I got in to culinary school! :)

Pay attention.
Don't be afraid to make mistakes.
In demo kitchen, if chef asks for a volunteer, be the volunteer.

Yes, volunteer for everything and any special events!! I know it's a little kiss butt and teacher's pet, but you learn so much.

If they have Chef's Choice or Visiting Chefs arrange so you can be there even if it's just washing pots!

Enjoy it! dont be worried if there are others in the class better than you and go in every day and to every class... ask questions, if you dont understand something dont assume that all the others do just coz theyre not asking, they probably dont! But attendance on these programmes is the most important thing. Trust me, I got kicked out og cullinary school for poor attendance and I was quite good in class. I am about to start again this september.

See,that was my biggest problem with culinary school;attendance accounted for 90% of your grade.Show up for class each day,fail all tests and quizzes and you still get an "A" for the class [not like your GPA matters in the Real World].I had to laugh at all these "Honor's Students" who had perfect attendance but could not cook to save their lives,but it was their money that was being wasted,not mine!

To me the poor attendance issue was annoying;it reflected directly on the person: if you can't show up for what you are paying for,are you going to show up for what you are being paid to do? I missed two days in a year and during that time,I was a partner in a catering business and was pulling down a 90 hour week the whole time,so I had no sympathy for the 20-somethings who were "tired" or hung over and living under Mommy and Daddy's roof...waaaaa!

OMG.....I thought that was only happening at JWU. ( and mind you, it's a dry campus!) The total chaos that was some of the younger students actually coming to classes drunk, stoned or otherwise incapacitated!

And, you had to guard all your projects and homework because if you didn't...it would re-appear with another name, tittle or photo and claimed by someone else ( I hated that the most! I also worked and managed to keep a 3.75!)

They had to bribe the students to do their 75 hours volunteer work with a freaking 3 day cruise!

I managed to do mine and beyond! All the chefs had my phone number and where always calling me to do events because they knew I would be one of the ones to show up! and I never got my "hours" nor did I go to the damm cruise!

So, sad for these kids...yet most of them were the ones that got recommended for the jobs. I was told to my face by several of the teachers that I was "TOO OLD" and "NOT HUNGRY!"

Yet...I was one of the few that within 90 days of graduation...opened my own place, but because I do the type of cakes I do...I am not supported by the school!

The only other person that opened a place right after graduation was a former singer ( from some "B" band ) who already HAD/made money and didn't have to slave for 5 years to save every penny!


oh, I digress..lol

But, I did have a blast, didn't learn too much of what I already didn't know. Loved the experience and went in with an open mind, bright eyed and bushy tailed. I got to meet some wonderful Chef/Instructors that I still keep in contact with.

And those Chef/Instructors that tried to demoralize me, well...they can "EAT MY SHORTS!" bwaaaaaahahhahha:talk: