by Prabhshan Gandhi, November 19, 2019

“It’s a thrill to fulfil your own childhood dreams, but as you get older, you may find that enabling the dreams of others is even more fun.” -Randy Pausch, The Last Lecture

My internship period ended in Avec Restaurant after 450 long hours. During the internship I was very committed towards learning as many things that I could while continuing to develop my professional profile.

Exploring is an important part of the college experience, and internships are a great way for students to acquaint themselves with the field in which they are interested. Some students begin college with a major or career path in mind, and end up changing their minds later. Taking on an internship while in college allows students to work in their desired field, helping them decide if the field is right for them.

Working at Avec was an enriching experience. I got a full notion of the restaurant and level of work in a Middle-Eastern restaurant and learned to cook with their techniques, some of which were unknown to me. The one thing I do love about Avec is that we were given a lot of freedom as well as responsibilities. The chefs usually create multiple new dishes, involve us in the tasting and take feedback from everyone.

It’s not easy as it seems as the work in a commercial kitchen is quite arduous. Long hours standing on my feet and burning my back from the heat coming out of the wood fired oven. There is constant pressure for running everything smoothly. Learning about a dish and making it once or twice in school is nothing compared to the person who’s done it 400 times. The skills can only be successfully achieved from repeatedly performing them. Schooling will give you a good platform from which to begin, and make you more hirable. But it is only a start. Learning how to cook requires getting hold of several physical skills.

In the working world, it’s all about who you know. Internships are more than just about earning credit, getting a grade, or making money. They provide an opportunity to learn from the people around you. As an intern, you will be surrounded by professionals in the industry. The professionals you encounter during an internship can be your future colleagues or the connection to your first job.

For me, what drives me is the creativity. There is nothing like creating a new recipe that turns out to be great! It puts a smile on my face and in my heart, builds self-esteem and brightens other people’s days when they taste it. My opinion is that a real chef is inventive, not just someone who follows a recipe. I like to experiment with flavors and textures, mixing it up as in a kind of “fusion cuisine”, mingling cultural ingredients in recipes. That is what really drives me to be a better cook, creating a new flavor for people tomorrow.

Kendall College Trust Scholarship plays a big part in my growth here at Kendall. They helped me to grow more in the industry, made me bold and taught me that success is for the people who are willing to take risk. Taking risks not only makes a person eligible to make better decisions but, also increases the self confidence level of a person. Currently in this fall quarter I am enrolled in capstone and my project plan is something that has never been done before. Me and my team are trying to create restaurant model to be Illinois’ first cannabis pairing restaurant in Chicago. We are trying to create a place where you’re likely to see a tablecloth, a trained wait staff and a cannabis sommelier. This Polished Casual restaurant is where you feel like you’re having a bit of a luxury treatment in biophilic design dining space apart from our competitors, giving us a novel appearance without the formality of a full fine dining experience.

As thankful as I am for the opportunity of being here in Chicago. In the past three years, I have witnessed substantial growth on campus and the expansion of programs. While the transitional period has been difficult to maintain the same standard that I have grown accustomed to, I am looking forward to the substantial sources and the exciting opportunities offered by National Louis University; especially the newly built downtown campus in the heart of Chicago.