Many people claim to "love food", however, I feel as though few people truly appreciate food and give it the respect it deserves. All too often I overhear "eww", or witness the ever-so-popular crinkled nose, accompanied by a, "what is that?", as one of my peers sticks their face, or their finger, in my plate; behaviors which were forbidden at the table when I was growing up. The cardinal rule in my household was, "Never say eww to food"; before I could claim to dislike something, I had to at least taste it first. I never eww-ed anything, not even Swiss cheese [which took roughly twenty consecutive years of trial and error before I finally acquired the taste for it.]. As a child I loved food, and as I grew older my love for food matured with me. I began to gain a greater appreciation for all that it encompasses. There is so much more to food than mere consumption. Food is loving, nurturing, healing; it brings people together. Food is also knowledge, each dish boasts of a different culture. Tastes and smells have the power to transcend space and time.
When I was seventeen I worked at a Wawa convenience store for my summer job. On my second day of employment I had to work the sandwich line during the morning rush hour; as can be expected, it was pretty chaotic, and people were not as charming as I am sure they were capable of. One man came in and barked his order at me for "a roll. lightly buttered", so I did just that: one roll, lightly buttered. He snatched the ninety-four cent sandwich from my hand and was out the door to start his day... less than five minutes later he came back through the door, threw a five dollar bill at me and said, "Thank you. No one has ever done that for me." My manager was taken aback' apparently no one has ever been tipped at Wawa before, and that is a shame. How hard is it to give people what they ask for? Breakfast and lunch are the only two moments of zen an individual has during the hectic work day. I get that. Nothing irritates, and depending on how hungry I am- infuriates, me more more than when I order a sandwich, unwrap it to take that first heavenly bite, only to have a complete disaster sitting in my lap. If you don't care about my food, then please don't make it. Find another job, please.
The summer of Wawa was the summer in which I first developed an interest in the food service and hospitality industry. I wanted to open my own sandwich shop, but not just any sandwich shop. I was talking about a serious sandwich shop. One in which the customer is presented with a menu board listing different types of bread, juxtaposed with a menu board offering various deli and meat options, followed by the toppings board, which I planned on being huge; anything from smoked Gouda to artichokes, apples to sun-dried and everything in between. I wanted to offer quality and variety, as well as excellent service. I too have been a victim of the overly buttered bagel, or the soggy sandwich that wears its condiments on the outside, and I wanted to do my part to put an end to it. I wanted to offer an environment that people could come to and know that they are going to be satisfied.
In the past seven years my love for food has become an undying passion that continues to grow stronger and stronger with each passing day. Every morning allows me the opportunity to try something new, or practice a different cooking technique. In these past years, my goals and vision in the foodservice industry have entertained a plethora of paths, but all have shared the same desire: to improve life through food. The current condition of the quality of life in the United States is drastically low due to the obesity epidemic. Eating disorders are running rampant, whether it be Nicole Richie or Lindsay Lohan living off of iceburg lettuce and Starbucks, or the average, overweight American living off of convenient foods that are high in energy and low in nutrients. I want to use my love and knowledge of the power of food to help people. Ideally, I would like to operate a rehabilitation center for girls with eating disorders, and use my knowledge to help them lead a healthy lifestyle.
There are so many different aspects of the culinary field that I want to explore and I feel as though the Culinary Institute of America promises the greatest educational opportunity for both my personal and professional enhancement. I am looking forward to learning more and experiencing an environment saturated with individuals that are as passionate about food as I am. Armed with the knowledge attained at such a prestigious institute, I am even more confident that I will have all the necessary tools to make monumental strides in the culinary world.
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