by James Payne, December 4, 2017

Another quarter, another dirty apron. Each quarter goes by faster than the last. This time I was in the Fine Dining Kitchen and it was an adventure in itself.  I was given the opportunity to sell two of my student special creations while in the kitchen. One dessert and one entrée. The dessert was a tres leches cake with raspberry sauce, vanilla bean whipped cream and fresh fruit. The entrée was grilled octopus, with pan seared cod, couscous with a red and green poblano sauce. Definitely a little heat in that dish. When creating my ideas, I was able to collaborate with my fellow classmates and Chef about flavors and plating to make sure it was perfect!

Now that this quarter is coming to an end, I get to go on internship. I have chosen Coopers Hawk Winery and Restaurant. I have dined here many times before and enjoy the modern casual atmosphere they present. I also enjoy their wine! While on my internship, I hope to see where this industry will take me. I know I want to work in the corporate world and I hope to one day become a corporate Chef for a major restaurant company. My goal is to gain as much experience as I can in the corporate environment to expand my knowledge on how different companies work. I am excited to learn about how Coopers Hawk combines a full restaurant with a winery. From my experience as a guest, they do an excellent job and I can’t wait to learn from them.