Graduate Spotlight – Jennifer Groves
Meet Jennifer, a recent Online Culinary Arts graduate, who always had a passion for food and some day dreams of starting her own food truck or working in a test kitchen. Working full-time, Jennifer set out to improve her skills for the possibility of a career change. Now that she has graduated from the program she is excited to have her Escoffier Culinary Certificate in case one day she is ready for that change in industries. We sat down with Jennifer to hear more about her future plans and how the program has helped her become a better cook in the kitchen.
Escoffier: Now that you have completed the program, do you have plans for a career change?
Groves: I enrolled in the program because I have always had a passion for food and wanted to improve my skills and learn more about cooking techniques. I hope to be able to work in some way in the future in food. I would love to be able to have a food truck someday or maybe work in a test kitchen, which I think would be really fun. The food truck would be in a few years. I would need to wait until my younger daughter graduates from high school. In the mean time, I want to really work on my skills and come up with some exciting foods to serve in my truck. This program was a joy and has gotten me even more excited about food and cooking.
Escoffier: Have you noticed a change in your cooking when in the kitchen?
Groves: I really have noticed that my cooking has moved up a notch. My husband says, that I was always a good cook, but now it really is restaurant quality.
Escoffier: What was your favorite cooking assessment in the program and how has it helped you?
Groves: My favorite section to study was the stocks and mother sauces. Sauces are essential and I am still working on these. Stocks are amazing and the difference they make in a soup. No waste for me any longer! When I cook a turkey or chicken I save the bones and make a stock. It’s great! I have learned so much and have enjoyed it all.
Jennifer Groves
Culinary Graduate – November 2013
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