by Andrea Klein Perez, December 3, 2020

Attending culinary school is something I have wanted to do my entire life. Since I was a little girl, I used to spend my weekends helping my grandmother to cook for her small catering business in Mexico. When the time came to decide what I wanted to do, I came to the conclusion that my passion for cooking and baking would be only one of my hobbies and decided to study Industrial Engineering. After graduating and working a few years in marketing for two big companies, I realized that I wanted to expand my knowledge in culinary arts for my professional and personal life. One year ago, I made the decision to finally pursue my dreams and moved from Mexico to Chicago to attend culinary school and learn more about what I enjoy the most.

I imagined that 2020 would be the year in which I received my culinary degree. After the pandemic hit and our classes had to be taken remotely, I made the decision to take the Summer off, hoping that in the Fall I would be able to resume classes in the new kitchens. As it might have been expected, I was able to enjoy the great new facilities and the kitchens only for a few courses and for a short period of time. I am grateful that I got to be in the new kitchens and appreciate the view from the school even if it was for a few times.

Given the circumstances and acknowledging that the pandemic has profoundly changed the scopes of many lives, I am grateful to have been selected for a scholarship that is helping me meet the academic goals I have set for myself. Spending more time at home while quarantining has given me more time to experience with different ingredients, techniques, and recipes using the knowledge obtained at school. I am grateful and looking forward to my last quarter of the internship, as I will be spending my time learning about the catering industry.