin. “It shapes who you are. Being in these classes, it really shapes you to who you are in this industry.”
Alex Moon, team Caribbean, shared his mindset when deciding to join the culinary arts program.
“I had made the decision that if I was going to go back to school it was going to be because I knew what I wanted to do,” he said. “I took a visit here and decided. I knew this is what I want to do.”
Culinary arts students are thriving in the high-pressure environment.
“I was really worried that I wasn’t going to like it because it is stressful,” said Bormann. “It’s a lot to think about and keep straight to not mess up people’s orders, especially with allergies and preferences and things like that.
“But, I freaking loved the heck out of it. It was so fun and I’m so happy, because that’s what you need to love if you’re going to be in culinary arts. You need to love what you do. Otherwise, you’re not going to make it.”
Categories: Feature
